THOUSAND GUINEAS
Ole Dancer won a classic Thousand Guineas from Apocalyptic, hear from the beaten brigade:
Mark Zahra (Apocalyptic): “She ran really well. We had a nice lead but the winner was just too good late.”
Lachlan Neindorf (Ferivia): “No horse in that race has done what she’s done this prep. She’s sixth up into the Thousand Guineas in her first racing prep. It’s just incredible. She was gone at the top of the straight, hit a flat a spot and she’s come back out of it when she didn’t have to and she’s a Group 1 horse in the making, that’s for sure.”
Billy Egan (Getta Good Feeling): “It was a bit of a sit and sprint which didn’t suit her. She fought on quite strongly through the line so 2000 (metres) and even more beyond that, so I think the Oaks will be a good hope for her.”
Jye McNeil (Zany Girl): “She was slow to begin and too much went wrong for her and she struggled today.”
Ben Allen (Salty Pearl): “Very honest. We had a good spot and couldn’t get the leaders but I thought she was tough.”
Luke Currie (Steel Trap): “Back from the wide draw, steady tempo, she was OK.”
Andrea Atzeni (Cherish Me): “We had a good trip from a good draw. The pace was a bit steady and when they quickened, she just struggled with it.”
Harry Coffey (Ethereum Girl): “She was OK. She would be better in races with a bit more genuine speed. The sit and sprint didn’t suit her today.”
Nash Rawiller (Karinska): “I wouldn’t judge her on today. She missed the kick, was back in the ruck, and just never got around Caulfield. She was on her wrong leg the whole way.”
Daniel Stackhouse (Chateau Eze): “Very disappointing. Probably the lack of tempo and from the gate we decided to go back and it didn’t work in our favour.”
Jamie Melham (Mating Call): “She ran an enormous race. The plan wasn’t to be that handy but she’s going very well for a nice Adelaide autumn prep.”
OLE DANCER IN AN EPIC 🤯
Ole Dancer and Apocalyptic put on a show as Blake Shinn and Mark Zahra go at it all the way in the Thousand Guineas, what a race 👏 pic.twitter.com/0oRuYC1DLe
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 18, 2025
CAULFIELD CUP
Half Yours justified the late money and favouritism with a commanding win, with Jamie Melham becoming the first female jockey to ever win the Caulfield Cup. Here what the beaten jockeys have to say:
Blake Shinn (Vauban): “I felt he was unsuited by the Caulfield track today. He was on his Sydney leg and just didn’t seem to corner that well on the corners, so the big flat track at Flemington will suit him much better.”
Stephane Pasquier (Presage Nocturne): “He finished good because he hadn’t run since four months (ago). It was good preparation for the Melbourne Cup.”
Mark Zahra (Middle Earth): “He was a bit dour. Travelled well probably until the half-mile then couldn’t pick up and was dour to the line.”
Andrea Atzeni (Meydaan): “I thought it was a good run, he just got a bit lost coming down the hill when the pace lifted. To be fair to him, once we straightened up he really finished strongly. Maybe the track’s a little bit tight for him.”
Ben Allen (Absurde): “Massive run. A little bit disappointed. We just copped interference right as he was picking up. If we hadn’t have copped that, he would have been right there in the finish.”
Jamie Mott (Land Legend): “He was obviously disappointing. He felt to me he was out of breath halfway, so he might be holding his breath.”
Harry Coffey (Zardozi): “She travelled like she was going to produce more in the straight but then was very one-paced and was probably peaking on her run with 100 to go. She’s racing dour and I think she needs a little bit of give in the ground.”
Jordan Childs (Adelaide River): “He just wanted to pull too hard during the early and middle stages and that affected his finish.”
Billy Egan (Bankers Choice): “He did really well. I think just a drop in grade, at this distance, I think he’s going good enough to put away a good country cup.”
Daniel Stackhouse (Deakin): “He ran well. I was just disappointed with him late, I thought he would have been a bit stronger. I had to use him to get out of that pocket I was in and put him in the race, I thought we were a big chance on the corner, blended into it nicely and just a little bit disappointing late but we’ll keep pressing on.”
Suguru Hamanaka (Golden Snap): “I was quite hopeful so we’re quite disappointed. It felt like it was tougher than Japanese ground and he just didn’t handle it.”
Luke Currie (Revelare): “He raced a bit closer than what I’d hoped, but had a nice enough run. He just came straight off the bridle and didn’t pick up at all.”
Beau Mertens (River Of Stars): “Great run. She ran fantastic. Had a lovely run off a hot tempo, got held up a little bit rounding the home turn but I didn’t lose too much momentum and I was just really pleased with the way she sprinted through that gap. She was extremely tough and just happy to see her run really well.”
Teo Nugent (Birdman): “Began only fairly for me, was the first one loaded and probably went to sleep in the stalls. On the back foot early, had a nice run through, best work was late and loved the way he rounded off the race late.
Robbie Dolan (Royal Supremacy): “He finished the race off really good. It gives us options to go to the two miles on the first Tuesday. He just reared up a few times in the gates, just wanted to get on with the job and did race a little bit keen for a few strides but hit the line really good.”
Jye McNeil (Valiant King): “The barrier’s probably cost him winning to be honest. Absolute epic run for a Melbourne Cup.”
Celine Gaudray (Plymouth): “Really honest run from a young horse. From the wide draw we were able to get into a beautiful position but he’ll be one to look out for this time next year.”
HALF YOURS AND JAMIE MELHAM – IT’S HISTORY AT CAULFIELD 🏆
The favourite swamps them late to win a remarkable Caulfield Cup! The McEvoy father and son combo have done it as Jamie Melham becomes the first woman to ride the winner of the 2400M Classic 💪 pic.twitter.com/e56lVA3dW5
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 18, 2025
