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A brief look at the undercard at Flemington on Saturday.
Harry has soft spot for Port Guillaume
Jockey Harry Coffey has always had a soft spot for the Ben and J d Hayes-trained Port Guillaume who registered his first Australian flat win when successful in the Murray Cox Handicap.
Purchased from France as a potential spring contender, Port Guillaume has had a number of problems since joining Lindsay Park before eventually finding his way over jumps, registering a win over hurdles at Ballarat last August.
Port Guillaume ran in the 2021 Melbourne Cup, finishing 21st behind Verry Elleegant.
"He's got ability, but he needs everything to pan out his way because he is a bit of an old thinker," Coffey said.
"I said to J D that I nearly rode him then as I did in the Melbourne Cup, but there was a lot of difference in the finishing positions.
"To be fair he's a pretty special horse. I got to have my first Melbourne Cup ride and even though he went terrible, it was good to get a win on him today."
J D Hayes said Port Guillaume was unlikely to record to Flemington for the final of the Banjo Paterson Series at Flemington on July 1 with a planned return to hurdling coming up.
Moody breathes a Sigh of relief
Lightly raced mare Sigh will chase success in a Black Type race at her next start after extending her winning record to five wins from eight starts in the 2023 Country Achiever Wayne Nichols.
Trainer Peter Moody said the mare was likely to return to Flemington for the Listed Santa Ana Lane Sprint Series Final at Flemington on July 1 or be held over a week to contest the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield.
"Mr Zhang and Yulong have been very patient, and I think she has got Stakes ability, so whether that is two weeks or three weeks, we'll go and chase a bit of Black Type," Moody said.
"Let's hope their patience is rewarded and we can add to that all powerful Yulong broodmare band.
"I don't know if she will be at the top end of the scale, but if we can put a bit of Black Type on her pedigree, I'm sure she'll fit in somewhere."
Moody said he liked the way Sigh fought out Saturday's race. He said the mare preferred racing outside horses and was concerned when the runner-up General Beau loomed inside the final 100m.
"I think she would have been more comfortable down the outside because she doesn't like being shadowed by horses," Moody said.
"It did worry me when General Beau stuck on because he's a tough old horse, a seasoned Stakes performer.
"The weights were the difference in the end, but that will toughen her up."
Ton up for Prime and Payne
Prime Thoroughbreds principal Joe O'Neill and trainer Patrick Payne have continued their successful association with Seonee taking out the Bruce Gadsden Handicap (1420m).
The Devil In Her notched the pair's 100th winner together at Tatura on Friday and O'Neill said Seonee's win on Saturday was the pair eighth winner since May 29.
"He's done a fabulous job for us," O'Neill said.
"I spoke to him in 2013 and I said, 'can you train two-year-olds' and he said, 'of-course I can'.
"I bought him Husson Eagle, and he won $1 million, and I think we have spent $2 million on 31 horses and won $8 million in prize money."
O'Neill said Seonee, a winner of six of her 16 starts, was still 12 months away from reaching her full potential.
"I think at the Sydney Carnival next year, she could be a player as she loves wet tracks," O'Neill said.
"We have to get her rating up to run in the better mares' races."
O'Neill said Seonee may return to Flemington on July 1 for the final of the Leilani Series, but added he would not be surprised if Payne recommended a short break to prepare for the early spring mares' races.
WA youngster lands first Flemington win
West Australian apprentice Luke Campbell crossed the Nullarbor with high expectations, but it took until the win of First Immortal in the Sir Henry Bolte Handicap (2000m) to land his first Melbourne winner.
It was on the recommendation of champion jockey Damien Oliver that Campbell try his luck in Melbourne, and he made the trip over last month.
Campbell has now ridden 80 winners in his brief career, but his first thoughts were for Linda Meech who had a fall with Bitcoin near the 100m mark.
"I didn't realise Linda had fallen and I was celebrating my first win in Melbourne," Campbell said.
Meech walked backed to the jockeys' room but was stood down from riding in the final race.
Campbell said it was a big thrill to finally land his first winner in Melbourne.
"It has taken me a while to ride a city winner here, especially coming from WA where I was riding a winner nearly every Saturday," Campbell said.
"To be able to come here and stick it out and persist, to get the job done at Flemington is a terrific thrill."
First Immortal registered his second 2000m victory at Flemington for Mark and Levi Kavanagh.
Levi Kavanagh said the stable will now see how the gelding comes through Saturday's victory, before deciding whether to return for the final of the Mahogany Series (2500m) at Flemington on July 1.
Quote of the day
"I just saw my uncle Jim in the crowd, and I might have uncles popping up all day" - country based jockey Harry Coffey after winning the opening race on Rain Lord on VRC Country Race Day.
