Geelong Cup Day Report
 by Lisa Olszak
 
Cup winner "Karasi"
 
    Again, the city of Geelong was cursed with bad weather in the days leading up to one of Victoria's leading country cup carnivals, but the meeting still went ahead, unlike the previous year, when the Geelong Cup meet was delayed for four days, and the Oaks program transferred to Ballarat. With a track rating of 'slow' by the first race, the unfortunate timing of the rain caused 21 scratchings, which wasn't too bad under the circumstances, and the crowd (approx. 17,900) was up noticably on last year.

    Race 1 was underway nice and early at noon, with a small field of eight to compete. The race was taken out by 4yo gelding I'll Get By, trained by Nigel Blackiston and ridden by Sydney jockey Darren Beadman. His recent form hadn't been terribly flattering and it was no surprise to see he started as the rank outsider. I'll Get By was formerly trained by Gai Waterhouse, and ran 4th in the Geelong Derby Trial last year behind Bush Padre.
    "He's had feet trouble and he used to turn it up a bit under pressure, but Darren got the best out of him today," said Blackiston. The Tony Vasil-trained Havana Town finished second, and Silver Boom made up the third position.

    An even smaller field took part in the second race on the program, with only five trainers sending round a runner, but there was still plenty of quality on show. Brian Mayfield-Smith's lightly raced gelding Rubitano, who had bolted in at his Kyneton debut by 4 lengths, was sent out the short-priced favourite with Sam Hyland on board, but couldn't hold off smart Gold Coast filly Trail Of Gold. The Gerald Ryan-trained youngster was having her first run since the winter carnival in Brisbane, where she was not beaten far behind dual Group 1 winning filly Juanmo. Back to a class 1 race here in Geelong, she proved too good for the promising Rubitano, with Shango's Image running third.
    Ryan said after the race, "Trail Of Gold probably needs further distance. She needed the run today and she probably needs 1200m or 1400m. She has got ability and she'll probably go on to the Red Roses at Flemington." The Red Roses will be run on November 7th on Oaks Day.

    Race 3 was a class 2 race over 1700m, with the grey mare Miss Megari sent out as the punter's pick, and she duly saluted, despite racing quite wide in some parts of the race. Ridden by Victoria's leading jockey Damien Oliver, the mare lived up to her recent good form, having nearly beaten the Oaks-bound Quays at Cranbourne last start. Our Raami Guest and Verbal filled the minor placings.

    Last start Geelong runner-up Off To Sea was shaded in betting by his previous-start conqueror Caligula in race 4, but he managed to turn the tables on this occasion. Ridden by New Zealand's leading apprentice Michael Walker, who was having just his first ride on the Geelong track, the Charlie Goggin-trained sprinter made the most of his 4kg drop in weight on his last run, beating Caligula, who dead-heated for 2nd with Paris Eire, in a tight finish. The unlucky runner was the Mornington trained Major Fun, who flew home from out wide to narrowly miss a place.

    The first of the feature races on Geelong Cup Day 2001 was the $63,000 Listed Geelong Derby Trial Stakes, run over the 2200m. With most of the 3yos these days targeting races such as the Moonee Valley Vase or the Norman Robinson Stakes as their lead-ups into the Victorian Derby, the Geelong Derby Trial Stakes doesn't seem to attract many of the big name horses. Several of the starters were maidens, or just out of maiden class. The best quality colts and geldings appeared to be the Sydneysiders, with the Octagonal colt Evander, from the John Hawkes camp, and Sircarn Damon, also from a leading stable in Gai Waterhouse, having run good races behind expensive blueblood Viking Ruler in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes before making their journey down south. Other profile runners in the race included the Lindsay Park-prepared trio Saturday Fever, Blueing The Blues and Young Challenger, the Flemington winner and stunning looker in Pentastic, and the Bart Cummings trained Sir Anabaa, making him stablemate to one of the current Derby favourites in Ustinov.

