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The Flemington Carnival kicked off with four Group 1’s last Saturday headlined by the Victoria Derby.
The Victoria Derby possessed three key form lines, the Moonee Valley Vase, the Geelong Classic and also the Spring Champion.
Of the three, it was arguably the weakest pre-race which produced the winner in the form of Geelong Classic runner up Preferment.
To say the son of Zabeel looked dour in the Geelong Classic could be considered an understatement.
The colt was being asked upon from the 900m yet kept boxing on and was only beaten by Nozomi in a photo.
A long, grinding run by Chris Waller-trained colt saw him go one better in the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m).
Settled one off the fence in tenth, Preferment enjoyed a nice run in transit courtesy of Damien Oliver.
Oliver began to move Preferment wider around the turn and upon straightening were into the clear.
While there was no electric turn of foot, Preferment responded well enough to Oliver for a slender victory over Bondeiger.
Geelong Classic winner Nozomi finished third.
Race favourite Hampton Court settled outside the lead however was collared at the 350m and could only manage eighth.
Preferment’s Victoria Derby was the colt’s maiden victory and was the first to shed his maiden status in the event since Redding did so in 1992.
The performance also yielded Preferment a new master Timeform rating of 114.
Such a figure comes in well below the prior five year winning average of the contest.
It is the equal lowest winning figure of a Victoria Derby in the past two decades alongside Amalfi who claimed the 2001 renewal.
Hampton Court and Moonovermanhattan each ran well below their master Timeform ratings achieved in Spring Champion Stakes and Moonee Valley Vase respectively.
A tilt at the Australian Derby will likely ensue for Preferment in the autumn.
Achieving this would be the first time the Victoria Derby – Australian Derby double was claimed since Mahogany in 1993.
It was a Group 1 double for Chris Waller with Brazen Beau claiming the Coolmore Stud Stakes earlier in the program.
12 months after former stablemate Zoustar claimed the Roman Consul Stakes – Coolmore Stud Stakes double, Brazen Beau followed in his footsteps.
With the field racing into a strong headwind, Brazen Beau was afforded a perfect run in transit with Joao Moreira in the saddle.
Moreira from an outside barrier kept the colt on the standside between runners in a group led up the straight six by Eloping and Time For War.
The pair moved off heels approaching the 400m and just inside the 300m had levelled up to the early leaders of the standside group.
When allowed full reign, the I Am Invincible colt accelerated away brilliantly and a 1 ¼ length win followed.
Stablemate Delectation finished third with the Waller pair split by the Joe Pride-trained Kuro.
Brazen Beau's win came in a pound below the prior five year winning average of the event.
Expect a tilt at the T J Smith Stakes (1200m) to be Brazen Beau’s main goal during the autumn.
Happy Trails and Bonaria flew the flag for the older brigade in the Mackinnon Stakes and Myer Classic respectively.
The people’s favourite Happy Trails is now a multiple Group 1 winner with his slender success in the Mackinnon Stakes.
Happy Trails’ latest performance sits right on a master rating of 124 the seven-year-old has now run to on three occasions.
His latest winning effort is also equal to the prior five year winning average of the event.
The seven-year-old’s story gets better with each spring.
Acquired for $11000 as a yearling, the Good Journey seven-year-old has now amassed near $3million in prizemoney earnings.
Connections will now head to Hong Kong for the Hong Kong International Cup on December 14.
The Mackinnon Stakes – Hong Kong International Cup double has been attempted the past two seasons.
2012 Mackinnon Stakes winner Alcopop finished third in the Hong Kong International Cup of that year behind California Memory.
12 months ago, Side Glance won the Mackinnon before a respectable fifth in the Cup behind Akeed Mofeed.
Lastly, Bonaria claimed a maiden Group 1 success in the Myer Classic (1600m).
It was a bold run by the daughter of Redoute’s Choice who settled back and overpowered her rivals in the final 50m.
The class mares of the race in Sweet Idea and Catkins ran second and third respectively.
It was clearly a career best performance by Bonaria who exceeded her prior master Timeform rating achieved in the Let’s Elope Stakes by five pounds.
Bonaria’s Myer Classic success returned a Timeform rating of 115, one pound below the prior five year winning average of the event.
Her victory continued the trend of the Myer Classic being a punter's graveyard during the past five years with Hurtle Myrtle at 15-1 the shortest priced winner of the event over that period outside of 2013 winner Red Tracer.
Outside of the Group 1’s, Deep Field and Hucklebuck were each strong in their respective wins at Flemington last Saturday.
Deep Field has improved with each career run and continued that trend with his success in the Tab.com.au Stakes (1200m).
In his first look at the Flemington Straight Six against the strongest rivals the Northern Meteor entire had faced to date, Deep Field maintained his unbeaten record with a one length victory over Driefontein.
The effort yielded Deep Field a new Timeform rating of 120p.
This figure sits two pounds clear of a prior master figure of 118 when claiming the Lightning Stakes.
His winning display comes in three pounds superior to the prior five year winning average of the contest.
Connections have long suggested the 2015 Sydney autumn carnival will be where Deep Field first makes his presence felt at Group 1 level.
The four-year-old’s first Group victory last Saturday suggests he is well on track to do this next preparation.
Hucklebuck is now two from two this campaign after saluting as favourite in the Yellowglen Stakes (1400m).
After winning the Durbridge Stakes (1200m), Hucklebuck showed good improvement with added fitness second up last Saturday.
The three-quarter length win returned a Timeform rating of 114, a master figure equal to what he yielded with close eighth in the 2014 Australian Guineas.