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2024 Victoria Derby Day, Golden Eagle LIVE tips, winners, latest results: James McDonald off to a flying start

It didn’t take long for start jockey James McDonald to find the winner’s stall on Derby Day. Follow live updates from Flemington plus get the latest tips from our experts at the track.

Daniel Sankey
9 min read
November 2, 2024 - 1:17PM
Hold All Tickets Episode 10 - A weekend like no other!

Welcome to live coverage of Victoria Derby Day at Flemington and Golden Eagle Day at Rosehill.

Racenet’s Daniel Sankey will bring you all the action from a massive day’s racing right around Australia today, complete with tips, results and all the information you need to back a winner.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS (click headline to visit post)
• 12.25pm: J-Mac off to perfect start on Derby Day
• 11.25am: Vets rule out another Melbourne Cup runner
• 10.30am: Hoop’s ominous Golden Eagle warning
• 9.30am: Huge bet on Derby roughie
• 9.05am: Expert tips for today’s big races

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1.05pm: Zeitung stamps Thousand Guineas credentials in Vanity

Trainer James Cummings admitted he was seriously thinking about a Group 1 Thousand Guineas start for Exceed And Excel filly Zeitung after her powerful victory in today’s Group 3 The Vanity (1400m) at Flemington.

Under star jockey Mark Zahra, who’ll pilot Coolmore Stud Stakes favourite Growing Empire later today, Zeitung ($6) responded to hands and heels riding to overhaul the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Matisse ($7), with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s Dominetta ($12) in third.

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12.55pm: Gilbert Gardiner HOT TIP – Flemington Race 3 at 1.40pm

The Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock stable went close to winning the Group 3 Rising Fast Stakes last year with Najem Suhail – and Gilbert Gardiner thinks they can make amends today with REY MAGNERIO (11).

“Rey Magnerio should be ready to peak third-up, has run super the past two starts. Held up at a crucial stage last start (behind Estriella at Caulfield) but once clear savaged the line to go down by the barest margin.,” Gil writes in today’s Four-Play + Quadzilla: $200 betting strategy column.

SUGGESTED BET: $50 to win on Rey Magnerio.

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12.47pm: ‘Elettric’ upset as well-backed runners toppled

The Richard and Will Freedman-trained Elettrica took her career earnings to within a whisker of the $400,000 mark with an authorative victory in the TAB Benchmark 78 (1300m).

Forced to sit outside the lead under apprentice Molly Bourke, the six-year-old mare quickly put paid to the well-backed Asgarda ($2.90) as they turned for home, holding off $3.50 favourite Pippie Beach and $7 chance Allapercanto in the closing stages to score.

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12.32pm: Mitch Cohen HOT TIP – Rosehill Race 2

The best bet of the day for Racenet’s Mitch Cohen comes up in the second race at Rosehill, a Benchmark 78 for the fillies and mares.

He’s keen to launch into the Doug Gorrel-trained ASGARDA (No.3), the Country Championships-winner who was ever so impressive when rattling home for fifth in Far Too Easy’s Kosciuszko on October 19.

SUGGESTED BET: Asgarda to win.

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12.25pm: Aeliana wins Carbine Club at Flemington

Star jockey James McDonald kicked off his Derby Day campaign in scintillating fashion, booting home Aeliana ($5.50) in dominant fashion in the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes.

McDonald was content to sit last off a strong tempo set by Acta Non Verba ($10), with favourite Feroce ($2.40) sitting on his heels.

But both the leaders were soon under pressure in the straight as ‘J-Mac’ swept past out wide for an effortless victory.

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12.15pm: Villasaurus wins Highway at Rosehill (for Duff)

If you missed reading Ray & Duff’s race-by-race preview to today’s Golden Eagle meeting at Rosehill, you missed out on the first winner of the day.

Ron Dufficy is a fan of the Donna Scott stable and was keen to back Villasaurus, who duly saluted in slashing style as a $9 chance.