 
 
                               "Evander"                                            "Sir Anabaa"

    It was Sircarn Damon, ridden by Jim Cassidy, who proved the better stayer, overcoming his wide barrier (13) and getting the better of Thunder Hawk ($11), to score by a short half head. The rank outsider in the field, The Bax Factor, surprised many by his efforts for third, three and a quarter lengths behind the winner. Pentastic's run was good to grab 4th after missing the start. Noticeable disappointments were Sir Anabaa (7th) and Evander (9th).
    It was a change of fortune for winning jockey Cassidy, who earlier in the week had been at the centre of controversy surrounding his riding tactics in the Caulfield Cup on Inaflury, when he took off on the mare in the middle stages of the race, claiming he couldn't hold her.
    "That matter is finished as far as I'm concerned; it's a closed book. All I can do now is let my riding do my talking for me," Cassidy said after Sircarn Damon's win.
    Winning trainer Gai Waterhouse, who was making her first appearance at the Geelong racetrack in six or seven years, said the ride on her Sircarn Damon was "superb." As for the horse, "he is a very relaxed, big stayer and we'll go on to the Derby for sure." There, he'll meet a lot stronger opposition than he met in the Derby Trial, including Viscount, Amalfi and Ustinov. The Derby Trial placegetters are also likely to back up in next week's Victorian Derby. The last horse to complete the Derby Trial-Derby double was Haymaker, nearly 30 years ago.

    Geelong's premier sprint race, the $35,000 Dual Choice Plate, was race 6 on the card, with flying Queensland galloper, grey The Expat starting $2.80 favourite after five scratchings in the race allowed the third emergency to gain a run. Jockey Corey Brown, aiming for a riding double, took The Expat to the lead after he jumped well from the gates, and he led all the way to score by one and three quarter lengths, recording a time of 1:10.77, nearly a full second faster than that of the earlier 1200m race won by Off To Sea. For trainer Gerald Ryan, it was also a winning double, and he expected his horse to run well.
    "Looking before the race, there wasn't much early speed. He was always going to get an easy run in front." Ryan says The Expat's next run will be at Flemington, either on Melbourne Cup Day or Emirates Stakes Day.
    El Nino, who was also lucky to gain a run as second emergency, showed he was back to his best with a fast-finishing 2nd placing, while roughie Ruthless Tycoon appreciated the drop in class on his last run, finishing third. Locally trained Gala Chief and the veteran Typhoon Barney were not too far behind the placegetters.
 

 
The Expat and El Nino in the mounting yard after the race
 
The Expat shows off his prize rug
 
    A former Kiwi won race 7, Lord Mick, trained out of the Mike Moroney yard, and ridden by Kerrin McEvoy. A lightly raced 4yo, the gelding was having just his 2nd Australian run, after Moroney purchased him from New Zealand trainer Paul O'Sullivan, who won two races with the horse.
    "He's got a little bit to learn," said Moroney of his new addition, "but he certainly has ability."
    Lord Mick defeated Cadogan, and Varsilayos, who should be ready to win now after two runs back from a spell.

    The highlight of the day was undoubtedly race 8, the 2001 Holden Geelong Cup, a Listed race worth $126,500, and to the winner, $78,000, a $6500 trophy, and perhaps a berth in Australia's richest race, the Melbourne Cup, next month. With runners hailing from four different states (Victoria, NSW, Tasmania and South Australia), including three locally trained horses, and a few of the runners proven not too happy in wet ground, the horses went around at 6-1 the field. The formline from a race at Flemington on October 6th, The Banjo Paterson over 2557m, was expected to be the best guide, with the first five home that day - Touch The Groom, Yuppie, Scrumptious, Maythehorsebewithu and Kreisler Mirage - all to meet again here in the Cup. Only 2.4 lengths separated them at their last outing, and not too much separated them in the betting ring prior to the jump. Scrumptious and Maythehorsebewithu were the eventual equal favourites, with popular local Touch The Groom the third elect.
    One of only two mares in the 17-horse field, it was Altiero who was sent to the lead  in the early part of the race. Karasi and Frenzel Rhomb were caught deep from their wide draws, with Maythehorsebewithu and Scrumptious having good runs just off the pace. It came down to a real staying test in the home straight, where Karasi looked to have the race in his keeping after taking the lead from the weakening Altiero, but he had a fight on his hands from Maythehorsebewithu, who went to him and headed him late, but to Karasi's credit, he kicked under pressure and showed the stamina which has earned him placings in three Group 1 staying events. The final margin was a mere short half head in favour of Karasi. Scrumptious had a bit of a hard luck story to tell after the race, as jockey Damien Oliver had trouble getting a clear run until the final stages. Frenzel Rhomb's effort to finish 4th was enormous considering he never saw the fence. Fraar Magic put in his usual last finishing burst to run 5th.
 

