‘Reckon I could get ‘Fages’ into a horse’: Cripps’ week gets even better
If triple-premiership coach Chris Fagan walked into a vibrant environment at Carlton after joining the powerhouse Melbourne AFL club last week, he should take heart that it is about to get even better.
In the coming days, he will be shaking hands with a beaming Patrick Cripps.
As far as off-seasons go, the lionhearted Blues skipper has had a spring carnival to remember, capping off a year in which a reborn Carlton resurrected long-suffering fans’ hopes.
On Saturday, he celebrated at chilly, wind-swept Flemington as Birdman won the $3 million Champion Stakes (2000m) in front of 70,414 people (taking the total through the gates over the four-day Melbourne Cup carnival to 307,889).
Stakes Day ‘more of a social event’ for the young crowd
If you had a look around Flemington Racecourse at Stakes Day yesterday, you would be forgiven for thinking you were at a music festival or a high school party.
Once known as the annual “family day”, this year’s spring racing carnival finale was instead populated by excited teenagers and young adults.
The trackside lawn area was teeming with young people socialising, drinking beers and watching the occasional race. The prized horses needed to be taken a different route when leaving the track after a race so that they weren’t spooked by the rowdy crowd.
Biggest Champions Stakes crowd in a decade
The Champions Stakes Day crowd today was 70,414 which is the biggest for this day since 2017.
The total crowd over the Melbourne Cup Carnival (four days) was 307,889.
Race 9 – HKJC World Pool Grand Handicap
Lawborough has won the HKJC World Pool Grand Handicap at Flemington today.
It wasn’t among the favourites but had a cracking finish to comfortably take the win.
Lawborough was so fired up that he didn’t want to slow down and chat with Billy Slater and Nine – Slater and jockey Jye McNeil managed to briefly calm him down.
“He’s like the young blokes waiting for Fisher,” McNeil joked to Nine.
Cripps praises Birdman, excited to get Fagan to Blues
Carlton captain Patrick Cripps is excited to get back into preseason training later this month after watching Birdman fly to victory in the VRC Champions Stakes today.
Cripps and a number of Blues identities are part of a syndicate with a stake in Birdman and he was among the owners carrying on after the impressive win.
“I had about a [toe] nail in it but I carried on like I was the [majority] owner,” Cripps told Nine after the win.
“It’s a bit hard as you have no control in the owners circle but I’m with some good mates in the syndicate. [Former Blues assistant coach] John Baker was the mastermind behind it.
Race 8 – TAB Champions Stakes
Birdman has won the TAB Champions Stakes at Flemington.
That was a sensational run down the outside to win this huge race.
Carlton AFL star Patrick Cripps was among the connections celebrating after that stellar win.
“It’s a good feeling to have. Great ride and good feeling that,” Cripps told Nine.
Fisher keen to return to Champions Stakes Day next year
Seems like we have not seen the last of Fisher at Flemington.
He has announced to the course at the presentation of the Fisher Stakes trophy to the winning connections that he is planning to be back at Flemington on Stakes Day next year.
If so, it will be a three-peat for the DJ.
‘She’s too valuable to take the chance’: No Ascot for Autumn Glow
Autumn Glow owner John Messara was proud to see his star horse win at Flemington today.
But Messara, a former chair of Racing New South Wales, also made it clear he wasn’t interested in sending the superstar horse to the UK to race at Ascot.
He is interested in bringing Autumn Glow back to Melbourne as early as Autumn next year.
“I wanted to see it go up that [Flemington] straight today. We’ve won a bit in Sydney, but we wanted to win here as this is an important hub,” Messara told Nine.
“It’s unlikely [she will go to Ascot] but you might see her here again.
“It’s a very long trip. There are dangers and risks. She’s just too valuable to us to take a chance.”
Griffiths among the big names
Golden Globe winner and director of Ride Like A Girl, the film based on Michelle Payne’s victory on board Prince of Penzance in the 2015 Melbourne Cup, Rachel Griffiths was one of the higher profile names at Flemington on Champion Stakes Day.
Griffiths, a regular racegoer during the Spring Racing Carnival, was at the track with her husband, artist Andrew Taylor and their three children Clementine, Adelaide and Banjo.
Griffiths is busy filming a new courtroom drama in Melbourne which is titled Slander.
The series, in which Griffiths plays a formidable defamation lawyer, will be seen on Stan.
Race 7 – VRC Champions Mile
Autumn Glow has won the VRC Champions Mile at Flemington.
Autumn Glow was too good out sprinting Lindermann to the finish line in the last 200m – they were neck and neck until James McDonald got a late kick out of the horse who was too good on the day.
Another win for JMac and Chris Waller.
“She was a little bit lost and at sea but, boy, once she opened her shoulders up, she was never going to lose,” McDonald told Nine.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
