IF you were not able to be among the "chosen few" to be trackside at Flemington on the first Tuesday in November last week, there were 27 race meets stretched across the nation from which to watch the dominant win of Verry Elleegant in the time-honoured $5 million Lexus Melbourne Cup.
While New Zealand bred and owned, Verry Elleegant was prepared in Australia by Sydney's leading conditioner Chris Waller, and which became the trainer's first win in the nation-stopping two-mile event.
Running an excellent third in the MVRC W S Cox Plate-G1 at her previous start at Moonee Valley, Verry Elleegant is by Zed a minor winner of a Hawkes Bay maiden race before three unplaced runs from his only racing in the North Island of New Zealand.
While Zed - by Sir Tristram's multiple champion sire Zabeel, may not have made his mark on the racecourse, will certainly be recalled for his stud efforts, albeit via limited books of mares.
Most of Zed's 13 stakes winners have been in New Zealand, Verry Elleegant her sire's best, which has now won 10 Group 1 races, including another Melbourne spring major Caulfield Cup last year.
Such is the mare's performances, Verry Elleegant was voted Australian Horse Of The Year last season.
Favourite and second Melbourne Cup placed Incentivise was far from disgraced, the Australian bred son of Shamus Award advancing from a maiden in country Queensland earlier this year.
Great UK staying sire Galileo was influential in the third and fourth placed horses, the US bred Spanish Mission - by Galileo sire Noble Mission third, and GB bred Floating Artist by another Galileo sire son Nathaniel, fourth. Zabeel featured again as the grandsire of The Chosen One fifth, being by champion New Zealand sire Savabeel, and GB bred Grand Promenade sixth, a son of Danehill's Champs Elysees.
I landed at Taree races on Cup day, the Manning Valley Race Club experiencing one of the biggest and festive crowds since the re-opening of racetracks to rail-side spectators.
Based at Coffs Harbour, Raymond Stokes took riding honours securing a successful double aboard Luftwaffe (a first crop son of Redoute's Choice sire Panzer Division) trained at Port Macquarie by John Sprague, and the Jason Deamer prepared Owned Up (by former Darley shuttler Poet's Voice).
While horse-power was the order-of-the-day, Taree officials treated trackside patrons to a display of a motor-power thanks to the Taree Antique Classic Car Club.
There were nine vehicles on display ranging from a black 1924 Dodge Brothers luxury people transporter through to a 1980s Mercedes Benz and a Mazda Sports.
There was also a trophy awarded for the stand-out car on display presented, and which went to "Jumbo" James Pereira from Wingham, who was hugely proud of his winning entry - a green 1953 Morris Oxford Cowley Utility, and which was in mint condition.
Back on track
COUNTRY racing patrons are being happily welcomed back trackside to circuits around the State. Tomorrow the Gundagai-Adelong Race Club plays host to its renowned Southern Districts feature Snake Gully Cup races, the program being a Country Showcase Meeting with a $30,000 minimum prizemoney per event.
The nine-race program is highlighted with the $100,000 Snake Gully Cup (1400 metres), the card also including a $40,000 Country Maiden Plate.
The Club's Saturday meet of seven races will see its associate feature the $32,000 Hair Of The Dog Handicap (1800 metres). The Southern Highlands will host its Bong Bong picnics on Friday November 19, while there are feature Cups racing at Taree and Queanbeyan Sunday 21.
Overshare
OVERSHARE - a Group winning son of sire I Am Invincible, had a perfect start to his stud career when he was represented with his first runner and winner, Lady Laguna which impressively won the 1000 metres dash for two-year-olds at Eagle Farm last Saturday. Interestingly, all the placegetters belong to the first foal crop of each of its sires - the winner Lady Laguna by Overshare which stands at Spendthrift Australia, Romsey Victoria, second Goddess Of Peace by Coolmore Stud's one-time shuttler (in 2018) Caravaggio, and third Mishani Mistress by Aquis' I Am Invincible sire son Kobayashi
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