Cup night | The feature race winners

Sportsbet Melbourne Cup night delivered with unmissable racing and moments that we won’t forget.

Like many major race meetings across the country the card was littered with feature events led by the two Group 1s. Here’s the lot of them and how they played out.

Click here for the night’s Race Data

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SPORTSBET MELBOURNE CUP – Explicit. Some sort of magic trick?

With the early speed in the race we knew it wasn’t going to be a contest for the faint hearted. Schillaci led, he ran a blinding 4.98 to the post the first time and incredibly it wasn’t enough to clear the field. Epitomize collided with him and it had a domino effect.

Sunset Frazier (who is fine and will be racing soon) lost his feet and somehow went underneath Explicit who was motoring. If he was at a different stage of stride who knows how the race plays out. What is undeniable is that he’s deserved a race like this to his name.

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SPORTSBET BOLD TREASE – Ethanol Water’s first Group 1 and probably not her last

She began well and then stalked Canya All Class for the bulk of the race. He was always going to set the pace, but he wasn’t able to replicate last week’s numbers.

Ethanol Water‘s run home time was slightly slower than her heat win, but it was more than enough. She’s real good. Black Silencer charged late and ran home in 10.99 – breaking 11 is incredible in a 715m race. Click here for the night’s Race Data

How good is the Sale Cup going to be later this month?

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SIR JOHN DILLON MEMORIAL – Tim Zoo, one of the best middle distance debuts we’ve ever seen

Tim Zoo has had no opportunity to do this lately but with a good draw and clear air he told us how well he is going. His 33.667 is the fifth fastest time ever over the 595m – behind Collinda Patty, Dyna Double One, Hector Fawley and Zipping Rambo.

What’s next? Phoenix slot holders?

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CUP NIGHT SPRINT – Smooth Plane out like a jet

We know Smooth Plane is a serious race dog, but I doubt anyone would’ve had him breaking five seconds to the first split. So impressive that he’s since been snared for the Phoenix, aligned to thoroughbred giants Australian Bloodstock.

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CUP NIGHT STAYERS – Wild Cash deserving of a scalp on the big stage

Wild Cash has now had 64 starts and 41 times he’s finished on the podium – he doesn’t run a bad race. He continued a great run for trainers Terry and Kim Erenshaw who in the past 12 months have had 184 collective starts with this one being their 50th win.

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SUPER VICGREYS FINAL – Big offers have been knocked back for Gambella, that was why.

Giacomo showed great speed but didn’t have enough in the tank to hold off Gambella. Her last 100m was the second best of the meeting. Good reward for owners/breeders Daniel ‘Buddah’ Pell and his mum Bev plus trainer Anthony Azzopardi.

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MAIDEN FINAL – Nell Devere raced well for Pell

‘Buddah’ Pell didn’t give us much in the pre-race interview but his girl Nell Devere did the talking. She performed well through the three-week series with her 29.57 win the highlight in her semi-final.

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FREE-FOR-ALL – Flying Zulu hones in before Hobart assignment

Yes, it wasn’t a feature event but we all love a Free-For-All. Flying Zulu was enormous in his Melbourne Cup heat behind Epitomize and backed that run up with an impressive win on Saturday. He heads to Tasmania for heats of the Hobart Thousand this Thursday night.

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