Two and 3-year-old Summary: Rivals left in the wind as Tornado Valley claims the Maribyrnong Plate

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Race-day Recap

Tornado Valley too strong in the Maribyrnong Plate

The Ciaron Maher and Ethan Brown combination struck in the opener at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day, landing the G3 Maribyrnong Plate with the progressive Too Darn Hot (GB) colt, Tornado Valley.

The imposing youngster had already signalled his talent with a powerful third behind Torture (NZ) (Sword Of State) in the Listed Debutant Stakes at Caulfield, where he weaved through runners and attacked the line strongly.

There was plenty going on early as Luna Vega (Lucky Vega {Ire}) initially headed towards the stand side in the hands of Jamie Melham, before switching back towards the inside. She rolled forward alongside Saluki (Blue Point {Ire}) and Knurl (Brazen Beau), who also settled on speed.

As the pressure went on, Brown made his move on Tornado Valley and he always looked the winner, with Carnevale (Pinatubo {Ire}) looming, but in the end Tornado Valley drew clear to score from Tales Of Time (Pinatubo {Ire}), who charged home late for second in a real eye-catcher, while Luna Vega (Lucky Vega {Ire}) stuck on gamely for third. Carnevale was also solid finishing close-up in fourth.

In what is unusual for an early-season Australian 2-year-old race, the first four home were all by shuttling stallions - Too Darn Hot, Pinatubo (Ire) and Lucky Vega (Ire) - with Pinatubo (Ire)’s first Australian runners showing promise, finishing second and fourth.

Trainer Ciaron Maher was delighted with the performance, likening it to a strong piece of work.

“It was just like a barrier trial, really. I thought he was a bit sleepy out of the gates. Wobble at the turn and was very good late. It was a nice positive ride by Browny. Great job by the team. Nathan Bennett and Bennett Syndications have a lot of horses in our stable and they're all quite nice. This colt is very well bred and he's got a bright future so hopefully that's the next one.”

For jockey Ethan Brown, it marked his first winner during Cup Week, and he was understandably thrilled.

“It's a great feeling. I was on a horse who was presented very well. He took a lot of improvement from his first up run, raced like an ultimate professional today, and had a good look at the crowd. He won with quite a bit of authority then. Gonna make a lovely 3-year-old.”

Reflecting on the run, Brown said, “He probably hit the front a bit soon, but I just had to use him just to get out in clear running. He's very responsive, he had a good look at the crowd, and he won with a bit in hand. He was just very green his first-up run, and it's a sign of a good horse. He's taken the right improvement.

“You can see he's pulled up so well, Nathan Bennett and the team, Ciaron Maher, they've got a nice horse on their hands. Ciaron assured me he'd taken a lot of improvement and he was dead right. I saw Mark (Zahra on Carnevale) outside of me wasn't going as good as he would so I took that opportunity to take the gap and he accelerated.”

Sales info: Tornado Valley was purchased by Bennett Racing for $300,000 from the Rosemont Stud draft at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Pedigree info: Tornado Valley is out of Oklahoma Girl (Fastnet Rock), she was a three-time winner and placed in the G2 The Roses, and the G1 Queensland Oaks as a 3-year-old filly. She is a half sister to Sure Knee (Snitzel) who was a seven-time winner and won the G3 Sapphire Stakes.

This is the family of the very good ill-fated sire Northern Meteor and Smart Missile.

In recent times, Oklahoma Girl has produced a Pinatubo yearling colt, and unfortunately slipped to Churchill (Ire) last spring.

The Magic Man scores on Burma Star

The Chris Waller-trained Burma Star (Exceed And Excel) has been in strong form since arriving from the James Cummings stable, picking up two wins and two placings from four starts, but he reached a new peak at Flemington when taking out the $200,000 Listed Amanda Elliott over 1400 metres down the straight in the hands of visiting jockey Joao Moreira.

The Godolphin-owned colt settled back in the field after copping a little interference early, with plenty of pressure up front from Sir Myka (Doubtland) and Bacash (Cosmic Force), while favourite Ripley (Too Darn Hot {GB}) was caught three-wide throughout.

