A trip from Hawkesbury to Melbourne has paid dividends for trainer Mike Van Gestel, after Casino Dancer, by Casino Prince, won the Eclipse Stakes in great fashion at Sandown Park.

The mare was showing consistent form in Sydney, which prompted her trainer to head further afield to Melbourne for the spring, it doesn’t get any better.

Casino Dancer was travelling well, just off the pace after drawing a rather awkward barrier position; she soon overcame that and was handy entering the straight.

She was coming off a good run after finishing third to Lucia Valentina in the Matron Stakes, on the last day of the Flemington Carnival.

Her stay was a short but profitable, she was on the float the following morning for the 11 hours drive back to Hawkesbury.

The Eclipse Stakes was first run at Caulfield back in 1934, the winner, Burlesque, won it again the following year, each time Hall Mark finished third.

First run at Sandown U K in 1886, named in memory of the racehorse Eclipse, he was foaled on 5th of April 1764, a day when England witnessed a total eclipse of the sun.

This coincidence was in a certain sense a premonition of what was to be the fortunes of his male line in the future.

Eclipse was a difficult horse to manage; he never raced until he was five, winning all of his nine starts.

A further 12 starts as a six year old had the same result, he raced 21 times over two seasons and remained unbeaten.

He proved a great sire of stamina, reflected on the progeny he sired, being four removed from the Darley Arabian, a dominant male line that has proved highly successful over so many generations

The team from Hawkesbury

The Zipping Classic, the richest race on the Sandown program, resembled a procession as the seven runners passed the winning post on the first round.

Sertorios led the field our of the straight at a hand canter, you could have kept up with them on a punctured bicycle, the pace was so slow.

It didn’t take long for James McDonald, the brilliant tactician, to sum the situation up, he took Who Shot The Barman to the lead1400 metres out, and there were no problems thereafter, the gelding travelled sweetly and had the race safely in his keeping a long way out.

Justine Hales, stable forelady for Chris Waller in Melbourne, was the architect, she laid the plan and James McDonald carried it out to the letter

Who Shot The Barman winning the Eclipse Stakes

When McDonald made his daring move he put four lengths on the field within a short distance, from there on the procession commenced.

All Justine Hales could quote after the race was, “what a ride! he never missed a beat, the race was won a long way out.”

James McDonald at 23 years of age has the world at his feet, he has already had 30 Group 1 winners to his credit.

He has completed a successful Spring Carnival, whilst he has the biggest stables in the country supporting him; he has the talent to ride the winners.

It was quite obvious that the unplaced run in the Melbourne Cup didn’t do Who Shot The Barman any harm, he pulled up as fresh as a daisy after winning the Zipping Classic by seven lengths, and could have gone around again.

James McDonald after a brilliant ride

The racing world is in shock at the sudden death of former champion English jockey, Pat Eddery, at the age of 63.

Eddery was a great jockey, his death was untimely, he rode a total of 4,600 winners throughout the world.

Among his many triumphs was that memorable win on Dancing Brave, winning the Arc at Longchamp in France.

Born at Newbridge in County Kildare Ireland, in March 18 ,1952, rode his first winner at Epsom in Alvaro in 1969.

He was apprenticed to Seamus McGrath and later to Frenchie Nicholson, he rode his first winner at Epsom on Alvaro, in 1969.

New Plymouth (NZ) scrap metal dealer, Graham Meredith, had good reason to celebrate the win of Tarzino in the Victorian Derby.

A stroke of good fortune was with him when he purchased the mare Zarzino, offered by Sir Patrick Hogan’s Cambridge Stud, her 2013 foal was retained by the breeder and offered at the Magic Millions Sales on the Gold Coast.

Mick Price took a shine to the colt picking him up for $60,000, who just happens to be Tarzino, the Victorian Derby winner.

Graham’s father was suffering from cancer, and to give his dad an interest he asked a mate to pick up a cheapie at the Karaka Broodmare Sales.

The mate came home with Zanzino for $1,500, she was in foal to the then unproven sire, Travistock, who has since reached the elite level, siring five individual stakes winners.

A full relation to Tarzino will be offered at the yearling sales next year, the mare has since been covered by Jimmy Choux.

Malaguerra was the only horse to run twice over the four days of the Flemington Carnival, and won both times, he won on Melbourne Cup day and again on the final day.

It was quite common, years ago, to see horses complete their preparation for the Melbourne Cup in the weight for age Mackinnon Stakes, formerly known as the Melbourne Stakes.

However, modern day trainers have taken a different approach to Cup preparations, generally they are now well wound up before Derby Day, with the odd exception.

Malaguerra, by Magnus, has had a complete turnaround, since being gelded he has won four races on the trot, plus his pedigree is somewhat intriguing.

His dam, Tennessee Morn, has to be close to the last living mare by Bletchingly, she is now 24 years of age being foaled in 1991, she has missed over the past four seasons and patience is now beginning to wear thin.

Bletchingly was an amazing sire during his lifetime at Widden, he was champion sire three times between 1979 and 1983, sire of the triple Cox Plate success Kingston Town, the first million dollar stake earner in Australia.