Perseverance finally paid off for New Zealand trainer, Murray Baker, with the Caulfield Cup win of Mongolian Khan.

Baker is no stranger to Caulfield; he has been there several times but didn’t quite make it
into the winner’s stall.

Lady Luck kept ignoring him with Harris Tweed 2010, and Nom Du Jeu finishing second 2008, and The Phantom, third in 1993, justice has finally been served with the win of Mongolian Khan 2015.

Weight for age form is among racing’s greatest levellers, it has stood the test of time since the period of Admiral Rouse.

Whilst Mongolian Khan had not won at weight for age, he was next door to it, with a strong third in the Caulfield Stakes the week before the Cup.

Ironically, in a field of 18 runners, and a race worth $3 million, there was not one last start winner in the race.

Mongolian Khan winning the Caulfield Cup

Murray Baker, the trainer of Mongolian Khan, is reminiscent of some of the old style trainers we have known, going about their business with a minimum of fuss, the horse was always paramount.

Baker had his mission well planned for his horse after he won the ATC Derby, when weights were declared for the Cups, Mongolian Khan would be restricted to weight for age races, to ensure he didn’t incur a penalty if he won any of the lead up races.

Opie Bosson is not a regular traveller to our shores, preferring to ride in his native New Zealand, where he has been among the leading riders for several years.

It was Bosson at his best, he settled the favourite down quickly with the majority of the field behind him, after a smooth passage saw him hit the front on the home turn, there were no serious challenges thereafter.

Cup winner returning to scale

Of course a penalty can now be expected for the Melbourne Cup, which is a natural although handicapper, Greg Carpenter, is never severe, he gives every horse a winning chance.

The L K S McKinnon Stakes is the only option Baker has now if the horse is in need of another run before the Melbourne Cup.

Mongolian Khan won well on Saturday, he only needs to retain his form, the invasion of overseas horses appears stronger this year, Snow Sky, Fair Game, Our Ivanhowe, now trained by (Lee and Anthony Freedman), has improved in each of his three starts since arriving from Germany.

Snow Sky, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, and wearing the colours carried by the unbeaten Frankel ,was handy on the home turn in the Caulfield Cup, with a winning chance he gave a little ground over the last 100 metres, he had not raced since late July, improvement could be expected.

Murray Baker and Opie B0sson

Fame Game, from Japan, is right on the ball, he passed 12 horses in the straight to finish sixth, the additional 800 metres of the Melbourne Cup will not bother him, he is among the definite chances.

Hokko Brave, also owned and trained in Japan, was only fair at best, the bigger track may suit better but still a lot of improvement would be necessary if he was going to be a definite threat at Flemington.

With natural improvement Trip To Paris is a big chance, he won the Ascot Gold Cup over 4023 metres, and was just beaten in the Goodwood Cup over 3219 metres, while in the Caulfield Cup he was finishing at the rate of knots, he cannot be overlook in the Melbourne Cup.

Trip To Paris is a stable mate of Red Cadeaux, a runner again this year, after three seconds he is catching up to Shadow King who finished second twice and third twice.

A bold move, aided by a brilliant ride courtesy of Hugh Bowman, saw Press Statement win an exciting Caulfield Guineas.

After drawing a wide gate, Howman decided to go forward rather than going back where he could have met with interference, he was not going to look for trouble.

Upon reaching the hill Press Statement was freewheeling, travelling well, Bowman had a lot of horse underneath him.

There was no excuse tendered for the beaten brigade, the winner was just too good, he was in a class of his own.

Chris Waller was full of praise describing Press Statement as a very good horse; he is now a dual Group 1 winner having won the J J Atkins Stakes at Doomben.

Press Statement - A brilliant Guineas winner

Excluding the winner they were just an even bunch of three year olds, there were no standouts and the Derby in three weeks time cannot expect to be any better.

Press Statement is unlikely to run in the Cox Plate, whether he will compete at the Flemington carnival is yet to be decided.

The only horse to have won the Caulfield Guineas and the Cox Plate was Red Anchor; he was a very good colt that went on to win the Derby.

Press Statement, who could ultimately join All Too Hard as a stud mate, won a thrilling Guineas and finished second in the Cox Plate two weeks later.

The autumn would look promising, and more than likely the colt will go to stud as a four year old                               .

Arthur and Harry Mitchell look as if they have struck gold again in those hills round Scone, first it was Magic Albert, then I am Invincible, and now Hinchinbrook, next they will be wearing top hats at the Magic Millions Sales in January.

Hugh Bowman with Chris Waller

After Stay With Me blew the start of the 1000 Guineas, the price about David Hayes’s chances of training a Group 1 double looked shot to pieces.

The filly didn’t want to jump with the field; she seemed to be going backwards as the gates opened, instead of going forward.

To the credit of jockey, Dwayne Dunn, he allowed everything to unfold, he played it cool, with the result, Stay With Me responded.

She had the field gathered in before the home turn was reached, from there on it wasn’t an issue, she carried too much class for her rivals and ran better time than the colts over the same distance in the Caulfield Guineas.

No firm decisions have been reached as to her immediate program, she is now a very valuable filly with Group 1 beside her name, any thought of the Oaks at this stage seems unlikely.

She is a pretty rare commodity being a Group1 winning filly from a Group 1 winning champion in Miss Finland.

Majority of the best race mares rarely ever produce a foal anywhere near their own image as a race mare.

Miss Finland was by far the best race mare of her generation, she won the Golden Slipper Stakes, the 1000 Guineas, the Oaks, the Australian Guineas, her total of 11 wins were all at Group level.