  
                                                    Karasi leaves the mounting yard (left), and in the winner's rug (right)
 
    Karasi had the form on the board - last start he was beaten just under two lengths by good stayer Freemason in a Group 2 - but his task was expected to be difficult from barrier 19, and that's perhaps why he started at $17.70 on the tote. Trainer David Hall joked before the race, "From barrier 19, the jockey will be able to reach out and grab a glass of champagne as he goes down the straight the first time!"
    Karasi will head to the Melbourne Cup, where he will drop 2.5kg on his Geelong Cup win after handicapper Jim Bowler decided he would not penalise the horse. This leaves Karasi only 37th in order of gaining a run and is in some danger of missing out. Bookmakers have him at great value for the race at $51.
    "There has only been one plan for him from the start and that's been the Melbourne Cup," Hall said. "He has raced three times at two miles and has been placed every time. He's probably better suited over 4000m." With Hall's other early Melbourne Cup hopes Sir Clive, Hit The Roof and Saboteur disappointing of late, or falling by the wayside, Karasi may just be a suitable replacement.
    Jockey Glen Boss, who was having his first ride on Karasi, said, "The one thing we know, is he'll run the trip (3200m). If the Cup becomes a real staying test, he has what it takes."
 
 
 Maythehorsebewithu

    Connections of Geelong Cup runner-up, the interestingly named Maythehorsebewithu, were understandably deflated after coming so close to winning. Trainer Mike Moroney described it as, "Very disappointing." Hoping to qualify Maythehorsebewithu for the Melbourne Cup, which he won last year with Brew, he will now have to rely on his horse running in the first two placings in the SAAB Quality on Derby Day to assure a start, and that will mean a clash with higher-rated stablemate The Secondmortgage, who's also trying to qualify after missing a Caulfield Cup run last week. Jockey Jason Patton was also cursing his bad luck, having had his fair share in the Geelong Cup since winning it in 1999 on Bohemiath. Last year he was on notorious slow starter Mayshiel, who missed the start so badly that had he only missed it by half of what he did, his fast-finishing 4th would probably have been a first. Mayshiel gained a Melbourne Cup run, but stewards then decided to ballot him out in favour of another runner lower down in the order (who was then scratched on Melbourne Cup morning).

     More Geelong Cup Photos
 
    The final race on Cup Day was taken out by the Tony McEvoy-trained Fraar's Turn, a promising horse who now has back-to-back wins at Geelong, and three wins from just five starts. The win gave jockey Kerrin McEvoy a winning double and a 21st birthday present.
    "At least I won't have to buy you a present now," the trainer, who is also Kerrin's uncle, joked after the win. The jockey said he won't be having a birthday bash just yet: "I can't, I've got to ride Viscount at 48.5kg in the Cox Plate on Saturday," he announced.
    Fraar's Turn could possibly step up in grade at his next start by heading to town.

    The Geelong Cup Carnival will wind down with the Oaks Trial Day, featuring the Listed Geelong Oaks trial for fillies, on October 25th.
 
     Click here for full results on Geelong Cup Day

     Click here to read my Geelong Oaks Trial Day Report
 
 

 
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