By Andrew Garvey
It's was not the feature race that they covet, but after a last-to-first win in the $150,000 Golden Mile (1600 metres) at Bendigo on Saturday, imported galloper Observational may well end up at Flemington on the first Tuesday in November, as Nick and Lloyd Williams chase another Melbourne Cup.
Anthony Darmanin took Observational, who was having his first start in Australia, back to the rear of the field in the early stages before coming to the extreme outside as the field straightened.
Observational storms down the outside to win the Golden Mile.Credit: Getty Images
Passing the 200 metres, Observational ($16 to $20) appeared to face an impossible task after Dylanson kicked clear, but he sprouted wings over the final 100 metres to grab the front in the last couple of strides and held off another import Evangelist ($11) to win by a short half-head. Dylanson ($5 favourite) was a short neck away in third placing.
"It was a fantastic cold ride from Anthony Darmanin, he's one of the longest serving members of the team," Nick Williams said.
With the Melbourne Cup being the major target for team Williams each year, Observational appears to be yet another contender, but Williams was non-committal about another run this campaign.
"We'll have to wait and see," he said. "Dad [Lloyd] will decide what he does with him but I wouldn't be surprised if he has a break and gets ready for the spring."
Understandably. Darmanin who gets only the occasional ride for the stable and is second on the Tasmanian jockeys' premiership, was overjoyed with the win.
"It's great to get a feature winner in Victoria and great to get one for the boss as well," said Darmanin, who has worked for the Williams for 5 ½ years.
Shane Fliedner had concerns about backing up Setinium in the listed Bendigo Guineas (1400m) after the gelding ran fourth at Flemington last Saturday, but the local trainer was all smiles after his $21 chance charged home to beat Éclair Choice ($9) by a head.
"I sweated on a lot of things I can tell you," Fliedner said.
"It was an unbelievable run at Flemington and I was very worried about backing him up but this race is not on next week," the trainer said of Setinium, who gained a start only after the scratching of several runners.
The $250,000 VOBIS Gold Rush (1000m) provided a rags-to-riches tale with another local galloper, The Big Dance, giving her higher-priced rivals windburn, leading practically all the way to take out the two-year-old feature.
Trainer Danny Curran bought the daughter of Oamaru Force at last year's Inglis VOBIS Gold sale for just $750 and sent out an email to stable clients trying to sell shares in the filly, thinking he might have trouble syndicating such a cheap horse.
He need not have worried because the filly found owners in record time. "They all wanted a piece of her and I was beating them off with a stick," Curran said.
From a middle barrier, The Big Dance ($9) began quickly and after finding the fence just before the turn raced away to beat Bundy Red ($66), who finished on strongly, by 2 ¼ lengths.
He has got a long way to go to match the deeds of Signoff, who won the race last year, but Stellarized took another step through the staying ranks, with a tough win in the Jayco Stayers Challenge Final (2400m).
Pacemaker Sammy The Snake gave a good kick in the straight but under hard riding from Linda Meech, who only last week won her first group 1 at Rosehill, Stellarized ($3.50) grabbed the lead over the final stages to win by a half length.
"He's just the sort of horse that will keep improving," said Meech of Stellarized, who has now won his last three starts.
Nadeem Lass had won only two races prior to the $110,000 Bendigo Gold Bracelet (1400m) but a perfectly judged ride from Max Allen saw the Robbie Griffiths-trained mare win her third start and take her earnings past $300,000.
Western Australian mare Bippo No Bungus was showing plenty of fight after taking over the lead shortly after straightening but under hard riding from Allen, Nadeem Lass ($16) got up in the last bound.
"That's her 15th placing in 32 starts. She deserved that," said Griffiths' stable manager Don Healy.