Hayes Saddles 1-2 Finishers in Australian Cup
The two runners with the inititals DAH on their headgear came to settle Saturday’s G1 Australian Cup at Flemington, and it was European import Spillway (GB) (Rail Link {GB}) who just lasted over 100-1 chance Extra Zero (Aus)(Danzero {Aus}) to give jockey Michael Walker his first success in a top-level contest in the state of Victoria and first overall since 2004.
Campaigned in England by Virginia Neale and trained by Eve Johnson Houghton, Spillway won three of his first five career starts in the lower grades, but was just found out when trying pattern company, his best finish being a close third in the G3 Gordon S. in 2013. Upset winner of the G3 Japan Racing Association S. at Randwick last April, he finished a close fourth behind Happy Trails in the G1 Mackinnon S. over this course and trip Nov. 1 and filled the same spot in the G2 Zipping Classic at Sandown two weeks later before being spelled. A useful fifth, beaten 3 1/2 lengths, behind Dissident (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}) in the 1400-meter G1 C. F. Orr S. at Caulfield Feb. 14, the bay was most recently beaten two lengths into fourth by Mourinho (Aus) (Oratorio {Ire}) in the G2 Peter Young S. back at that track a fortnight ago.
Sent off at double digits in an open betting affair, Spillway landed in mid-division after breaking from the middle of the gate and switched off nicely for Walker as fan favorite The Cleaner (Aus) (Savoire Vivre {GB}) and Entirely Platinum (NZ) (Pentire {GB}) showed the way early. Red Cadeaux (GB) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}) was away without incident, but was forced to race three wide with cover from midpack for Hugh Bowman, while G1 Melbourne Cup heroProtectionist (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) settled well back in the field. Sent wide into the straight, Spillway accelerated neatly to grab the front runners, but Extra Zero emerged with a bold run and dropped his head on the line, only to lose the photo.
“It was the most comfortable photo I’ve ever been in,” admitted Hayes, a part-owner of both horses and who was winning his first Group 1 since Eagle Falls (Aus) (Hussonet) took the Oakleigh Plate in 2010. “Spillway’s build-up has been great every time he’s stepped up and it was a terrific ride by Michael. I really had to argue with the syndicate of Extra Zero to run him because he’s flying and I thought he’d run the same race he always does at that level.”
Spillway will press on to the A$4-million G1 Longines Queen Elizabeth S. at The Championships Apr. 11, while Extra Zero will stretch out to 2400 meters for the G2 Mornington Cup Mar. 28. Red Cadeaux stayed on gamely for fifth and holds Championships entries for the Queen Elizabeth and the G1 Sydney Cup. Protectionist finished eighth at a distance clearly short of his best.
Saturday, Flemington, Australia
AUSTRALIAN CUP-G1, A$1,000,000, FLE, 3-14, 3yo/up, 10fT, 2:00.09, gd.
1–sSPILLWAY (GB), 130, h, 5, by Rail Link (GB)
1st Dam: Flower Market (GB), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB)
2nd Dam: Marl (GB), by Lycius
3rd Dam: Pamela Peach (GB), by Habitat
(10,000gns RNA yrl ‘11 TATOCT). O-Mrs V Neale, M B Lee, R & C Legh Racing Pty Ltd Syndicate (Mgr: R P Legh), P C Barnett & D A Hayes; B-Cherry Park Stud (GB); T-David Hayes & Tom Dabernig; J-Michael Walker. A$600,000. Lifetime Record: GSP-Eng, 22-5-2-3, A$896,842. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Extra Zero (Aus), 130, g, 8, Danzero (Aus)–Extra Bubbly (Aus), by Bellotto. O-D A Hayes, Extra One Syndicate (Mgr: R S A Minney), Extra Two Syndicate (Mgr: R S A Minney) & Extra Three Syndicate (Mgr: R S A Minney); B-R J Bergstrom (Aus); T-David Hayes & Tom Dabernig. A$180,000.
3–Happy Trails (Aus), 130, g, 7, Good Journey–Madame Flurry (Aus), by Perugino. (A$11,000 yrl ‘09 MMADE). O-P Dickmann, Mrs E Dickmann, J Dickmann, Mrs K Dickmann, Ms N Dickmann & P Swanell; B-B K Parker (Aus); T-Paul Beshara. A$90,000.
Margins: NO, 1 1/4, 1. Odds: 12.00, 100.00, 3.00.
Also Ran: The Cleaner (Aus), Red Cadeaux (GB), Entirely Platinum (NZ), Akzar (Ire), Protectionist (Ger), Foreteller (GB), Lidari (Fr), Puccini (NZ), Greatwood (GB), Mourinho (Aus), Au Revoir (Ire), Big Memory (Fr), Sonntag (Aus).
Click for the Racing Post result or the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree.