Terravista triumphs in Darley Classic; Hucklebuck takes Emirates Stakes

Terravista triumphs in Darley Classic; Hucklebuck takes

Emirates Stakes

Saturday's Group 1 Darley Classic on the final day of the Melbourne

Cup Carnival was billed as a showdown between the best sprinters Australia and Europe had to offer, with the

likes of four-time Group 1 winner Lankan Rupee and this year's Group 1 Diamond Jubilee and Group

1 July Cup winner Slade Power set to lock horns in a mouth-watering

clash.

In the end it was Australia that claimed the trophy in the prestigious sprint, but

the honors

went to Terravista, who overhauled Lankan Rupee inside the final 100

meters and held off a late charge from favored Chautauqua.

Terravista settled near the rear of the compact field while Lankan Rupee and Buffering led the way early, with Slade Power moving up to race on their heels on the

inside rail after missing the break by a length. Lankan Rupee, already under a vigorous ride from

Chad Schofield, picked up the lead approaching the 200-meter mark as Terravista weaved his way

between rivals. He hit the lead at the 50-meter mark and comfortably held off Chautauqua,

who got up to be second.

"I've known all along that this is the best horse that I've ever

trained and I've been pretty bullish about him, so it was great to see him pull it off today,"

trainer Joe Pride told Racing and Sports. "I don't want to compare great moments but that

was fantastic. Watching that race as it unfolded was so exciting."

"I didn't expect to be that far back but I've got confidence in Joe and I know the horse

and I was happy ride him where comfortable," Bowman told Racing and Sports. "He was

smoking and all he needed was a run and he didn't need much room.

"He's up there with best

sprinters I've ridden, most of which have been younger horses, but he's the best

weight-for-age sprinter I've been on."

This time last year, the lightly raced Terravista was

amidst a three-race win streak at the benchmark level at Randwick in Sydney. He finished second

in his stakes debut in his sixth start in Rosehill's listed Festival Stakes on November 30 and

returned with a first black-type victory in Randwick's Group 3 Southern Cross Stakes

going 1200 meter February 22. The Captain Rio gelding garnered a second group win next out in the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup at Warwick Farm

on March 8,

and wrapped up his autumn campaign after finishing 11th in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes

over 1500 meters on March 29.

Terravista opened his five-year-old account with another group-race

double, taking the Group 3 Show County Quality Stakes at Randwick on August 23 and following up in the Group 2

The Shorts Stake over the same course a month later. Shipping to Melbourne for the first

time for the Group 1 Manikato Stakes on October 24, he was described by his trainer as "the world's

best sprinter" before that 1200-meter event, but he wound up a luckless fifth behind Lankan

Rupee.

While he likely has a way to go to justify his trainer's lofty opinion, Terravista was no

doubt the best up the Flemington straight on Saturday, and Pride told Racing and Sports he

would choose the gelding's future targets carefully.

"I've got to consider prize money with a

horse like this," Pride explained. "He's done a pretty good job today and won a pretty

decent check. We could possibly come back here for the (Group 1) Newmarket

(Handicap), but the Sydney

autumn holds some nice riches for him as well."

Slade Power pulled up lame after failing to land a blow,

and trainer Eddie Lynam said the injury is likely a pulled muscle.

"It's a hard day, but these things happen and we've been

well looked after since we arrived here. We gave it a go -- nothing ventured, nothing gained,"

Lynam said.

Slade Power's participation was cast into doubt the week

before the race when it appeared that he may not be able to be loaded into the starting

gates last, as has become his custom in Europe. In the end Lynam and the officials were able to

reach a compromise.

"He went into the stalls third last," the trainer

explained. "We were happy with that and there were no problems on that score, but unfortunately

he's come back lame. It's his last run and he'll be going to Darley's Kildangan Stud in Ireland. I

hope he recovers quickly and has a great career as a stallion."

Also at Flemington on Saturday, the Adelaide-based Hucklebuck capped a perfect three-for-three campaign with a maiden Group 1 victory in

the Group 1

Emirates Stakes, one of Australia's most prestigious mile contests and the co-feature of the

final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Hucklebuck settled fifth on the rail down the backstretch, about five lengths off the lead set by the

popular Tasmanian raider The Cleaner. Switching off the fence as the field began to descend on

The Cleaner rounding the bend, the Elvstroem gelding found an opening while three-wide at the top of the lane. Drawing even with

the front runner under minimal urging passing the 300-meter mark, Hucklebuck had to call on his reserves to put The Cleaner away, and then had to fend off a late challenge from Lucky Hussler.

"That was terrific," stated jockey Dom Tourneur, who was recording his first Victorian Group 1. "There was a lot of doubters at the trip

but he came out and showed them what he's made of. Today the real Hucklebuck shone

through."

Thomas

Li, chief executive officer of the Macau Jockey Club and owner of Hucklebuck, was on hand to

enjoy the victory.

"I thought the last 200 meters was very exciting," Li told Racing and

Sports.

Trainer Phillip Stokes, who won three races on the card, added, "This means so much.

It's fantastic to have Thomas here and to get a Group 1 in Melbourne is a big thrill."

Kicking off his career in his native South Australia

this time last year, Hucklebuck went two straight there before embarking on a Victorian experiment.

That journey ended successfully with a listed victory at Caulfield last October and a

second in the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes over Saturday's track and trip two weeks later.

Beginning his autumn

campaign with a handicap win back home at Morphettville, Hucklebuck returned to Melbourne to

garner the Group 3 C S Hayes Stakes going 1400 meters at Flemington on February 15 prior to an eighth-place finish

over course and distance in the Group 1 Australian Guineas on March 1. A Queensland winter campaign

included a fourth-place finish in the Group 3 Fred Best Classic on May 17 and a sixth in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap

on June 7.

Hucklebuck returned from a freshening to take the listed Durbridge Stakes

at Morphettville on October 18 and, after adding the Group 3 Yellowglen Stakes

going 1400 meters here on November 1,

was ready to dispel doubters of his abilities over the Flemington mile Saturday.

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