Rodd Snares First Winner On Cup Day

{SCPinterestShare href=https://form.virtualformguide.com/racing-news/victoria/57321-rodd-snares-first-winner-on-cup-day.html layout=standard image=http://www.virtualformguide.com/photos/061112/r1villaverde2_ft.jpg desc=Villa VerdeMichael Rodd kicked off Melbourne Cup day by steering Villa Verde to victory in the opening race at Flemington... size=small}

Villa VerdeVilla VerdeMichael Rodd kicked off Melbourne Cup day by steering Villa Verde to victory in the opening race at Flemington on Tuesday, the Listed 7News Plate.

It was the filly's second straight win after she was successful at Caulfield on October 17.

Rodd and Villa Verde cruised to the line 2-3/4 lengths ahead of Purrific with Glen Boss on board, while Thump was third.

Winning trainer Shaun Dwyer said Villa Verde continued to impress him as she notched two wins from her first two starts.

"She was out there with no cover but she just does everything right," Dwyer said.

"She's just so cool and so composed."

Dwyer said he had always been confident going into the 1000m race because of the filly's temperament.

"She's good to train, she just keeps eating. It's what we're all looking for."

He said the two-year-old would now be rested.

Photos: Fiona Tomlin

Ville Verde Out To Emulate Regimental Gal

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Villa VerdeVilla VerdeShaun Dwyer last had a good horse when he won the Magic Millions with Regimental Gal. It looks as if he has another one in the shape of Villa Verde, winner of the Listed 7News Plate at Flemington on Cup Day.

"It's a long time since I've had a horse this good", Dwyer said after the race.

"She was out there with no cover but she just does everything right and she is just so cool and composed in herself and does it so easy."

Villa Verde showed the benefit of the racing experience gained when she won at Caulfield on Thousand Guineas day, facing a field of mostly unraced rivals. Jockey Michael Rodd quickly had her in a handy position from her wide barrier and the filly was always travelling easily to win in the slick time of 56.73 seconds for the 1000 metres.

"She treated them with contempt", Rodd said on return to scale.

"I said to him (Dwyer) before the race that I got run down in the last few strides in this race last year because I hit the front too early so I will wait until the 100m before I go for her but I was just going that easy coming onto the course proper so I just let her go through her motions."

Villa VerdeVilla VerdeVilla Verde ($3.30-$3.80-$3.50F) was untroubled to gain a handy break at the 400 metre mark and maintain that lead to the finish, winning by 2¾ lengths from Purrific ($8.50-$11) with 1¾ lengths to third placed Thump ($9-$12-$11).

"Shaun has done a great job with her and he's kept her ticking over nicely since her win at Caulfield", Rodd said.

Dwyer went into today's race with a great deal of confidence, saying:

"You've got to be confident just on the way she has done because she works well, she eats well and she just does everything right."

He now has his sights set on the rich two year old races next year.

"She'll go to the paddock now."

"I'll have a chat to Michael Rodd but we had a talk after the last (Caulfield) race."

Villa VerdeVilla Verde"Not many horses go to the Blue Diamond and the Slipper and the one we want is the Golden Slipper so that's where we will be going."

Rodd is obviously keen to maintain his association with the unbeaten daughter of Not A Single Doubt.

"Shaun has been dreaming of a Golden Slipper for a long time so we'll put her away and give her a good preparation for that", he said.

"He has always got a horse that pops up now and then and obviously Regimental Gal was probably one of his better two-year-olds but this filly is not far behind."

"She is probably a different type of two-year-old, she is not as racy but she has got a lot of scope about her, she is very laid back and very professional."

Photos: Fiona Tomlin

Former Cup Favourite Scores At Flemington

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AlcopopAlcopopThree years ago he started favourite in the Melbourne Cup and 12 months later he was fighting for his life.

Now, at the age of eight, he's the form horse of the Melbourne spring with a Group One win against his name.

Alcopop, a horse who has fought his way through form slumps, disease and injury, claimed his first win at racing's top level in the Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday.

For trainer Jake Stephens it was the success that justified the time and faith he's put into his horse.

But it also proved a bitter-sweet experience.

Stephens took the difficult decision to replace regular jockey Dominic Tourneur with Craig Williams in the Mackinnon.

"As a trainer you've got to be ruthless at times," Stephens said.

"I just hope Dom gets some satisfaction out of the win."

