Racing
The Champions Day undercard
A look at the results of the support races on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Whisky On The Hill's bonus win in Queen Elizabeth
Whisky On The Hill did not get to the races Glen Thompson would have liked to be a part of this spring, but the Flemington trainer is excited about what the future has in store for his emerging stayer.
The imported son of Ribchester was a gritty winner of the $300,000 Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) with Damian Lane in the saddle.
It followed a fifth placing in the Geelong Cup, which ended the Melbourne Cup dream for his owners, after a luckless third placing in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes, denying him a place, in the Caulfield Cup and Thompson was thrilled to get a consolation prize.
Not only did Whisky On The Hill earn connections the $180,000 winner's purse, he also collected a $200,000 bonus as he was nominated for the Melbourne Cup but failed to gain a start.
"It means a lot for the owners, they've been really good supporters, they stuck by me when everything went awry a few months ago and it is very pleasing to get the result for them."
Whisky On The Hill ($6.50), a five-year-old by Australian time, scored by one length from Etna Rosso ($7) with Japanese mare Golden Snap ($17) the same margin away third.
Calamari claims Inglis Banner
The first race at Flemington on Champions Day was run in conditions good for water creatures and it was the filly with the oceanic name that reigned supreme.
Calamari Ring got her career off to the perfect start when she outground her rivals in the $400,000 Inglis Banner.
The 1000-metre event restricted to Inglis graduates set the theme for what would be a testing day with the two-year-olds running head-first into sideways rain and it was the daughter of Street Boss who handled it best.
The Ciaron Maher-trained $5.50 equal favourite, a $140,000 Great Southern Weanling Sale purchase, ran down Maribyrnong Trial runner-up Streisand ($6.50) to score a head victory with Bohemian Rhapsody ($7) two lengths away third.
Calamari Ring's ability to handle the trying conditions on debut impressed Maher, who will now map out a feature-race plan that could lead to Victoria's only Group 1 race for two-year-olds – February's Blue Diamond Stakes – which Maher is yet to win.
"I didn't think she would be at the races this early, but she's just done the right things and kept progressing and that's what good horses do," Maher said.
"The Diamond could be on the cards with natural improvement. To do that at her first look down the straight, she's got a lot of upside.
"The Blue Diamond series has got a nice 'ring' to it. We haven't won that yet, so we would like to tick that off."
Along with the prizemoney, the Inglis Banner carried a $200,000 bonus for the first horse home that boasts a minimum 75 percent female ownership base and that went to the Tony and Calvin Mcevoy-trained Bohemian Rhapsody.
Wet track no issue for Sabaj
Despite the stable's concerns of a wet track, Sabaj has shown his class to take out Ronald McDonald House Charities Mile that was the second race of the day.
Formerly with Richard & Chantelle Jolly, the lightly-raced four-year-old was sent around a $4.80 chance in the Group 3 Silver Eagle (1300m) first up for the new yard, relishing the drop in grade to take out Saturdaya's 1600m event.
Sent out a $2.80 favourite under Mark Zahra, the Group 2 placegetter settled back and came widest in deteriorating conditions, coming clear to score by 1-3/4 lengths over He'll Rip ($11) with a neck back to Mary Eliza ($17) in third.
Scratched from a race on Melbourne Cup day due to a possible wet track, co-trainer Mick Price was pleasantly surprised with how Sabaj handled conditions, with the track downgraded to a heavy 8 post-race.
"We've seen him on top of the ground and he's been very impressive and we've got a good opinion of him, but you never know in this sort of ground," Price said.
"I would say, from my experience, most of the times I say 'hail Mary, please can I handle this ground', she says no you can't."
"He's a horse destined for better races."
The stable suggested Sabaj could be headed West for the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on November 22.
Grand Larceny rounds out Cup week a winner
Grand Larceny has won the last of 37 races for the 2025 Melbourne Cup Carnival.
The Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes trained gelding sat handy to the speed in the HKJC World Pool Grand Handicap (1100m) at Benchmark 80 level and proved too strong late under Ben Melham.
It provided a first win over Cup week for both trainer and jockey, as the $10 chance held off Codigo ($31) by ¾ of a length with the same margin back to $3.40 favourite Stolli Bolli in third.
While it was his first win of the week, the victory capped off an unforgettable week for Ben Melham, with wife Jamie Melham riding the winner of the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday.
"Any more seconds and I'd be a minute today," Melham quipped.
"I timed my run, but it took me to the last race on the last day of the carnival. It's been a great week, a great carnival, and it's good to finally have one stick it's bib out on the line."
Co-trainer Wayne Hawkes said it was a relief to get a win late in the carnival.
"It's been a long, quiet week," Hawkes said.
"If you don't have the right runners, there's no point running. It always looks good before the race but when you run 47th every race, it's not much fun. He was the only chance we really had and he got the job done."
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