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12pm: Daniel Sankey HOT TIP – Flemington Race 1

The Dominic Sutton-trained FEROCE (Flemington Race 1 No.1) only has to produce a similar run to his slashing effort behind Private Life in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas to get punters off to a hot start today.

It’s easy to make a case that Feroce should have won the Guineas – a race in which he finished in front of star colt Broadsiding (third in Via Sistina’s Cox Plate). He raced without room for much of the straight and when he got out in the final 200m, Feroce savaged the line under jockey Billy Egan.

From barrier five on the bigger Flemington track and in a small field, Feroce will have plenty of room to move today and can run over the top of them in the straight.

SUGGESTED BET: Feroce to win.

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11.25am: Vets rule out another Cup runner

Racing Victoria stewards have withdrawn Kiwi stayer Mahrajaan from Tuesday’s $7.75m Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m), acting on veterinarian advice.

Stewards said the seven-year-old, who won the Group 2 Auckland Cup over the Melbourne Cup distance in March, to be at heightened risk of injury based on the results of its CT scan.

The Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray-trained gelding was a $101 chance in Ladbrokes’ Melbourne Cup market before its scratching. Group 1-winning jockey Declan Bates – the regular rider of Horse of the Year Pride Of Jenni – had been booked to ride Mahrajaan in the Cup.

It means the Chris Waller-trained Manzoice has provisionally moved into the field ahead of final acceptances at 4.30pm.

Other horses to be ruled out of the Cup because of their CT scan results are Aidan O’Brien’s UK star Jan Brueghel, the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained pair Brayden Star and Muramasa and the Sheila Laxon and John Symons-trained Mission Of Love.

Geelong Cup winner Onesmoothoperator was this morning give the all-clear to take his place after recovering from a cut to its right heel bulb.

MELBOURNE CUP 2024 – POSSIBLE FIELD
$7.75 million | 3200m | Tuesday, November 5
1 – VAUBAN (Trainer: Willie Mullins; Jockey: William Buick) 55.5kg
2 – BUCKAROO (Chris Waller; Joao Moreira) 54.5kg
3 – CIRCLE OF FIRE (Ciaron Maher, Mark Zahra) 54.5kg
4 – WARP SPEED (Noboru Takagi; Akira Sugawara) 54kg
5 – KOVALICA (Chris Waller, Damian Lane) 53.5kg
6 – SHARP ‘N’ SMART (Graeme & Deborah Rogerson, Michael Dee) 53.5kg
7 – JUST FINE (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott; Jye McNeill) 53kg
8 – LAND LEGEND (Chris Waller; Zac Purton) 53kg
9 – ABSURDE (Willie Mullins; Kerrin McEvoy) 52.5kg
10 – ATHABASCAN (John O’Shea & Tom Charlton; Zac Lloyd) 52kg
11 – KNIGHT’S CHOICE (John Symons & Sheila Laxon; Robbie Dolan) 51.5kg
12 – OKITA SOUSHI (Ciaron Maher; Jamie Kah) 51kg
13 – ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (Brian Ellison; Craig Williams) 51kg
14 – ZARDOZI (James Cummings; Andrea Atzeni) 51kg
15 – SEA KING (Harry Eustace; Hollie Doyle) 50.5kg
16 – VALIANT KING (Chris Waller; Craig Newitt) 50.5kg
17 – INTERPRETATION (Ciaron Maher; Teo Nugent) 50kg
18 – FANCY MAN (Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald; Ron Stewart) 50kg
19 – THE MAP (Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray; Rachel King) 50kg
20 – MOSTLY CLOUDY (Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young; Karis Teetan) 50kg
21 – POSITIVITY (Andrew Forsman; Winona Costin) 50kg
22 – TRUST IN YOU (Bruce Wallce & Grant Cooksley; Mark Du Plessis) 50kg
23 – SAINT GEORGE (Ciaron Maher; TBC) 50kg
24 – MANZOICE (Chris Waller, TBC) 50kg
NEXT IN ORDER OF ENTRY
25 – KINESIOLOGY (Chris Waller, TBC) 50kg
26 – FRANCESCO GUARDI (Chris Waller, TBC) 52kg
27 – WALTHAM (Matthew Smith, TBC) 50kg

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10.30am: Hoop’s ominous Golden Eagle warning on UK raider

Jockey Cieren Fallon made an ominous assessment of English raider Lake Forest, declaring the William Haggas-trained galloper looks bigger and better than ever ahead of today’s $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens.

