Arcora to be put on Victoria Derby path after Byerley Handicap win at Flemington

Jockey John Allen has endorsed the Victoria Derby credentials of Arcora after the young stayer claimed a deserved win in the Byerley Handicap at Flemington.

Arcora holds offs Bayou Music and Arabian Prince in the Byerley Handicap. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images

Arcora could be back at Flemington in the spring with Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) ambitions.

The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Justify colt claimed the Byerley Handicap (1800m) on Saturday at Flemington from Bayou Music and Arabian Prince.

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“Trent and Natalie, not many better at getting a middle distance three-year-old up to (derby) trip, there’s lots of nice 2000m races coming up in September,” stable representative Sam Griggs said.

“We’ll plot a course with him, whatever is going to suit him best, but get him here Derby Day and he’ll make his presence felt.”

Arcora travelled outside the leader and kicked strongly in the straight.

Runner-up Bayou Music enjoyed a lovely run behind the speed and looked the win but proved reluctant to take a split.

Once manoeuvred around heels, the Godolphin colt Bayou Music charged late but could not bridge the gap to the winner.

Arcora books his spot in the Derby!

A gritty win for the son of Justify, can he make an impact come Spring?@busuttinpic.twitter.com/YYdY6zsypg

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) July 19, 2025

Arcora deserved the win after being placed the past two starts.

“I thought off his first-up run over 1400m (second), I said to Trent and Natalie ‘he’s the derby horse’, he’s got so much improvement ahead of him,” Griggs said.

“It’s nice to tick the (win) box and will do him a world of good to get his head down in front because he’s been going close and got the killer blow today.”

Victoria Derby-winning jockey John Allen endorsed the spring ambitions.

“He’s quite well developed as a two-year-old and got plenty of strength about him … I’d imagine they’d be thinking a derby for him in the spring,” Allen said.

“He certainly feels like he has the raw ability.”

Allen sealed an early race-to-race double when he steered Em Sixty to his third straight win in the 1700m 3YO Handicap.

The Henry Dwyer-trained Em Sixty ($3.50) had won his previous two outings at Swan Hill and Ballarat but his winning streak looked in jeopardy at the 600m.

However, a gap appeared on the inside at the perfect time, allowing Allen to drive Em Sixty along the rail to beat the strong-finishing Moonlight Circus.

“I got back on the fence, blew my whistle and away he went,” Allen said.

“It looked a little tricky turning in but I could see they were rolling off the fence.

“I had the horse to quicken up in there and he quickened up well.”

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Flemington Cup win helps Melham cover wedding bills

- Brad Waters

Champion jockey Jamie Melham joked Sydney stayer Mormona handled Saturday’s Deane Lester Flemington Cup 1849 (2800m) better than she did.

Melham steered Mormona to a narrow win over the $2.60 favourite Muktamil in the $150,000 staying contest for her fourth city win since returning to racing from her honeymoon.

“We’ve got some bills to pay with a wedding and honeymoon so it’s good to be back,” Melham said.

She said the Annabel and Rob Archibald-trained Mormona had “very, very good lung capacity” as the import easily recovered from his exertions.

“He did not blow at all,” Melham said.

“I was blowing harder than the horse pulling up.

“He’s a very fit, very clean winded horse so further is only going to suit him.”

It's the Grey's Cup!

Mormona takes the Deane Lester Flemington Cup for Jamie Melham and Team Archibald. A peach of a ride from Jamie 👏👏@[e-mail]/JfaI5kLJVv

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) July 19, 2025

Archibald said a lack of races beyond 2400m prompted the couple to look south to Saturday’s 2800m contest.

He added Mormona could improve further but wondered whether the French-bred six-year-old would measure up to harder races later in the year or would be better served with a break.

“I’m not sure whether we just back off him and look for a few targets during the spring or whether we push on.

“Whether he’s ready for that or not this year or not, it might be something we look at in the future.

“There’s just so few options so we’re just dictated to slightly so we’ll sit back and we’ll plan.

“We’ve got a little way to go but we’re on the right track.”

Originally published as Arcora to be put on Victoria Derby path after Byerley Handicap win at Flemington