AlcopopAlcopopTourneur had ridden the horse in 20 of his previous 32 starts, including his past two in which he was second in the Caulfield Stakes behind Cox Plate winner Alcopop and runner up to Dunaden in the Caulfield Cup.

"I had to distance myself from it emotionally, but it hurt," he said.

Alcopop raced himself into favouritism for the 2009 Melbourne Cup and finished a fine sixth to Shocking, only to be struck down by a serious lung infection.

He came back into training for the 2010 Cup but suffered a knee injury which Stephens said had been a blessing in disguise.

"The year off and having the knee injury has helped his lungs to recover," he said.

"This has been the preparation where everything has gone smoothly."

Alcopop ($6) finished more strongly than any horse in the race to beat Glass Harmonium ($14).

The $1.70 favourite Ocean Park ran on moderately for third a further long neck back.

With this year's Cup out of the question for Alcopop, Stephens will send him away for a long break with a view to returning next spring for another shot at the big one.

Photos: Fiona Tomlin

Oliver Faces Ban Over Betting Scandal

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Damien OliverDamien OliverJockey Damien Oliver has reportedly admitted betting on a rival horse two years ago and expects to be slugged with a lengthy ban from the sport.

Oliver, who will ride joint favourite Americain in the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday, has told friends he is facing a suspension of up to 12 months over the transgression in 2010, Fairfax Media reports.

The jockey is reportedly considering retiring from the sport in order to avoid a penalty from Racing Victoria or a public hearing.

The two-time Melbourne Cup winning jockey has been mired in scandal since last month when allegations surfaced that he had bet $10,000 on a rival horse in a race in which he was riding two years ago.

Fairfax said Oliver's improper betting has been known to police since at least the middle of the year, which has raised questions as to why he has been allowed to continue to race.

Alcopop Wins The Mackinnon Stakes

{SCPinterestShare href=https://form.virtualformguide.com/racing-news/victoria/57267-alcopop-wins-the-mackinnon-stakes.html layout=standard image=http://www.virtualformguide.com/photos/031112/r5alcopop1_ft.jpg desc=AlcopopVeteran galloper Alcopop has ended New Zealander Ocean Park's unbeaten run of spring weight-for-age wins. Aided by Craig Williams's deft... size=small}

AlcopopAlcopopVeteran galloper Alcopop has ended New Zealander Ocean Park's unbeaten run of spring weight-for-age wins.

Aided by Craig Williams's deft navigational skills, Alcopop ($6) relegated the Cox Plate winner into third place in the $1 million Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington.

Runner-up to Dunaden in the Caulfield Cup at his previous start, Alcopop, an eight-year-old, posted his first Group One win in the traditional Victoria Derby day feature.

He gave South Australian trainer Jake Stephens a breakthrough Group One win.

"He was very stiff last start to run into Dunaden because we know Dunaden is a very exceptional horse," Williams, who replaced Dominic Tourneur, said.

Glass Harmonium ($14) split Alcopop and Ocean Park to take the runner-up spot.

Ocean Park, the $1.70 favourite, was trying to end his spring campaign with a fifth straight Group One weight-for-age win.

Photo: Fiona Tomlin

Fontelina Caps Off Big Day For Cummings

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FontelinaFontelinaQuality sprinter Fontelina capped a big day for Sydney trainer Anthony Cummings when he held on for a thrilling win in the Group Two Linlithgow Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday.

Fresh off winning the Derby with homebred Fiveandahalfstar, Cummings was soon back into the winner's stall when Fontelina scored an impressive win.

After dashing to the front in the straight under Vlad Duric, the son ofTesta Rossa showed great fight to hold out Spirit of Boom and win by a half neck.

Cummings, as expected, was all smiles after the race - delighted that Fontelina had lived up to the promise he'd shown his connections.

"Fontelina was full of running and he's done really well for us first up before and we set him for the race a while ago so it was nice to get here and get the job done."

Cummings said Fontelina could run in the Patinack Farm Classic next Saturday or be saved for the Sandown Classic meeting.

Vlad DuricVlad Duric"There are a few options for him," Cummings noted. "This was the main mission and we've achieved it - so we'll see how he pulls up and go from there."

Fontelina has turned out a great money spinner for connections after being purchased by Edward O'Dwyer at the 2010 Magic Millions NationalHorses in Training Sale for $135,000.

From just 11 runs, Fontelina has won on four occasions. He is now a stakes winner in two states and has earned over $350,000.