Fallon, son of former English champion hoop Kieren Fallon, had just taken Lake Forest for a spin around Canterbury Park as he prepares to ride for Haggas in the Sydney’s lucrative four-year-old event.

“He feels great and I think he has grown,” Fallon declared.

“He looks much better out here than he has done back home.”

Read the full story by Mitch Cohenhere.

• Clinton Payne’s Golden Eagle tips, runner-by-runner form assessment

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10am: The race is on at Flemington ...

... for the punters, at least, as they rush to secure a seat on Derby Day.

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9:35am: Melbourne Cup fancy cleared by vets

Geelong Cup winner Onesmoothoperator has been cleared by vets to run in the $7.75 million Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m).

Currently the $7 second favourite with Ladbrokes for Tuesday’s great race, Onesmoothoperator was presented to Racing Victoria vets yesterday with a cut to its right hind heel bulb and could not be passed suitable to race.

Further vet checks this morning saw the Brian Ellison-trained stayer, to be ridden on Tuesday by Craig Williams, passed fit to run.

Melbourne Cup final acceptances must be lodged by 4:30pm today. Here is how the field is shaping up.

MELBOURNE CUP 2024 – POSSIBLE FIELD
$7.75 million | 3200m | Tuesday, November 5
1 – VAUBAN (Trainer: Willie Mullins; Jockey: William Buick) 55.5kg
2 – BUCKAROO (Chris Waller; Joao Moreira) 54.5kg
3 – CIRCLE OF FIRE (Ciaron Maher, Mark Zahra) 54.5kg
4 – WARP SPEED (Noboru Takagi; Akira Sugawara) 54kg
5 – KOVALICA (Chris Waller, Damian Lane) 53.5kg
6 – SHARP ‘N’ SMART (Graeme & Deborah Rogerson, Michael Dee) 53.5kg
7 – JUST FINE (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott; Jye McNeill) 53kg
8 – LAND LEGEND (Chris Waller; Zac Purton) 53kg
9 – ABSURDE (Willie Mullins; Kerrin McEvoy) 52.5kg
10 – ATHABASCAN (John O’Shea & Tom Charlton; Zac Lloyd) 52kg
11 – MAHRAJAAN (Shaune Ritchie & Colm Murray; Declan Bates) 52kg
12 – KNIGHT’S CHOICE (John Symons & Sheila Laxon; Robbie Dolan) 51.5kg
13 – OKITA SOUSHI (Ciaron Maher; Jamie Kah) 51kg
14 – ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (Brian Ellison; Craig Williams) 51kg
15 – ZARDOZI (James Cummings; Andrea Atzeni) 51kg
16 – SEA KING (Harry Eustace; Hollie Doyle) 50.5kg
17 – VALIANT KING (Chris Waller; Craig Newitt) 50.5kg
18 – INTERPRETATION (Ciaron Maher; Teo Nugent) 50kg
19 – FANCY MAN (Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald; Ron Stewart) 50kg
20 – THE MAP (Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray; Rachel King) 50kg
21 – MOSTLY CLOUDY (Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young; Karis Teetan) 50kg
22 – POSITIVITY (Andrew Forsman; Winona Costin) 50kg
23 – TRUST IN YOU (Bruce Wallce & Grant Cooksley; Mark Du Plessis) 50kg
24 – SAINT GEORGE (Ciaron Maher; TBC) 50kg
NEXT IN ORDER OF ENTRY
25 – MANZOICE (Chris Waller, TBC) 50kg
26 – KINESIOLOGY (Chris Waller, TBC) 50kg
27 – FRANCESCO GUARDI (Chris Waller, TBC) 52kg
28 – WALTHAM (Matthew Smith, TBC) 50kg

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

9:30am: Derby roughie backed to win more than $300,000

One punter stands to land a substantial windfall if a roughie can cause a boilover in the Victoria Derby at Flemington on Saturday.

