NEWS
Monaco Consul convincing winner of Victoria Derby
Posted: Saturday, October 31, 2009 4:20 PM
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by Mike Curry
Monaco Consul unleashed an explosive finishing kick in the straight to put away game runner-up Extra Zero in the closing strides for a one-length score in the $1,359,302 AAMI Victoria Derby (Aus-G1) on Saturday at Flemington.
The High Chaparral (Ire) colt entered the Victoria Derby off a clear victory in the Inglis Spring Champion Stakes (Aus-G1) on October 3 at Randwick. New Zealand-based trainer Michael Moroney said he was not concerned about the four-week break between races.
"We trained him a bit in the English style and sent him out with a pacemaker a few times and it worked," Moroney told the Australian Associated Press.
"We always knew he had the ability and he showed his turn of foot again today; he’s got a good turn of foot,” added Moroney, who also won the Victoria Derby in 1997 with Second Coming.
Monaco Consul stalked a moderate pace from fifth while saving ground under Corey Brown as Onemorenomore set the tempo. Brown angled Monaco Consul to the outside entering the straight, and the 2,500-meter (12.43-furlong) race for three-year-olds was wide open.
Extra Zero gradually edged away from a tightly packed group of contenders, but Monaco Consul mowed him down with a sustained bid to prevail in 2:41.68 on turf rated as good.
Extra Zero was 2 1/4 lengths clear of third-place finisher Viking Legend. The Victoria Derby lost a major player when Shamoline Warrior developed a fever on Saturday morning and was scratched.
Bred in New Zealand by Windsor Park Stud, Monaco Consul is out of the Star Way mare Argante.
The Victoria Derby was one of four Group 1 races on Saturday’s card at Flemington, which also included the L K S Mackinnon Stakes (Aus-G1).
After a pair of strong performances in Group 1 races, Scenic Shot showed he is back to his best on Saturday with a convincing victory in the $677,401 Mackinnon Stakes.
Scenic Shot reeled off three straight wins from May to June, including a victory in the XXXX Gold Doomben Cup (Aus-G1). After consecutive unplaced finishes to start the season, Scenic Shot finished third in the Turnbull Stakes (Aus-G1) on October 3 and fifth, beaten by 3 1/2 lengths, in the Tatts W. S. Cox Plate (Aus-G1) on October 24 in his previous two starts.
The seven-year-old Scenic (Ire) gelding stalked pacesetter Cima de Triomphe under Shane Scriven and inhaled that foe in the stretch to take charge. He completed 2,000 meters (9.94 furlongs) in 2:03.46
"He's never let anyone down," Scriven told the Australian Associated Press. "No one would begrudge him this one today. He deserves it."
Scenic Shot won by two lengths from Miss Maren with BMW Caulfield Cup (Aus-G1) winner Viewed checking in third under a hand ride in a strong final prep for the Emirates Melbourne Cup (Aus-G1) on Tuesday.
Viewed gave Hall of Fame trainer Bart Cummings his 12th Melbourne Cup win last year, and the six-year-old Scenic (Ire) horse pleased his connections in his final tune-up for this year’s edition.
Also on the card, Typhoon Tracy reeled off her second straight group stakes win and picked up her second career victory at the highest level with a 4 3/4-length score in the Myer Classic/Empire Rose Stakes (Aus-G1). Trained by Peter Moody, the four-year-old Red Ransom filly completed the 1,600-meter (7.95-furlong) race for fillies and mares in 1:35.33.
Headway nailed down her first Group 1 victory with a nose win in the Coolmore Stud/Ascot Vale Stakes (Aus-G1), a 1,200-meter (5.97-furlong) race for three-year-olds. The Charge Forward filly covered the distance in 1:08.59 to give Moody his second Group 1 win on the card.
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
