Downdraft wins Hotham Stakes in impressive style to shorten for Melbourne Cup
Trainer Joseph O’Brien has already won a Melbourne Cup but his chances of claiming a second received a huge boost when he confirmed a fourth starter in impressive style.
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Joseph O’Brien will exert a Bart Cummings-like influence over Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup after Downdraft defied convention to land the Group 3 Hotham Handicap (2500m).
Securing ballot exempt status in the $8 million handicap with victory over Carif ($9.50) and Azuro ($9.50), Downdraft bolsters O’Brien’s number of runners to four, a remarkable achievement for the Irish prodigy.
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Sitting at 24th in the Cup order of entry before the Hotham, Downdraft joined Master Of Reality, Latrobe and Twilight Payment in the field for the young trainer who triumphed two years ago with Rekindling.
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O’Brien will again attempt to deny his famous father Aidan, who has a trio of starters on Tuesday – Il Paradiso, Magic Wand and Hunting Horn.
He was not at Flemington to watch Downdraft because he is overseeing his Breeders’ Cup team in California.
Jockey John Allen predicts Downdraft won’t be troubled by three runs in 10 days, following his dogged Moonee Valley Gold Cup third behind Hunting Horn.
“We were on the fringe of getting a run without running today but he has confirmed it today,” Allen said.
“Hopefully he backs up good and he’ll be in there with a great chance.
“He seems to have a great attitude.
“I believe Joseph was pretty confident he could handle it. The race last Saturday was only really a piece of work to him. It got him spot-on for today and he never looked like getting beaten today.”
Downdraft bolts away from the pack to win the Lexus Hotham Stakes and secures a place in the #MelbourneCup! #DerbyDay pic.twitter.com/skPgVGHKoA
— 10 Sport (@10SportAU) November 2, 2019
OTI’s Terry Henderson said O’Brien was unconcerned at Downdraft’s workload heading into the Cup.
“He was happy to run him. He was confident that if he ran well today then he could back-up,” Henderson said.
“The thing is, it wasn’t that hard a run. He’s had a bit of a blow but it wasn’t too bad.”
Henderson revealed O’Brien has Downdraft at the top of the stable’s Cup pecking order.
“Joseph thinks he’s the best chance in the Cup. He always did. Since about July,” he said.
The Chosen One, which is assured a Cup start, will press onto the race despite finishing fifth, almost eight lengths from the winner.
The most recent Hotham winner to land the Melbourne Cup is Shocking in 2009.
WAKEFUL STAKES: OLLIE SETS NEW RECORD
Damien Oliver set a new Flemington record for spring carnival winners when Miami Bound gave him his 73rd winner but he needed to be reminded he’d achieved that feat after his win in the Wakeful Stakes.
As he was pulling Miami Bound up after her tough win in the Wakeful Stakes he admitted he was oblivious to what he had achieved.
“I wasn’t thinking about it until Brittany mentioned it on the pony and then it hit home,” Oliver said.
“It’s a huge thrill. There’s been racing her for 150 years here. There’s been amazing jockeys here over that time. I’m pretty honoured to think I’m the most successful,” Oliver said.
Oliver equalled Bobbie Lewis’ longstanding record when he won on Danny O’Brien’s Order Of Command last year and it was again that trainer who provided him with the record breaker.
O’Brien said he was thrilled to have provided Oliver with the record breaking win.
“We’ve had a great relationship for many years. To have that on your resume that no one has ridden more winners than you at a Flemington spring carnival is something to be proud of,” O’Brien said.
“Racing’s all about the four days at Flemington.”
O’Brien believes Miami Bound is on track to emulate her mother Arapaho Miss, who won the VRC Oaks in 2007.
“This is usually a pretty good guide to Thursday. Her half brother De Little Engine didn’t hit her straps until he got to 2500m and her mother won The Oaks,” O’Brien said.
“She’s been set for this race for the last year. She’s got a great constitution and the 2500m will suit.”
O’Brien though said the runner-up Vegas Jewel, trained by his great mare Mark Kavanagh, would also be hard to beat in The Oaks.
Miami Bound ($8) held off a strong challenge from Vegas Jewel ($3.70) to win by a neck with Palumbo ($26) six lengths away third.
Jordan Childs, who rode Vegas Jewel, said Miami Bound was a bit stronger but his filly’s Grand Final would be on Thursday.
— Michael Manley
RIGHT MELODY FOR EMPIRE ROSE
Kiwi pair Jamie Edwards and Opie Bosson might have been the only ones doing a rain dance at Flemington, but it produced another blistering win for New Zealand star Melody Belle.
The mare — which was recently named the New Zealand Horse of the Year — romped home to claim the Empire Rose Stakes, relishing the driving rain and cool conditions for her 10th Group 1 win.
No horse has won more this year with now seven in total for 2019, and jockey Bosson admitted the miserable forecast had only had him more buoyant.
“When the rain came, I was even more confident,” Bosson said.
“I just love her to bits — she just doesn’t know when to stop.
“To do it on both sides of the Tasman and 10 Group 1s — there’s not many that can do that.”
What an incredible finish! Melody Belle flies from the back of the field to take home the TAB Empire Rose Stakes! #DerbyDay pic.twitter.com/FeB4nx8caF
— 10 Sport (@10SportAU) November 2, 2019
Edwards — who is now weighing up whether to take the star to the McKinnon or Matriarch Stakes next Saturday — said the rain was “just going to slow some of the others down more than it was going to her, so that was great”.
And he said it marked one of the best victories of his training career after a period he conceded may have seen many underestimate the five-year-old.
“It’s a big thrill to get one (a Group 1 in Australia), because we’ve been knocking on the door a little bit,” he said.
“I guess there’s a little bit of that (underestimation). To be fair to the people that do the form, she hadn’t really beaten a lot. But she can only beat what’s in front of her, and she’s been doing it quite easily.
“This is awesome. This is what it’s all about. To be back here in Melbourne in springtime with one of our best horses … it’s a big thrill to be competitive.”
