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Greatest Sydney Cup field in years
By Ray Thomas
April 15, 2004
MAKYBE Diva, the reigning Melbourne Cup winner, is there. So is Caulfield Cup hero Mummify.
Throw in County Tyrone and Grey Song, placegetters in last year's Sydney Cup, and emerging stayers Fawaz, Stadium and Caught Courting, Duke Of Norfolk Stakes winner Pantani and proven mare Yakama.
These staying stars all come together at Royal Randwick on Saturday in the best $800,000 Schweppes Sydney Cup (3200m) in recent memory.
Although Lonhro's farewell will overshadow everything else on the final day of the AJC carnival, the Sydney Cup is shaping as one of the races of the week.
Only 11 stayers have accepted for the Cup but this is all about quality rather than quantity.
"They always whinge about the standard of the Sydney Cup but they can't do that this year," said County Tyrone's trainer Kris Lees.
"With a Melbourne Cup winner and a Caulfield Cup winner in the field, this is about as good as it can get. Apart from the Melbourne Cup, you won't find a better field for a two-mile race all year."
Lees concedes stable warrior County Tyrone needs to run "the race of his life" to break a two-year winning drought and beat this top-class field.
County Tyrone hasn't won since the Queensland Derby two years ago but Lees argues the horse has probably never been in better form, as evidenced by his hat-trick of minor placings in recent starts, including a fighting second to Mummify in last Saturday's Chairman's St Leger.
Lees believes County Tyrone is on target to avenge his close second to Honor Babe in last year's Sydney Cup.
"He's definitely going better now than he was at this stage last year," Lee said.
"Ever since he came back into work this time, I've been really happy with him. He looks great and he's racing at the top of his form.
"I think he's going to be right in the finish again."
Mummify is the ruling $2.75 favourite on TAB Fixed Odds ahead of County Tyrone and Makybe Diva, who are both at $4.
Both Mummify and Makybe Diva must defy racing history to win on Saturday.
Only three horses have won the Caulfield Cup-Sydney Cup double in the same season, the most recent Galilee in 1966-67. The only others to win both races were Eurythmic (1920-21) and Rogilla (1932-33).
Similarly, Galilee was the last to win the Melbourne Cup-Sydney Cup double in the same season. He was the third horse to complete the rare feat, joining Lord Cardigan (1903-04) and Straight Draw (1957-58).
The Daily Telegraph
Beadman has fond memories
By Ray Thomas
April 15, 2004
MAYBE it's a defence against the emotional hype surrounding Lonhro's farewell but jockey Darren Beadman is taking a philosophical approach to the champion's final race.
"Everything in life has to come to an end," Beadman said.
"It will be sad in some ways, of course, but this horse has also given us so much to be joyful about.
"Over the last three or four years, Lonhro has given us so many great memories."
Lonhro's mighty race career draws to a close in Saturday's Group One $750,000 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick.
This will be the final time Beadman gets to ride Lonhro, signalling the end of one of the great jockey-horse relationships in Australian racing history.
From 21 rides, Beadman has won 16 races on the Black Flash, including 10 Group One triumphs.
Beadman has ridden some of the most outstanding champions of the modern era, including Super Impose, Let's Elope, Saintly and Octagonal. But he rates Lonhro as the best horse he has ridden. Lonhro has only been beaten once in nine starts this season and arguably is racing better now than at any stage of his career, but Beadman doesn't support any extension of the horse's career.
"The way he is going at the moment, he could probably keep racing for another 12 months and still be top of the tree because he's so dominant right now," Beadman said.
"But now is probably the right time for him to retire. He's going out at the top of his game. He can't get any more recognition than what he already has plus it gives another horse an opportunity to step up now."
At the request of The Daily Telegraph, Beadman then rated his five finest wins on Lonhro.
Not surprisingly, he put Lonhro's incredible win in the Australian Cup last month at the top of his list.
"It was an amazing effort by the horse to overcome two bad checks and get up and win," Beadman said.
"Of all the rides I had on the horse, that is the most special.
"I've put the Australian Cup ahead of his win in the Yalumba Stakes a couple of years ago.
"He was so courageous that day, chasing Sunline, giving her a big start and running her down.
"I also thought his effort to win the Orr Stakes this year was outstanding, coming back first-up at 1400m to win at Group One level."
He also rated two of Lonhro's wins at last year's Sydney autumn carnival very highly and described Lonhro's win in the first of his two George Ryder Stakes wins as "awesome" and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes as a performance of "pure brilliance".
Beadman is aware that Lonhro's legion of fans are desperate for the champion to win his final race start.
Jockeys can't tip but I'm sure Racing NSW chief steward Ray Murrihy won't mind me quoting Beadman when asked about Lonhro's chances in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
"He will win, mate," the jockey said simply.