She has produced six foals, two have raced, both are winners, her latest foal is by Dundeel, he raced as It’s A Dundeel in Australia to avoid confusion with a horse of the same name.

Stay With Me winning just like her Mum

Criterion is at the head of affairs, with the majority of bookmakers, to win the Cox Plate after his impressive performance in winning the Caulfield Stakes on Saturday.

There were positives to come out of the win, his first start since the Juddmonde International at York seven weeks ago, and he only left the quarantine barn, at Werribee, on Saturday morning.

Michael Walker rode a well judged race on the chestnut entire, plotting a course three wide for most of the trip, making sure nothing was going to hamper him at any stage.

David Hayes was pretty excited about the win, he has been spruiking for quite some time now about the horse, it is now all coming to fruition.

Whether Criterion will gallop at Moonee Valley prior to the Cox Plate, is yet to be decided, he hasn’t worked there for two years when he was trained by David Payne.

Happy Trails gave a polished display, he has emerged again as a serious contender, this will be his third attempt to win the Cox Plate, he finished second two years ago to Shamus Award and sixth to Adelaide last year.

Fawkner was quite disappointing, he weakened right out of the race, maybe too much was asked of him early in the race.

The favourite, Kermadec, was last for much of the race; he was seen to be running on fairly without ever looking like a winner.

Pornichet didn’t do much, he began to drop out of the race at the half way stage, he may not be quite up to weight for age Company and will cop plenty of weight when he returns to Sydney.

Contributor was giving ground at the end of the race, surely not a good sign, he didn’t bring his autumn form to Melbourne, he never looked a chance at any stage of the race.

However, that was not the case with Mongolian Khan, he looked a picture, easily the pick of the yard and performed accordingly, three runs in this time in, he is ready to fire.

He is a Derby winner and coming to hand nicely under the care of Murray Baker, he could win either Cup without surprising.

Criterion - Now favourite for the Cox Plate

Racing Victoria would have been fully justified had they scrapped the Maribyrnong Trial Stakes at Flemington on Sunday, after the poor response received with entries.

Obviously two year old racing in the spring no longer appeals to owners and trainers.

Formerly it was a race for the colts and geldings and the fillies were separate, this year the sexes were combined, making up a paltry field of nine runners.

It would come as no surprise if the race was excluded from the calendar next year, it is a non betting affair, the interest is not there.

In contrast that was not the case at Randwick on Saturday, 10 runners faced the starter in the time honoured Breeders Plate, and the Gimcrack Stakes had 14 runners.

Written Tycoon struck gold on Saturday with a prestigious double, siring Capitalist, who won the Breeders Plate at Randwick, and a few minutes later Dieters won the first two year old at Doomben.

Zabeel, who passed away just a week or so ago, set records too numerous to mention, his high fertility rating was just amazing, covering big books of mares up to 20 years of age.

He was always a fertile sire, that could never be questioned, but beyond that there are limits, however, Zabeel knew no limits.

At 25 years he covered the mare, Better Alternative, the result, the dual Group1 success, Perferment, who is pressing for favouritism in the Melbourne Cup.

The last yearling, by Zabeel, sold at Karaka appeared at the January sales this year, the result of his last mating at 27.

Whilst not making excuses for the defeat of Treve in the Prix De Arc Triomphe, she could not have possibly won as the race was run.

The pace maker was of no assistance, he faltered at an early stage of the race, while the rider of Treve, Thierry Jarnet, was out gunned and out manoeuvred by a wily Frankie Dettori.

Golden Horn raced wide for much of the trip, it was amazing how the horse adapted to the rising ground, with Dettori making sure he was not going to get boxed up at any stage.

In hindsight, as the race was run, Treve faced an impossible task, nothing was going to come from the back in the field and threaten the winner.

From the final 600 metres to the 400 was timed at 11.95 secs, from the 400 metres to the 200 an incredible 10.76 secs, whilst the final 200 metres to the winning post was 11.55 secs.

From where Treve was positioned in the field on the turn into the straight, she would have had to run a flat 10 secs. for each sectional to have had the slightest chance of overhauling Golden Horn.

Criquette Head – Maarek, the trainer of Treve, was gracious in defeat, claiming the mare was beaten by better horses.

The telecast of the Arc was an outstanding success, all about the race and the horses parading, a highly professional world class performance and free of comedy acts.

The lone diminutive figure of jockey, Vlad Duric, crossing the mounting yard after the first race at Flemington on Sunday, illustrates the competiveness of race riding.

Last week at Caulfield he was the toast of the town, winning the Underwood Stakes on Mouringo, but as we know a week can be a long time in racing.

The transition to open company in the Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley proved too much for Petits Filous, it was a big ask, yet she was not entirely disgraced.

She has gone to the paddock after jarring up, according to her trainer, Ciaron Maher, she is likely to return for the autumn, with the Oakleigh Plate a likely objective.

A Group win would not be beyond her when she returns to racing, it would increase her paddock value enormously, she is a lovely filly.

Adelaide’s leading trainer, Phillip Stokes, can boast quite an impressive record, each time he slips across the border, the last 12 horses he has brought to Melbourne he has won with six, the latest, One For One, at Flemington on Sunday .

Punters are now catching on, he is not bringing horses over to show them the sights, he is deadly serious, winning is the name of the game

Lady Luck certainly deserted Tony McEvoy, he had Alpine Eagle all primed up for the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes, and a promising spring campaign ahead when he cracked a pedal bone. Which is in the hoof, and Don’t Doubt Mamma didn’t put in as well as expected..