Inform Eclair Surprise is Singapore bound after his win in the Eclipse Stakes, formerly known as the Consolation Stakes, until the name change in 1940.

Eclair Surprise went into the race with winning form having won at Flemington on Cup Day, he again got a fair way back in running, but to his credit he finished on gamely to score.

The gelding is trained by Phillip Stokes at Morphettville, who seldom comes to Melbourne minus a winner; he has an impressive strike rate.

Dom Tourneur, who lost the ride on Alcopop in the Mackinnon Stakes, has made up for it winning on Éclair Surprise at Flemington and Sandown.

Whilst it may be a little premature to predict he will ride the gelding in Singapore, he has ridden the horse in most of his races, he understands the horse well and a change of riders does not always work, sometimes it is a learning process before a result.

Eclair Surprise is by Blackfriars, winner of the Victoria Derby, he bears quite a strong pedigree yet breeders in Victoria shunned him as if he had the plaque.

Yet there was a welcoming there for him when he arrived in West Australia, where he has never looked back, a regular sire of winners standing at Durham Lodge for $ 16,000.

Eclair Surprise wins the Eclipse Stakes

Ibicenco was in his element at Sandown on Saturday over 3200 metres (2 miles), winning the Sportingbet Sandown Cup in what was a genuine staying test.

Surely the penny must have dropped by now, our racing authorities have got to look at Sandown more objectively as the best track in Australia as a staying test.

That was again in evidence on Saturday with the win of Ibicenco the time might have been a bit out on what they ran in the Melbourne Cup but who cares about that, the overall spectacle, plus the terrain, is brilliant.

Reuben Percival drew the outside; it didn’t take Vlad Duric long to set him alight, he led around the first turn and remained there well into the straight until he was seriously challenged.

Ibicenco who had settled well back in the field early, began to take closer order in the middle stages of the race, his rider, Glen Boss, didn’t want to lose sight of the leader.

The winner, formerly trained by Luca Cumani, will remain here under the care of Peter Moody, with the Sydney Cup at Easter high on the intended agenda.

Punters took the lead that Ibicenco was running into form, he opened up at $3.50, drifted slightly thereafter, coming back to start at his opening quote.

 Ibicenco winning the Sportingbet Sandown Cup

Direct Charge has earned himself a berth in the $250,000 Inglis Classic, at Rosehill Gardens in January, after his sound performance winning the Hong Kong Jockey Club Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington.

A race steeped in history has proved a stepping stone for quite a few two year olds that  have gone on to win the Golden Slipper Stakes, the honour role includes Canny Lad, Fine And Dandy, Baguette and Vain.

While Direct Charge had the experience of two previous starts, he was neglected in betting, with punters preferring to put their faith in Crack A Roadie and Citations, starting equal favourites.

The winner, a $105,000 purchase at the Classic Sales, has given his connections a quick return having earned $104,500 in prize money, plus the VOBIS bonus.

Robbie Laing, the trainer of the winning colt, went into the race with a ton of confidence after the Moonee Valley run when he finished fourth, travelling wide for much of the race.

No fault could be laid at Steven Arnold; he was the victim at the Valley on that occasion, it was hard to get across to the rail with horses being kicked up on his inside.

At Flemington the plan was to let him run along, up near the lead, he gave plenty when headed by Shamus Award, there was merit in the win. 

Direct Charge wins the Maribyrnong Plate

Lloyd Williams has never been afraid to put his hand up to buy a racehorse; he has spent a fortune in the quest for racing’s greatest reward, the Melbourne Cup.

Green Moon’s win gave Williams his fourth Melbourne Cup in 31 years, the first being Just A Dash in 1981, the others were What A Nuisance, 1985, and Efficient, in 2007.

Williams, a former V R C committeeman, rarely goes to the races now, preferring the lounge at his city penthouse, yesterday it was in the comfort of his palatial home at Mount Macedon.

Son Nick, the operations manager on race days, was ecstatic for his father, and all the people employed at the farm that put in so much time and effort, it was a great result.

“I will have to have another look to fully appreciate the win, we are over the moon” he said.

Brett Prebble flew in from Hong Kong to take the winning ride on Green Moon, who was always travelling well in a forward position, while there were a couple of incidents of interference, he escaped all of that, having an uninterrupted passage all the way

Green Moon winning the Melbourne Cup

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In fact both of the Williams runners, Green Moon and Mourayan, were both handy to the lead, with the latter finishing seventh, picking up $125,000 in prize money.

The win was a bonanza for bookmakers with Grey Moon paying $20.00, with last year’s winner, Dunaden, favourite at $7.00, Americain and Mount Athos were prominent in betting, starting at $7.50 .

There was not a lot of support for Green Moon after failing in the Cox Plate, with rumours circulating he had a problem and would be spelled.

Glencadam Gold took up the running, as he did in the Caulfield Cup, and faded out well before the home turn, yet in yesterday’s Cup he led well into the straight to finish seventh

Fiorente was impressive, running second, beaten a length at his first start here, Gai is sure to be spruiking him for next year, but a lot of water will go the under the bridge between now and then.

Both of Luca Cumani representatives performed fairly, both earning prize money, with Mount Athos finishing fifth and My Quest For Peace tenth, but both were missing at the business end of the race.

The big disappointment was Dunaden, at no stage of the race did he look like playing any positive role, he was near last for most of the trip, the spark was missing, maybe he left it behind when he won the Caulfield Cup.

He raced like a tired horse, one who would have preferred to be at home in the stable, rather than lumping 59 kg around at Flemington, over 3200 metres.

Americain, winner of the Melbourne Cup two years ago, and slaughtered when he ran fourth last year, again he did his best, but sadly his best was not good enough  

Trainers and jockeys are so quick to quote a horse and how well it is going to win, in the end the horse knows more and he or she are not saying.

Duchess of Cornwall presenting Nick Williams with winning trophy

Alcopop, so often the bridesmaid in Group 1 races, achieved his reward when he won the $1 million Mackinnon Stakes on Derby Day at Flemington.

The eight year old gelding deserved his win after finishing second to Ocean Park in the Caulfield Stakes ,then was narrowly beaten in the Caulfield Cup by Dunaden.

The gelding is unlikely to race again this spring, while others may continue onto the final day, he will be heading back to Victor Harbor, to a warm welcome from the locals where he has a cult following. 

The imported grey, Glass Harmonium, who was out to repeat his win in the race of last year, made sure there was going to be no loafing, he set up a solid pace from the outset, he was still eight lengths in front coming to the final turn

Ocean Park, the weight for age find of the spring, and the odds on favourite, didn't finish the race off like he had previously, when his races had been spaced two weeks apart leading into the Cox Plate

The quick back up may not have suited him, he did have a hard run in the Cox Plate, he peaked on the day and is another that is likely to go for a rest 

It doesn't look as if December Draw is going to recapture the form of 12 months ago, he wilted badly in the Caulfield Cup two weeks ago, and didn't perform much better in the Mackinnon Stakes.