One of 41 individual stakes winners by Testa Rossa, Fontelina is one of three winners produced by the well related, once raced Timber Country mare Decipher.

Decipher, a half sister to stakes placed galloper Tingling and the dams of stakes winners Burberry and Stormy Miss, is a daughter of the twice Group One winning Zephyr Zip mare Electrique.

Further back it is the same family of recent Perth based group winner Power Princess and last season's Sydney stakes winner Kinnersley.

Photos: Quentin Lang

Well Deserved Group 1 For Alcopop

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Alcopop finally cracked it for a Group 1 win at Flemington this afternoon, collecting the Longines Mackinnon Stakes after a superbly judged ride by Craig Williams.

Alcopop Ranges Outside Glass HarmoniumAlcopop Ranges Outside Glass HarmoniumAlcopop's trainer Jake Stephens dumped regular rider Dominic Tourneur in what he described as a "ruthless" move after an ill judged ride cost Alcopop victory in the Caulfield Cup at his previous start.

In contrast to his Caulfield Cup run where Tourneur arguably went 100 metres too early and lost lengths navigating the home turn, Williams ride was a picture of perfection.

Dropping Alcopop out of the barriers in last place, Williams took every advantage during the race to improve his position, going to seventh at the 1600m, sixth at the 1200m and fifth at the 600m. From there, Alcopop, which was racing inside hot favourite Ocean Park stayed on the rails while Glen Boss opted to go wide to make a run at the leader Glass Harmonium, winner of last year's Mackinnon.

But Glass Harmonium, ridden a heady race by Damien Oliver showed little sign of weakening until the last 100 metres, leaving Alcopop as the main challenger after getting clear of December Draw.

The ground saved by Williams on Alcopop ($5.00-$6.00) won the race, with him gaining a neck advantage on Glass Harmonium ($12-$14) at the post, while Ocean Park's ($1.60-$1.75-$1.70F) much vaunted "bunny hunting" talents failed him in the push to overhaul the leaders.

Stephens was understandably delighted to see Williams land Alcopop as his first Group 1 winner.

“It was a brilliant ride for him to come up the inside them and sit inside Ocean Park”, he said.

“When I saw Ocean Park go out wide I was saying ‘go the inside, go the inside’ and it was just an amazing run.”

Williams was gracious about picking up the winning ride from Tourneur, considering it was his ride on Dunaden which beat Alcopop in that race.

"I was very fortunate to get the ride because Dominic Tourneur was very unlucky last time and he ran into a horse like Dunaden", he said.

AlcopopAlcopop"It was nice competition when Damien went out in front and you know that horse won the race last year and is hard to run down and we only just got him late."

"We had to do a lot of work to get to him and Glen (Boss (Ocean Park) had me covered the whole race."

Alcopop was favourite for the Melbourne Cup two years ago and had a year off before making his return to Flemington today after a series of striking runs during the Spring. Rather than tackling the Cox Plate this year, Stephens elected to try for the Mackinnon, knowing that a fresher Alcopop would be hard to beat.

"The race is all about him and Jake Stephens for what they've done. I love that they actually targeted this race and didn't go too many times", Williams observed.

"As Jake said before the race, he is a gentleman of the turf and he walks around like he's been here his whole life and he is an eight-year-old so he has been here a helluva long time."

"When he gets onto the track he turns into race mode and when the chips were down he was really good today."

For Stephens, the win has seen him come of age as a trainer.

“The horse is just a champion and he has made me as a trainer”, he said.

By former Swettenham Stud stallion Jeune, himself a Melbourne Cup winner, Alcopop represents the latest of 27 stakes winners. He joins Mummify, True Stell and Young Centaur as Group 1 winners. With today's $600,000 prizemoney he brings Alcopop's earnings to nearly $1.7 million.

Photos: Fiona Tomlin

Appearance In Myer Classic Upset

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AppearanceAppearanceAppearance has upset a field of Australia's best mares, including stablemate Streama, to win the Myer Classic at Flemington.

Making her run from the back of the field, Appearance swept to the front at the 100m and then held off Soft Sand to claim the Group One.

Secret Admirer took the minor placing.

"It's not the result I expected, I thought Streama would win but she had to do too much work," winning trainer Guy Walter said.

"Nevertheless, I'm thrilled to win for Darley. "They have been with me through thick and thin ... mainly thin."

One of the outsiders, Appearance was ridden by Michael Rodd who broke a sequence of big-race placings.

