There was a strong British flavour towards the head of the market for the 2022 edition of “The Race That Stops a Nation”. Leading the charge – and overall favourite for the race – was the James Ferguson runner, Deauville Legend, who had been put away for a shot at this prize following his win in the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York.
Simon & Ed Crisford’s Without A Fight was also well fancied, having looked the ideal type for this when scoring at Listed and Group 3 level over 1m6f in the UK. Serpentine and Hoo Ya Mal had been transferred to Australian yards before the race, but would have been familiar to UK racing fans – the former having won the 2020 Derby, and the latter finishing second in the 2022 edition of the Epsom Classic.
The shortest-priced contender for the home team was the mare Vow And Declare, who boasted a course win to her name and had caught the eye when going down by the narrowest of margins in the Metropolitan at Randwick. David Payne’s Montefilia also had her supporters following a luckless second in the Caulfield Cup. Amongst the more interesting outsiders were Vow And Declare, who won this race in 2019, and Gold Trip, who had finished fourth in the 2020 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe when with Fabrice Chappet.
Result
- 1st – Gold Trip 20/1, Jockey: Mark Zahra, Trainer: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
- 2nd – Emissary 25/1, Jockey: Patrick Moloney, Trainer: Michael Moroney
- 3rd – High Emocean 40/1, Jockey: Teodore Nugent, Trainer: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
- 4th – Deuville Legend 17/5F, Jockey: Kerrin McEvoy, Trainer: James Ferguson
Prize Money Breakdown
- 1st – £2,540,322.58
- 2nd – £591,397.85
- 3rd – £295,698.92
- 4th – £188,172.04
- 5th – £123,655.91
- 6th – £86,0821.51
- 7th – £86,0821.51
- 8th – £86,0821.51
- 9th – £86,0821.51
- 10th – £86,0821.51
- 11th – £86,0821.51
- 12th – £86,0821.51
Tote and Forecast Payouts
- Tote Win – $23
- Exacta – $506.60
- Trifecta – $17,688.70
Recap
The runners remained spread across the track in the early stages, with Smokin’ Romans, Knights Order, and Camorra amongst those battling for the right to make the running. Smokin’ Romans was the first into the bend but was soon passed by John Allen, making a sweeping move aboard Serpentine, attempting to replicate the colt’s successful trailblazing effort in the 2020 Derby.
Most of the more fancied runners, including favourite Deauville Legend, were content to wait in midfield. That looked a shrewd move, with the soft ground on the day ultimately turning this into a real test.
Around five furlongs out, Serpentine began to wilt. Knights Order was the first to kick for home, opening up a two-length break to the field rounding the turn for home. Without A Fight moved up to third but quickly began to toil in the ground. Deauville Legend appeared more of a threat, moving up on the outside of the leader and seemingly full of running.
It is a long way home at the end of two miles though, and whilst Deauville Legend did get to Knights Order, he was soon passed by Gold Trip, who came with a storming run under top weight down the outside. Emissary followed him through for a 2l second, whilst High Emocean came from nowhere to hit the line best of all in third.
This was a really thrilling edition of the great race in which Gold Trip’s stamina came to the fore. That handed trainers Ciaron Maher & David Eustace, and jockey Mark Zahra a first win in the race.
Runners
- 1. Gold Trip – SP: 20/1, Trainer: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace, Jockey: Mark Zahra
- 2. Duais – SP: 20/1, Trainer: Edward Cummings, Jockey: Hugh Bowman
- 3. Knights Order – SP: 17/1, Trainer: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott, Jockey: Timothy Clark
- 4. Montefilia – SP: 17/2, Trainer: David Payne, Jockey: Jason Collett
- 5. Numerian – SP: 60/1, Trainer: Annabel Neasham, Jockey: Tommy Berry
- 6. Without A Fight – SP: 11/1, Trainer: Simon & Ed Crisford, Jockey: William Buick
- 7. Camorra – SP: 40/1, Trainer: Ben & JD Hayes, Jockey: Ben Melham
- 8. Deauville Legend – SP: 17/5F, Trainer: James Ferguson, Jockey: Kerrin McEvoy
- 9. Stockman – SP: 15/1, Trainer: Joseph Pride, Jockey: Sam Clipperton
- 10. Vow And Declare – SP: 20/1, Trainer: Danny O’Brien, Jockey: Blake Shinn
- 11. Young Werther – SP: 30/1, Trainer: Danny O’Brien, Jockey: Damien Lane
- 12. Hoo Ya Mal – SP: 12/1, Trainer: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott, Jockey: Craig Williams
- 13. Serpentine – SP: 30/1, Trainer: Robert Hickmott, Jockey: John Allen
- 14. Daqiansweet Junior – SP: 60/1, Trainer: Phillip Stokes, Jockey: Daniel Moor
- 15. Grand Promenade – SP: 70/1, Trainer: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace, Jockey: Harry Coffey
- 16. Arapaho – SP: 60/1, Trainer: Bjorn Baker, Jockey: Rachel King
- 17. Emissary – SP: 25/1, Trainer: Michael Moroney, Jockey: Patrick Moloney
- 18. Lunar Flare – Non-runner
- 19. Smokin’ Romans – SP: 16/1, Trainer: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace, Jockey: Jamie Kah
- 20. Tralee Rose – SP: 50/1, Trainer: Symon Wilde, Jockey: Dean Yendall
- 21. Point Nepean – Non-runner
- 22. High Emocean – SP: 40/1, Trainer: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace, Jockey: Teodore Nugent
- 23. Interpretation – SP: 50/1, Trainer: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace, Jockey: Craig Newitt
- 24. Realm Of Flowers – SP: 7/1, Trainer: Anthony & Sam Freedman, Jockey: Damien Thornton
Non-Runners
Lunar Flare, Point Nepean