In an age where boxers can win a championship belt by sneezing on their opponent the only way to win the people’s respect is to face the best.
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Galea Warrior faced the best in the Makybe Diva Class 6 Plate (1200m) on Melbourne Cup day and showed he is deserved of the Warrior tag.
The much-anticipated shoot-out between the three champions; Galea Warrior, Deadly Choices and Expat Envy, turned into a knockout. Galea Warrior jumped to the front and never took his hoof off his opponent’s throats.
The shoot-out of champions Galea Warrior, Deadly Choices and Expat Envy turned into a knockout. Galea Warrior jumped to the lead and never took his hoof off his opponent’s throats .“They said about how quick he gets out but he shocked me how quickly he gets into gear,” said jockey Ric McMahon. “He plods along but when I asked him to do something he was straight on the bit. He toughed it well, getting a little bit tired but he’d already put them to the sword.”
Galea Warrior was two clear by the 800. Deadly Choices could not match him and Expat Envy settled further back with Five Spices. In the straight Galea Warrior kicked again and won by five lengths. Expat Envy warmed up for Doomben with a second placing three lengths ahead of Deadly Choices.
McMahon’s double began with a win in the Might & Power Ratings Band 0 – 50 Handicap (1450m). Zooks and Bea Bingle led the way at Broso’s Hill with Denlago third. In the back straight Zooks led from Two Of A Kind with Denlago from Dual Personality. At the 800 Zooks led from Two Of A Kind, Denlago, Dual Personality and Mr Palomino.
Denlago challenged but Zooks kicked away to win by eight lengths. Bea Bingle came home strongly to pip Dual Personality for third six lengths back.
Dan Ballard also collected a double beginning with the Saintly Class B Handicap (1000m) where the expected two horse race turned into exactly that.
Believe It Or Not and Messines Rose led the way out of the gate but No Crystal Ball was quick to join them in front and the three stayed together until entering the straight. No Crystal Ball and Believe It Or Not cleared away and went at each other down the straight.
Believe It Or Not hit the line a neck in front of No Crystal Ball and Herebaneek flashed home to pip Messines Rose one and three quarter lengths further back.
Ballard’s second winner Who Am I in the Dunaden Class 2 Plate (1200m) was also by a close margin.
The outsider of the field Sirtime took on the favourite Alik, harassing him like a nagging wife, while Who Am I went to sleep behind them.
At the 400 Sirtime’s race was run but before Alik took a relieved breath Who Am I moved up to replace him. Alik tried gamely to hold off the challenge but Who Am I grabbed him by a long neck on the line with Sirtime 14 and a quarter lengths third.
Trainer Steven Royes had only one runner on the day and it was all he needed to put a smile on his dial. The Subzero QTIS BenchMark 60 Handicap (1000m) was another hotly contested affair with four genuine chances.
Safdie, Ace Lightning and Abba Original led the way out of the barrier but Tempesta Rossa slid along the rails to join them by the 800. Leaving the back straight Abba Original felt the pinch and Ace Lightning was squeezed for room and conceded ground to leave Tempesta Rossa and Safdie in front.
Safdie led the way into the straight with Tempesta Rossa on the inside and Ace Lightning and Abba Original making ground. It was a four way go at the 200 until Safdie got down to business and held off the challenge to win by three quarters of a length to Tempesta Rossa with Ace Lightning a neck third.