Once Moreira found clear running, Burma Star stormed to the lead, but the Matt Laurie-trained Tagline (Tagaloa), one of five Yulong owned runners, loomed and fought all the way to the line, narrowly going down by a short head. Ripley ran a very brave third off a tough trip, with Pictor (Written Tycoon) solid in fourth.

Trainer Chris Waller was full of praise for the winner.

“He’s a really neat horse. Joao rode Land Legend in the last race and gave him a torrid ride, I said this one’s much quieter, he’s an easy horse to ride. He’s a lovely horse, tries hard and it was a good win,” Waller said.

“Typical Godolphin horse, very well educated, they’ve got a great system, and he's been a pleasure to deal with. And that was what I said to Joao before the race; he'll have a lot of fun on this horse. He's a big horse, he'll work with you and give you a great ride. He did exactly that, it's good to see him improve up to 1400 metres; it opens up a few doors for him.”

Winning jockey Joao Moreira was equally pleased with the victory.

“I’m so happy to get on board a winner. Things didn’t really go smoothly through the race. I had a bit of a squeeze as we jumped out and found ourselves a bit further back than expected. He showed he’s got a lot of fight to dash home a winner,” Moreira said.

Asked about riding for Chris Waller, he added: “Chris is brilliant; I don't think I need to say much about him. You just have to look at his work, riding his horses, always makes jockeys’ lives so much easier, they’re very well educated. Some of them can be strong sometimes, but in particular this guy, he was very kind to me. I probably didn't ride him all that well because initially we thought he was going to be a little bit closer, but things happened around him in a way that he found himself a little bit too far back.

“But, even having to make it hard for horses sometimes, you have to make it hard, and he's a very good example. You have to do it that way and hit the line like a champion, so I'm very pleased, winning one more race for these colours. It's an iconic race colour, and for me as a rider, it's always a pleasure.”

Pedigree info: Burma Star was bred and is raced by Godolphin. He is the third foal out of Gongs (Dawn Approach {Ire}), a four-time winner including twice as a juvenile, and placed in the G2 Silver Slipper Stakes. Gongs also ran fourth in the G2 Reisling Stakes and the G2 Percy Sykes Stakes.

The colt’s grandam, Belcentra (Bel Esprit), won the Listed Desirable Stakes and proved a strong broodmare, leaving six winners, two of them stakes performers. Gongs has since produced a 2-year-old filly named Tibetan Bell (Exceed And Excel), also in work with Chris Waller, a yearling colt by Bivouac, and an Anamoe filly that was born in October.

Different Gravy lives up to his name and proves far too good

Mark Zahra’s sparkling Cup Week continued as the in-form jockey collected an early double on Cup Day, guiding the Henry Dwyer-trained Different Gravy (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) to an impressive victory in the $200,000 Listed TAB Trophy over 1800 metres.

The developing stayer had signalled he was ready to strike with a powerful late finish when second at Morphettville in the Listed Hill Stakes behind his paternal half-brother Freedom Flame (Ghaiyyath {Ire}). On Tuesday, he confirmed that promise in convincing style.

From a wide draw Zahra allowed Different Gravy to drift back, settling equal last as the tempo was only muddling early. But despite the not ideal pace of the race, the winner always travelled like a horse with a class edge. Once Zahra eased him to the outside, the big-striding gelding loomed ominously and quickly put the race to bed, striding clear for a soft two-length win over Brave Danza (Brave Smash {Jpn}), with Obvious (Toronado {Ire}) close-up in third.

Trainer Henry Dwyer was full of praise for his team and the horse's breeder-owner Korey McCormick.

“It is incredibly hard as a small stable to have runners let alone winners at this time of year. We've got 45 in work and we've got three runners for the week. The first two have run second and first, the other is later on in the week.

“Incredibly proud of the team, and the owner of this horse Korey McCormick who bred this horse. He's been involved from day one and is a devotee of the game. He loves it so I'm very pleased with him.