The Daily Telegraph
By Ray Thomas
April 15, 2004
MAKYBE Diva, the reigning Melbourne Cup winner, is there. So is Caulfield Cup hero Mummify.
Throw in County Tyrone and Grey Song, placegetters in last year's Sydney Cup, and emerging stayers Fawaz, Stadium and Caught Courting, Duke Of Norfolk Stakes winner Pantani and proven mare Yakama.
These staying stars all come together at Royal Randwick on Saturday in the best $800,000 Schweppes Sydney Cup (3200m) in recent memory.
Although Lonhro's farewell will overshadow everything else on the final day of the AJC carnival, the Sydney Cup is shaping as one of the races of the week.
Only 11 stayers have accepted for the Cup but this is all about quality rather than quantity.
"They always whinge about the standard of the Sydney Cup but they can't do that this year," said County Tyrone's trainer Kris Lees.
"With a Melbourne Cup winner and a Caulfield Cup winner in the field, this is about as good as it can get. Apart from the Melbourne Cup, you won't find a better field for a two-mile race all year."
Lees concedes stable warrior County Tyrone needs to run "the race of his life" to break a two-year winning drought and beat this top-class field.
County Tyrone hasn't won since the Queensland Derby two years ago but Lees argues the horse has probably never been in better form, as evidenced by his hat-trick of minor placings in recent starts, including a fighting second to Mummify in last Saturday's Chairman's St Leger.
Lees believes County Tyrone is on target to avenge his close second to Honor Babe in last year's Sydney Cup.
"He's definitely going better now than he was at this stage last year," Lee said.
"Ever since he came back into work this time, I've been really happy with him. He looks great and he's racing at the top of his form.
"I think he's going to be right in the finish again."
Mummify is the ruling $2.75 favourite on TAB Fixed Odds ahead of County Tyrone and Makybe Diva, who are both at $4.
Both Mummify and Makybe Diva must defy racing history to win on Saturday.
Only three horses have won the Caulfield Cup-Sydney Cup double in the same season, the most recent Galilee in 1966-67. The only others to win both races were Eurythmic (1920-21) and Rogilla (1932-33).
Similarly, Galilee was the last to win the Melbourne Cup-Sydney Cup double in the same season. He was the third horse to complete the rare feat, joining Lord Cardigan (1903-04) and Straight Draw (1957-58).
The Daily Telegraph
Beadman has fond memories
By Ray Thomas
April 15, 2004
MAYBE it's a defence against the emotional hype surrounding Lonhro's farewell but jockey Darren Beadman is taking a philosophical approach to the champion's final race.
"Everything in life has to come to an end," Beadman said.
"It will be sad in some ways, of course, but this horse has also given us so much to be joyful about.
"Over the last three or four years, Lonhro has given us so many great memories."
Lonhro's mighty race career draws to a close in Saturday's Group One $750,000 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick.
This will be the final time Beadman gets to ride Lonhro, signalling the end of one of the great jockey-horse relationships in Australian racing history.
From 21 rides, Beadman has won 16 races on the Black Flash, including 10 Group One triumphs.
Beadman has ridden some of the most outstanding champions of the modern era, including Super Impose, Let's Elope, Saintly and Octagonal. But he rates Lonhro as the best horse he has ridden. Lonhro has only been beaten once in nine starts this season and arguably is racing better now than at any stage of his career, but Beadman doesn't support any extension of the horse's career.
"The way he is going at the moment, he could probably keep racing for another 12 months and still be top of the tree because he's so dominant right now," Beadman said.
"But now is probably the right time for him to retire. He's going out at the top of his game. He can't get any more recognition than what he already has plus it gives another horse an opportunity to step up now."
At the request of The Daily Telegraph, Beadman then rated his five finest wins on Lonhro.
Not surprisingly, he put Lonhro's incredible win in the Australian Cup last month at the top of his list.
"It was an amazing effort by the horse to overcome two bad checks and get up and win," Beadman said.
"Of all the rides I had on the horse, that is the most special.
"I've put the Australian Cup ahead of his win in the Yalumba Stakes a couple of years ago.
"He was so courageous that day, chasing Sunline, giving her a big start and running her down.
"I also thought his effort to win the Orr Stakes this year was outstanding, coming back first-up at 1400m to win at Group One level."
He also rated two of Lonhro's wins at last year's Sydney autumn carnival very highly and described Lonhro's win in the first of his two George Ryder Stakes wins as "awesome" and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes as a performance of "pure brilliance".
Beadman is aware that Lonhro's legion of fans are desperate for the champion to win his final race start.
Jockeys can't tip but I'm sure Racing NSW chief steward Ray Murrihy won't mind me quoting Beadman when asked about Lonhro's chances in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
"He will win, mate," the jockey said simply.
The Daily Telegraph
