3 minute read
The Makybe Diva Stakes meeting was a preview to some of the action upcoming during the Melbourne Spring Carnival.
Tough passage no worries for Berkeley Square
Berkeley Square has landed his second Flemington victory which a narrow but stylish win in the Exford Plate (1400m).
The Dan O'Sullivan-trained galloper was slow into stride, settled at the back of the field and still had a wall of horses in front of him with 200m to run.
Jockey Craig Williamson was able to manoeuvre the gelding into the clear and the heavily backed $3.40 favourite duly saluted.
"I was hoping there were no cameras on me," O'Sullivan said.
"It was a little bit of a horror watch halfway up the straight and we're all experts from up here, do you go in, do you go out, what do you do, but he trusted the horse, that's what he did.
"He's the real deal this horse. He's got a really good motor to be able to get out of that trouble.
"He's a big-striding horse so it's not easy for him to change gears like that."
Success in Saturday's race has convinced O'Sullivan Berkeley Square to chase the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 8 rather than the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) three weeks later.
O'Sullivan has said Berkeley Square has 'Derby written all over him' but for now will keep him to the shorter trip of the Guineas.
"If they're the crop that we've got to take on in the Guineas that's the way we'll be going," O'Sullivan said.
"Whether we have one more race before that we'll see."
Spring back on track for Makram
The Caulfield Cup hopes of Makram appear back on track after taking out the Australian Childhood Foundation Plate (1700m).
A former UK galloper, Makram showed his credentials in the autumn at his second Australian start, scoring over Saturday's course and distance, but on his return run over 1410m at Flemington last month he finished second last, almost 13 lengths from the winner.
Makram was diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmia after that run which resulted in Lindsay Park trainers Ben and J D Hayes backing off the gelding.
A jump-out at Flemington last Friday week had the Hayes brothers convinced Makram was back on track, which was further confirmed with Saturday's win.
"JD and I probably didn't do enough work with him going into that race (last month), so we just backed right off him, we changed things up, worked him a bit harder, had jump-out in-between and this is the result," Ben Hayes said.
"We always thought he could be a horse that could get to a Caulfield Cup, so he obviously needs to win a couple more and continue, but he's going to have his chance now to head in that direction.
"If we don't get there, there are lots of races through the spring."
Nolen lands rich double
Jockey Luke Nolen was the 'knockout king' with a race-to-race double on a pair of outsiders.
Makram scored at $19 before the Peter Moody-trained Nanagui saluted in the Listed Cap D'Antibes Stakes (1100m) at a starting price of $20.
The running-double on the Victorian TAB paid $318.90.
The Moody and Nolen combination were once a lethal team before the trainer taking a sabbatical in 2016 but have slowly been getting the band back together.
Saturday's victory with Nanagui was the pair's 833rd winner together with 32 at Group 1 level.
Nanagui, with Jamie Kah aboard, resumed with a far from flattering Geelong maiden win last month which may have contributed to her starting price on Saturday.
"I know she probably didn't look as dynamic as she could have at Geelong, but she'd been really pleasing us at home," Nolen said.
"Even Pete (Moody) made mention to me, he said, 'I thought she'd come up 7 or 8/1 in that race' and she's come up as big a price as she has.
"I thought a leg must have fallen off her at home, but honestly she'd done everything right and really pleased us, so Peter and my judgement isn't too far off."
Bart Cummings next for High Emocean
High Emocean is likely to be given her chance of qualifying for the Melbourne Cup after her win in The Sally Chirnside (2500m).
The Bart Cummings (2500m) on October 1 will be considered as the next assignment for the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained mare as success in that race provides the winner a ballot exemption into the Melbourne Cup (3200m) on November 1.
High Emocean is also entered for the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick on the same day as The Bart Cummings as well as the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 15.
"She's been a little bit frustrating for the owners, but she's obviously coming right at the right time of year," Maher said.
"She's had a few little niggles, a few little injuries and we just had to give her time and wait until they were right.
"She's a horse that needs to be in work but needs to be really fresh and you can see with her runs spaced, she just really enjoys that."
Quote Of The Day
"I thought a leg must have fallen off her at home, but honestly she'd done everything right and really pleased us, so Peter and my judgement isn't too far off." - Luke Nolen on the $20 win of Nanagui in the Listed Cap D'Antibes Stakes
