The best horses and best jockeys were on show around the world at the weekend and showed why we fall in love with the sport. It is a week for fulfilling dreams, but some turned into nightmares. And there were a couple of avoidable black eyes as well.
HITS
The Next Episode
It’s job done with the $2.8 million Snitzel colt after getting the better of an absorbing driving finish with St Gotthard, $2.7 million son of Snitzel. He will have a place at Widden Stud when his racing is done, but that might not be for a while. His majority owner, who is English, will no doubt want to see him at Royal Ascot and The Everest is calling. The acceleration he showed on Saturday would have him up with the best sprinters in the country, but will have to prove that next year.
James McDonald
After another Group 1 double and four winners overall to start the Flemington carnival, McDonald sits on 21 Group 1 wins for 2026. He is getting used to winning in the Hermitage red and green of Derby winner Stormy Marco and that Lady Shenandoah carried in the Empire Rose Stakes. Both rides were near perfect, and the Group 1s were over by the Clock Tower. It is one thing being on the best horse but combining it with the best ride is what makes J-Mac the best in the world.
Private Eye
Joe Pride decided a couple of years after Private Eye finished sixth in his third try at The Everest to focus on what Private Eye does best. The dual Everest placegetter targeted at 1400m racing. It has delivered almost another $2 million in prizemoney after he was too good in the Damien Oliver on Saturday as a nine-year-old. Pride is a master of placing his horses in the right races and lowering his sights has delivered Private Eye another lease of life in the twilight of his career.
A well-deserved win for Private Eye in the G2 Damien Oliver! ❤️
@PrideRacing @mcacajamez @ProvenTbreds @FlemingtonVRC https://t.co/McPcwpqehI
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 31, 2026
Chad Schofield
It’s been a pretty good month for Chad Schofield and it isn’t finished yet. The Everest with Tempted and the Golden Eagle with pick-up ride Skyhook have boosted his bank account, but has also shown that he is up with the best in the country. Schofield has earned more than $15 million for winning this month, which would be a pretty good season’s work. He is riding with confidence and could add another million or two in the next week, which is highlighted by Tempted in the Champions Sprint.
Unfortunately, Ryan Moore won’t be in Melbourne on Tuesday for the Cup after Dylan Browne McMonagle swapped onto Sons And Lovers after Defiantly was ruled out of the Cup. But if you want to see the best ride in the world for the weekend, go and watch him on Benvenuto Cellini in the Breeders’ Cup Turf. A blend of patience and a little luck saw the Irish Derby winner explode through late for a stunning victory.
MISSES
Sheza Alibi
First Ka Ying Rising, then Sheza Alibi showed there are no certainties in racing. There was simply nothing Luke Nolen could do in the Golden Eagle on the $1.50 favourite, which was snookered from the top of the straight to the winning post. All trainer Peter Moody could do was shrug his big shoulders and say “what can you do”. Sheza Alibi was a victim of circumstances in the middle of the big field. She will bounce back, but her defeats to close the preparation will be remembered by punters.
Satono Glow
John O’Shea and Tom Charlton filly was right in the market for the Coolmore Stud Stakes, but not much went right. The slow tempo was against her, and the stewards reported that the run probably should be forgotten. “Raced keenly in the early stages. Rider Ben Melham reported that in his opinion the filly was not suited by its inside draw, bearing in mind the fields had been racing down the outside of the Flemington straight. A post-race veterinary examination did not reveal any significant findings, other than it lost the off foreplate. Co-trainer John O’Shea reported the filly would now be spelled,” it read.
Melbourne Cup scans
They are a part of our greatest race, but Racing Victoria has to stop the ambulance chasing that goes on in the week leading up to the Melbourne Cup. The information about Stinger Glass clearly got out as the Japanese stayer blew from $15 to $26 before being withdrawn. The Cup is the biggest betting race of the year, and the pre-post markets are very important, but punters are betting blind. Racing Victoria needs to make a rule for the Cup that if a horse fails the scans, all money bet on it is returned. As passing the scans is a requirement of the race, you are not in the race until you are cleared by vets.
Kerrin McEvoy
It would have been a tough watch for Kerrin McEvoy from his lounge as Skyhook won the Golden Eagle. One of the cleanest jockeys in the country was suspended for a whip breach in the Geelong Cup on Small Fry and amazingly couldn’t make a meeting on appeal, despite “an exemplary record”. After watching the $10 million race that got away, McEvoy got the offer to ride Shockletz in the Melbourne Cup after Harry Coffey’s fall but couldn’t make the 51kg for the $11 shot. He will ride at Randwick on Tuesday for the first time in a decade.
Nick Ryan
It is not a great look for racing to see a couple of runners scratched from features on Derby Day after the syringes allegedly containing the banned substances were found in the glovebox of Nick Ryan’s car. The substance has reportedly been identified as EPO, and if that is the case, any disqualification could be lengthy. The latest EPO ban was four years on a presentation charge in South Australia last year. Ryan, it should be added, has yet to plea to the charges and faces stewards again on Monday.
