Caulfield Cup 2016: Jameka powers to victory in $3m staying classic
THIS was arguably the most dominant Caulfield Cup win this century — and Jameka isn’t finished yet.
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THIS was arguably the most dominant Caulfield Cup win this century — and Jameka isn’t finished yet.
Jameka put a three-length margin on her chasing rivals as the mare surged into racing history with her runaway win in the $3 million Caulfield Cup on Saturday.
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JAMEKA GIVES MAHER HIS CITY SWAGGER IN CUP
AT THE TRACK: BEADMAN’S TRIBUTE TO OCTAGONAL
Trainer Ciaron Maher can now concentrate on setting Jameka for the rare Cups double with the mare rocketing to equal favouritism with Hartnell at $5 for the Melbourne Cup on November 1.
Only three mares have completed the Cups double: Rivette (1939), Let’s Elope (1991) and Ethereal (2001) but Jameka is a mare used to rewriting the record books.
Since the Caulfield Cup was first run in 1879, no Victoria Oaks winner has trained on to win the Cup as a four-year-old mare — until Jameka.
“She is a rare horse,’’ Maher said. “When she was a two-year-old, she beat the boys, I was happy to take on the boys in the Derby at Randwick in the autumn, and I was happy to set her for the Cups this spring.
“I just feel she is an extraordinary horse and she proved that today.’’
Jameka, who eased from $3.90 to $4.20 favourite, was perfectly ridden by Nick Hall and had the Caulfield Cup in her keeping on the home turn before bounding clear to score easily from Godolphin stayer Scottish ($7) with Exospheric ($15) three-quarters of a length away third. In other Caulfield Cup news:
■ Her winning margin was the most emphatic since Might And Power won by a record 7½ lengths in 1997;
■ Might And Power went on to win the Melbourne Cup and Maher is now setting his sights on completing the Cups double with Jameka;
■ Jameka has 52kg in the Melbourne Cup but is eligible for a weight penalty. Racing Victoria chief handicapper Greg Carpenter is expected to announce her rehandicap on Monday;
■ Scottish was the first home of the international quartet, finishing second with Exospheric third and Irish stayer Sir Isaac Newton seventh. German stayer Articus ran 12th; and
■ Go Dreaming, the $101 rank outsider, ran last in the 16-horse field.
Hall secured his second Caulfield Cup after Fawkner in 2013. The young jockey then made a bold prediction when he declared: “She will win the Melbourne Cup, too.’’
Maher is convinced Jameka will stay a strong 3200m, but he has always seen something in this mare when others haven’t.
The four-year-old is modestly bred on sprinting lines by Myboycharlie out of a General Nediym mare but Maher liked her so much as a yearling he went to $130,000 to secure the filly at the 2014 Melbourne Yearling Sales.
Jameka has proven a gilt-edged investment with her fifth win from 19 starts boosting her prizemoney to $3.5 million.
“She has improved every start going into this race,’’ Maher said.
“It is hard to say she will improve again but I’m happy to try her out in the Melbourne Cup.’’
Maher, 35, took particular delight in winning his first Grand Slam race for Jameka’s syndicate of owners which include long-time stable client Col McKenna. The trainer is a huge fan of tennis star Serena Williams but when it came to naming the filly, they could not register her as “Serena”.
When it came to naming the filly, McKenna remembers all types of names being submitted relating to the famous tennis siblings.
“Ciaron just loves Serena, he loves watching her play tennis,” McKenna said. “They couldn’t get Serena, obviously, but her middle name is Jameka so that is what they called her.”
Maher was remarkably calm and composed after the race but that is the trainer’s usual demeanour.
“I was pretty calm through the race,’’ Maher said. “Nick got her into a perfect position and even though she was flicking her head around early, it wasn’t that she was overracing but she is so competitive.
“I never wanted to get too excited through the race but at about the 100m I thought ‘well, we are kicking into gear now’.
“When you have the favourite in a big race like this, there is extra pressure but her preparation has gone perfectly right through and to win a Caulfield Cup — it doesn’t get much better than this.’’
THE INTERNATIONALS
Ray Thomas
ENGLISH stayers Scottish and Exospheric bravely chased Jameka to the line in the Caulfield Cup — but neither horse may get the chance to avenge their defeats in the Melbourne Cup.
Charlie Appleby, trainer of Caulfield Cup runner-up Scottish, said he was keeping his options open about a Melbourne Cup start.
“We are delighted to come over here and be in the first three, that is what we were aiming for,’’ Appleby said. “We wanted to win but the horse has run a great to finish second. Unfortunately it was a bit unusual for him when he missed the kick a little and then he was running a bit free.
“But Kerrin (McEvoy) rode a fantastic race, he did all the right things. He got the horse into a nice rhythm but full credit to the winner.’’
McEvoy explained Scottish “jumped up in the air at the start”.
“He then raced really keenly (the) first couple of furlongs but he got into a nice rhythm outside the first two then slipped forward,’’ McEvoy said. “He has done a remarkable job.”
Appleby said Scottish stayed the trip out strongly but he was unsure if he will press on to the Melbourne Cup with the stayer.
“You don’t make decisions on race day,’’ he said. “There are other races like the Emirates Stakes and the Lexus to consider, too.’’
Lee Freedman has taken over the training of Exospheric and was taken by his stayer’s outstanding third.
“This is his first start in Australia and he has run super,’’ Freedman said. “I’m not sure about pressing onto the Melbourne Cup, I will just see how he pulls up.
“Our other horse, Our Ivanhowe was very unlucky and he should have run closer than sixth. He is definitely on track for the Melbourne Cup.’’
Damien Oliver, rider of Exospheric, described the stayer’s effort as “excellent.”
“As we were coming to the turn I was only a couple of lengths off Jameka and thought I was a real chance,’’ Oliver said. “But when she kicked, with the pull in the weights, she was just too strong.”
Sir Isaac Newton, trained by Aidan O’Brien, finished an even seventh but is not entered for the Melbourne Cup.
German stayer Articus did not have the best of luck running and finished midfield. He is not among Melbourne Cup entries either.
THE BETTING
JAMEKA ($4) defied the betting drift to take out the Caulfield Cup. Installed a $3.30 favourite after the barrier draw on Tuesday, she drifted out to as much as $4.20 just prior to jump. Jockey Nicholas Hall allowed the speed to develop out in front and sat just off them before making his move approaching the turn. Sprinting sharply in the straight, Jameka raced away to land a big blow to the TAB. Scottish ($7-$6-$7) did plenty of work to find the front but battled on to run second. Punters backed the Godolphin-trained runner heavily as only Jameka held more money than it. Exospheric ($15-$16) finished strongly for third and it too had its share of admirers. Sacred Master, which was as much as $35 and backed into $11, started a $13 chance while Articus ($8.50-$9.50-$10) drifted after being one of the favourites earlier in the week.
BIG BETS: Jameka $10,000 @ $3.70, $5,000 @ $3.80; Scottish $5,000 @ $7, $2,000 @ $7, $2,000 @ $6.50 MULTIPLE TIMES, $1,000 x $5,000 @ $6.50/$2.37; Exospheric $1,000 @ $15
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