Efficient - C'est La Guerre - Viewed - Vigor - Master O'Reilly

The Age
4/10/09

THE markets for the spring carnival's big three - the Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup - were reshuffled by bookmakers following yesterday's Turnbull Stakes, as Efficient and Nick Hall sounded an ominous warning to their rivals with an incredible victory in the group 1 event.

But while the gallant grey stayer and his up-and-coming jockey basked in the glory of an unexpected triumph - Efficient's first since the 2007 Melbourne Cup - a handful of other stayers staked their claim for the Caulfield and Melbourne cups with eye-catching trials, while early cups favourite Vigor slid down the pecking order after an inglorious run.

After the heartbreak of Efficient missing the 2008 Melbourne Cup through injury, connections were brimming with excitement at the prospect of another crack at Australia's most famous race with the grey and C'est La Guerre.

"It was a great win and we were expecting a big run from him today. He'll go to the Cox Plate and then the Melbourne Cup now," said Nick Williams, son of Efficient's managing part-owner, Lloyd Williams. "(We're) also very happy with C'est La Guerre. He bounced back after his last run and will run next week in the Yalumba, then go to the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup."

The third Williams-owned runner in yesterdays race, veteran stayer Zipping, also pleased and will head either to the Cox Plate or the Mackinnon Stakes before a likely attempt at a third straight Sandown Classic.

Williams said Efficient had shown he was back to his best in trackwork and an incredible split of 22.77 seconds between the 800 and 600 metres reflected that.

Despite a moderate tempo set by the heavily backed Maldivian, who was allowed to bowl along in front, Efficient reeled off very slick closing sectionals to reel in a brave Predatory Pricer, who looked set for victory inside the final 200 metres after stalking the speed for most for most of the race.

The Caulfield Cup rather than the Cox Plate firmed as Predatory Pricer's main spring aim after yesterday's run.

"We might have got to the front a bit early but he switched off well without the blinkers and ran a great race,'' said trainer Paul Murray. ''I'm probably leaning towards the Caulfield Cup at this stage. It's two weeks away and fits in better, but I've got to talk to the owners."

Third-placed Scenic Shot overcame a wide run and a mid-race move to out-bob Maldivian for third, while Kiwi stayer Red Ruler stuck on gamely with veteran Baughurst.

And another Melbourne Cup winner caught the eye further back in the field and brought a grin to the face of his trainer, ''Cups King'' Bart Cummings.
"Viewed ran very well and I'm very happy from a Melbourne Cup perspective. I'm not sure where we go now, though," he said.

Cummings' other Turnbull runner, Roman Emperor, looked a chance inside the 400 metres but just lacked the turn of foot needed to go with the placegetters on firm ground.

Danny O'Brien is hoping that former Caulfield and Melbourne cups favourite Vigor's lacklustre performance in the Turnbull was merely a blip on the radar, and said the stable would press on to the Caulfield Cup.

"He was disappointing on face value but Damien [Oliver] did say that there was a lot of pressure early on and that may have had an effect," O'Brien said. "Obviously it's not what you want to see at your last run before a Caulfield Cup but he was right on track before that so you've got to press on."

O'Brien's other Turnbull acceptor, Master O'Reilly, was scratched yesterday morning because of an elevated temperature, and could start in Saturday's Yalumba Stakes at Caulfield as a tune-up for the cup a week later if he recovers over the next few days.