"She had a perfect run in the race and didn't need any luck," Rodd said.

Photo: Fiona Tomlin

Zydeco Stakes Claim For VRC Oaks

{SCPinterestShare href=https://form.virtualformguide.com/racing-news/victoria/57263-zydeco-stakes-claim-for-vrc-oaks.html layout=standard image=http://www.virtualformguide.com/photos/031112/r3zydeco2_ft.jpg desc=ZydecoZydeco has confirmed her status as the VRC Oaks favourite with a comprehensive victory in the traditional lead-up, the Wakeful... size=small}

ZydecoZydecoZydeco has confirmed her status as the VRC Oaks favourite with a comprehensive victory in the traditional lead-up, the Wakeful Stakes at Flemington.

Trained by Anthony Freedman for Sheikh Mohammed's Darley organisation, Zydeco went into the Group Two Wakeful (2000m) as the $3.10 favourite on the back of her third to Commanding Jewel in last month's Thousand Guineas.

Kerrin McEvoy brought the Zabeel filly wide in the run home down the long straight and she stretched out and ran through the line two lengths ahead of outsider Maraatib ($101) with Transonic ($17) another short head third.

Second favourite Dear Demi ($3.30) was another length fourth after being caught up in traffic as she was when second in the Thousand Guineas, prompting an animated post-race discussion between trained Clarry Conners and jockey Jim Cassidy.

There was only praise from Freedman for McEvoy's ride and for the filly who has progressed from a Bendigo maiden in September to Group One company.

ZydecoZydeco"She is a lovely filly and I told Kerrin not to be afraid to go wide because you've got a horse with natural stamina," Freedman said.

"She has come on so well. She keeps improving and it's great to train a winner for Darley."

Zydeco is one of a couple of dozen Darley horses in Freedman's care with the majority of the sheikh's horses trained by Peter Snowden.

While the Darley camp celebrated, Conners was once again left lamenting what might have been with Dear Demi who was also Group One placed in the Flight Stakes and the Champagne Stakes as a two-year-old.

"It was a bad ride," Conners said.

"Even Jimmy said it was a bad ride."

Zydeco immediately firmed to $2.25 with the TAB for Thursday's Oaks (2500m) with Dear Demi the second elect at $4.

Photos: Fiona Tomlin

Fiveandahalfstar Wins The Victoria Derby

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FiveandahalfstarFiveandahalfstarA last-minute decision to start has turned into a Group One triumph after Fiveandahalfstar won the $1.5 million Victoria Derby at Flemington on Saturday.

It was only on the advice of jockey Damien Oliver that trainer Anthony Cummings pressed ahead with plans to run the gelding in Australia's oldest classic.

"I'm glad that I was able to talk Anthony into running," Oliver said.

"He couldn't have had him any fitter and he turned out to be the best stayer on the day."

Fiveandahalfstar tracked the leader Jimando throughout the 2500m race before working his way to the front as the field swept into the straight.

He lifted strongly under Oliver's urgings when challenged by Super Cool and drew clear late to beat the Mark Kavanagh-trained galloper.

Rawnaq flashed home late to take the minor placing.

Race favourite, the New Zealand-trained It's A Dundeel, raced in the second half of the field and never raised the hopes of his backers.

Photo: Quentin Lang

Nechita Wins The Coolmore For Tinkler

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NechitaNechitaHigh-profile owner Nathan Tinkler's thoroughbred fortunes took a turn for the better after Nechita landed the Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington.

Part of Tinkler's bloodstock empire was sold during a two-day Gold Coast sale this week but Nechita secured her long-term place under Patinack Farm banner after outsprinting the colts and geldings on Saturday.

Giving Sydney jockey Christian Reith his first Group One victory, Nechita ($5) burst through on the inside at the 200m.

She established a clear margin before holding out another filly Jolie Bay ($7.50) to win by three quarters of a length.

Shamexpress ($51) ran on down the middle of the track to finish third.

The $4.40 favourite Snitzerland faded out to finish fifth after racing on the speed.

NechitaNechita"We've been doing it tough but he's (Tinkler) has been a good supporter of mine," tearful trainer John Thompson said.

Thompson, who is Tinkler's private trainer, said Nechita was blessed with tremendous speed.

"She's by far the fastest horse I've had anything to do with," he said.

"I've always thought she was a top-line sprinter.

"She's a good horse going forward and I'm sure she has plenty more (Group One wins) in store."

Photos: Fiona Tomlin