The Julian Sandhu-trained Oxford Blue, who fought hard for third behind Derby rival Saint Emilion in the Listed Geelong Classic (2200m) on October 23, has been the subject of a significant wager ahead of the three-year-old classic.

TAB has reported a bet of $5000 each-way on the son of 2013 Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente at odds of $51 and $13.50.

Meanwhile, another punter has placed a bet of $10,000 each-way on the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained First Settler in the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m).

Read the full story at Racenet.

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9:05am: Expert tips for Derby Day, Golden Eagle Day and more

Hoping to back a winner today? The Racenet team has you covered with a suite of specials right around Australia.

Become a Racenet iQ member and get access to Racenet’s exclusive Pro Tips service, which features the best bets DAILY from Australia’s top form analysts. It’s your easiest way to punt like a pro in this year’s Spring Carnival! Subscribe here.

Victorian form expert Mark Guest has done a deep dive into the Derby Day fields at Flemington – get his race-by-race tips and analysis, plus his quaddie selections.

It’s also shaping up as a terrific day in Sydney, where Japanese raider Ascoli Piceno has been well-backed to win the $10 million Golden Eagle. Professional punter James Molony has you covered with his race-by-race tips and analysis for Rosehill Gardens.

Graeme Carey has tips and analysis for Eagle Farm, Heath Pope and Aaron Mills are both keen on $31 shots at Morphettville and Ascot and Laurie Sainsbury has a $61 roughie that he thinks is worth an each-way ticket.

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8:50am: Broadcast restrictions strike Racing.com, Foxtel, Kayo

Broadcast contract restrictions mean live racing will not be aired as normal on Foxtel or Kayo for the four days of the Melbourne Cup carnival.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) this morning, Racing.com revealed it would not be able to provide its usual race highlights and other content on its website, nor air live racing on its channel on Foxtel or Kayo.

“Our offering will return to normal post Champions Day,” the post said.

The Victorian Racing Club announced in February that it had entered into an agreement with Tabcorp and Nine Entertainment which would see the Melbourne Cup Carnival broadcast on SKY platforms and the TAB app, with Tabcorp owning the right to on-sell the coverage to wagering providers.

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8:35am: Jamie Kah exclusive: ‘I’m hard on myself’

Jockey Jamie Kah shows six-year-old Elanore Bourchier the Melbourne Cup trophy at the Nathalia Ag Show last month. Picture: Nicole Cleary
Jockey Jamie Kah shows six-year-old Elanore Bourchier the Melbourne Cup trophy at the Nathalia Ag Show last month. Picture: Nicole Cleary

As a proud “Swiftie”, star jockey Jamie Kah would certainly know the lyrics to the singer’s hit Shake It Off but the song could easily double as her soundtrack for the Melbourne Cup carnival.

Kah, who spoke exclusively to Racenet’s Gilbert Gardiner this week, is likely to compete in about 24 of the 37 races in Cup Week – the Olympics for horse racing in Australia.

Winning jockeys – the minority – get about 15 minutes to soak up atmosphere on the way back to the mounting yard, celebrate with trainers and owners and complete media rounds. The rest cannot dwell on defeat, but rather decompress, suit up and go again.

And Kah admits that staying positive is often her toughest battle.

Read the full story here.

Originally published as 2024 Victoria Derby Day, Golden Eagle LIVE tips, winners, latest results: James McDonald off to a flying start

Read related topics:Melbourne

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/superracing/vic-racing/2024-victoria-derby-day-golden-eagle-live-tips-winners-latest-results-cup-fancy-cleared-by-vets/news-story/13c40b78fa01978f07dea08dd5715c7a