“We had the choice of going on a Derby path with him but we were just holding him back a bit. They've got a new race at Caulfield in three weeks - a 2000-metre race worth $400,000. We thought he wasn't mentally ready and you saw that today when he wanted to be a bit keen. I think we've given him the right lead-up for a race like that. A great win today and probably should have won last time.”

Korey has been hands-on since securing the mare several years ago, with Dwyer recalling the early advice from Vin Cox.

“Korey bought the mare about five years ago. Vin Cox advised him to go to (sire) Ghaiyyath - Vin Cox advised him all the way through. He caught a plane from Brisbane to Melbourne and then a train to Swan Hill to watch his maiden two starts ago. I got him (the horse) two years ago when he was a short-legged dumpy little thing but his pedigree is great.”

Zahra, who also won the Derby on another son of Ghaiyyath, noted familiar traits in the emerging sire’s stock.

“They (Ghaiyyath's) are all a bit the same, all a bit goey, but geez, he let rip though, come from near last, stop-start tempo, just sort of held him together as long as I could, once he got into the middle of the track, it was a massive win. I was behind Arabian Prince and he sort of didn't take me anywhere.

“I was all over his heels but I didn't want to let rip until I got into the straight. To do that off a stop-start tempo and to let rip is the sign of a good horse. Barrier 15 of 15 and having to be far back, probably halfway you wouldn't have been thinking the best.”

Pedigree info: Different Gravy was bred and is raced by Mr K McCormick and is out of the unraced Medaglia D’Oro (USA) mare Venerated. While the immediate family is light on early black type, the broader page carries depth - including Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Broadsiding, now at Darley, alongside Group 1 winners Flit (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) and Tropical Squall (Prized Icon).

With a Listed victory now locked away and staying potential still untapped, he shapes as a horse on the rise.

Pallaton shines down the straight

There has never been any questioning the ability of the talented Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Pallaton, even if, at times, he has not quite delivered on the early promise that once had him marked as the early G1 Golden Slipper favourite after winning at Randwick just before Christmas last year.

The signs of him returning to that top juvenile form were there. He resumed as a 3-year-old for trainer Michael Freedman with a strong third in the Listed Rosebud behind Skyhook (Written Tycoon), before finishing a very good second to Skyglider (Flying Artie) in the Listed Brian Crowley Stakes at his last start.

In the $150,000 The Schweppervescence Plate down the straight at Flemington, he put it all together in professional and dominant fashion.

James McDonald produced a peach of a ride, settling just behind the speed set by Cavalry Girl (Bivouac), with Wintery (Frosted {USA}) tracking them. McDonald eased Pallaton into clear air and the colt lengthened powerfully, strong on the line to win by just over a length from Street Artist (NZ) (Super Seth), who charged late, while Vangogh Bankcheque (Anders) stuck on well for third.

McDonald, having his first ride of the carnival after missing Derby Day to pilot the unbeaten mare Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun), was suitably impressed.

“He gave me a beautiful ride and sailed into it really nicely. He's genuine. He's a really nice colt. I think the straight suits his style. First time up the straight he relaxed well; he did all the fundamentals really well and breezed into it nicely.

“He ran with a bit of authority, it felt like he had a bit to come, and it was good when Michael was prepping him up. He's had a tough prep, but he's come here and got the prize.”

Asked about the hot start Mark Zahra had made to the carnival, McDonald joked as he pulled up alongside him.

“I was looking for Zahra (after the line), where is he? No, we always have a bit of fun and he's flying, so it's good banter. I reckon he (Zahra) might run us down this year because he's absolutely riding unbelievably, it's good competition. He's definitely getting everyone to rise to because he's absolutely flying.”

Pedigree info: A homebred for Anthony Gow Gates, Pallaton is one of six winners from the Listed winning mare Anevay (Exceed And Excel), who is a half sister to Group 2-winning sire Krupt, and Without Exception (Flying Spur), the dam of the Listed Adelaide Guineas winner Poifect (Pierro).

It is the extended family of the great Flying Spur, a three-time Group 1 winner and a very successful sire.

Anevay has a 2-year-old colt by Smart Missile named Mitena, had a year off and then unfortunately missed to Home Affairs last spring.