Racing
Victoria Derby Day in brief
A brief look at the undercard on Victoria Derby Day.
Waller does it again in Carbine Club
Death, taxes and Chris Waller winning the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes with a filly out of the Reginald Allen Stakes.
It's been a theme of Victoria Derby Day in recent years and rang true again at Flemington on Saturday, when Panova powered home for an impressive win in the 1600m event.
Panova's win came 12 months after Aeliana announced herself a star in the same event, while Fangirl did likewise in 2021.
Like those two elite-level now-mares, Panova headed into the Carbine Club off a win in the Group 3 Reginald Allen Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on October 18 and Waller's assistant trainer Chalie Duckworth is also excited about the future for the daughter of Trapeze Artist.
"Chris has got an excellent record in the race so continuing on from the great horses that have won it," he said.
"Being by Trapeze Artist, she might be a bit sharper, but Ricky (Surace, owner) is adamant that he's done the genome testing and it all points towards being a stayer.
"The fact that she can do it over 14 (hundred metres) and a mile is only really a bonus to her."
Along with his star fillies, Waller has also won the Carbine Club Stakes with Kermadec and Comin' Thru and now sits alongside legend Bart Cummings – whose five winners included Think Big and Saintly – as the most successful trainer in the 52-year history of the race.
North Queensland galloper shines
The Pakenham stable of Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman were expecting to be bit players through the Melbourne spring.
But it is never wise to discount the stable.
They collected the Group 1 Thousand Guineas with at Ole Dancer at Caulfield a fortnight ago and added to their toll with former North Queensland filly Sheza Alibi who took out the Group 3 The Vanity (1400m).
Sheza Alibi started her career in Rockhampton and Townsville before making her way down to Brisbane where she chased home Caulfield Guineas winner Autumn Boy.
Shortly after, Sheza Alibi was sent south to join the Moody and Coleman stable and ran a pleasing third to Tentyris at Caulfield at her first start in Melbourne.
"She's gone through Townsville and Rockhampton and places like that, and to see her come here and perform on Derby Day on the biggest stage, congratulations to all involved," Moody said.
"We've had her down here for a good few months now, and she's done nothing but please us, so it was a well-deserved victory today.
"We thought we were coming in with a lean carnival, but we were fortunate enough to win the Guineas a few weeks back and now we've got a nice filly like this.
"She'll probably go to Caulfield in a couple of weeks and take the boys on again and off the back of that, you'd think she will be very competitive again.
"We're a bit light in numbers but hopefully they're in the right slots."
Berry and Baker combine
Jockey Tommy Berry made the right call in coming to Melbourne to register an early double on Victoria Derby Day.
After Panova scored in the opening race, Berry was back in the winner's enclosure two races later aboard Caballus in the Rising Fast Stakes (1200m).
Both winners were prepared by Sydney stables with Chris Waller training Panova while Caballus is in the care of Bjorn Baker.
Berry said he has a good record when, on the rare occasion, he rides for Baker.
"We don't team up very often, but when we do, it's usually victorious," Berry said.
"I was glad I got to ride him last start (in Sydney) as I had to use him a fair way out because we went back from a bad alley and his run peaked from about the 150 (metre mark).
"I knew (today) I had a good 300 metres in me, but I was mindful of not to go too early.
"He got a little bit lost at the furlong going past the mounting yard, but when I pulled the stick into the right, he went into another gear and was too strong."
Warnie bowls up a Bennett quinella
Bennett Racing had two of the leading fancies in the Group 2 David Oliver and the prominent racing syndicate provided a one-two result.
It wasn't the result punters had pinned their hopes in with Warnie overhauling the favourite Zou Sensation at the end of the 1400m contest.
Winning trainer Ciaron Maher said it was a great effort by Bennett Racing to have two horses, from different stables, line up in the race.
Maher said Warnie had been knocking on the door of success and was delighted to see the gelding land the prize under Mark Zahra.
"He's been building towards a race like this, and Flemington was ideal," Maher said.
"Mark was ideal and BT (Brent Thomson) put the polish on this morning.
"So, we got the three ticks there, and fantastic for Nathan Bennett and his team, to quinella a big race like this on Derby Day.
"It's a credit to them, and it's a credit to what they do."
Hefel celebrates Derby Day win
Carleen Hefel cashed in on her Victoria Derby Day opportunity, partnering New York Lustre to victory in the $240,000 Group 3 Kirin Ichiban Sprint (1100m).
Hefel teamed with loyal supporter Enver Jusufovic to celebrate the biggest win of her career at what was her only ride for the day.
New York Lustre towed Hefel to a narrow-but-impressive win in the 1100m event that was the final race of the day and the smile could not be wiped from the 35-year-old's face upon returning to scale.
"It's a big thrill," Hefel said.
"I know it's only Group 3, but I'm a little bit emotional on that one – 'EJ' supported me through a lot.
"It's just terrific to get a win for him and the mare and for Mike, the owner."
The victory was the first Stakes success for New York Lustre, a sux-year-old daughter of Manhattan Rain who has now won six of her 14 starts.
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