History repeats for Fontelina as owners revel in another Group 2 success

HAVING been an absentee at last year's Derby Day, there was no way  Mike Buys was going to miss the chance to see Fontelina notch another Group 2 win.

HAVING been an absentee at last year's Derby Day, there was no way part-owner Mike Buys was going to miss the chance to see Fontelina notch another Group 2 success and he was predictably among the happiest people at Flemington yesterday.

Buys didn't make it Flemington last year, leaving co-owner Rob Willis to speak for the team after Fontelina's win.

Yesterday, the pair were able to celebrate together and confessed to having a number of pre-race drinks in anticipation of a second success Fontelina didn't let them down, being able to get the better of a brave Spirit Of Boom and Rarefied in the final stages.

Tony Gollan was again proud of Spirit Of Boom's effort, but lamented him not being able to get any cover with his 59kg impost.

Buys, who also part-owns yesterday's Coolmore Stud fourth placed filly Villa Verde with Willis, was happy to trumpet the feats of his trainer.

"Anthony Cummings is the greatest trainer in Australia, bar none," Buys trumpeted.

"He's done an amazing job with this horse and what an effort. 57.5kg and he was just too good."

Cumming said Fontelina was a better horse this year.

"He had to because there was a lot more depth in this year's race and he had to carry more weight," he said.

"He's been better all this preparation and his run in the Rupert Clarke was excellent and we had a choice about coming here or going to the Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley but we elected to bypass that for this race and it's turned out to be a good choice."

Jockey Peter Robl said the straight track made it an easier decision to come to Flemington and bypass the Valley.

Melbourne Cup

"His run at Caulfield in the Group 1 behind Rebel Dane showed you how well he was going this year," he said.

"We knew that Steps In Time was going to run along and everything just panned out perfectly, we got a run when we needed one and he found when I needed him to find."