Main coach Ciaron Maher has capped off a surprising day by including a Caulfield Cup win to his earlier triumph in The Everest.
Maher’s cost Duke De Sessa — ridden by Harry Coffey — claimed victory within the $5 million Caulfield Cup late on Saturday afternoon.
The six-year-old gelding held off a late problem from pre-race favorite Buckaroo within the 2,400-metre handicap.
Maher couldn’t attend the Caulfield Cup as he was in Sydney to see seven-year-old mare Bella Nipotina win the $20 million The Everest at Randwick.
Ridden by Craig Williams and educated by Maher, Bella Nipotina went broad and completed strongly within the straight to win narrowly from 2022 winner Giga Kick on this planet’s richest race on turf.
Bella Nipotina is the primary mare or filly to win the 1,200m race.
Williams rode Bella Nipotina to a sensational victory in The Everest. (AAP: Bianca De Marchi)
Rising Empire was third, with Woman Of Camelot fourth.
Maher, who additionally trains Rising Empire, was emotional after his first win within the race, earlier than a packed crowd at Randwick.
“She’s a wonderful horse to coach,” he informed the Seven Community.
“She’s been elite for the final 5 years and, yeah, it is unbelievable.
“To do it this late in her profession, after 54 begins, it is unbelievable.
“We thought she was in career-best type and he or she bought her circumstances to swimsuit.”
Bella Nipotina earned connections $7 million with the victory.
Godolphin colt Site visitors Warden was a late scratching after changing into fractious within the beginning gates.
The Everest was run for the primary time as a Group 1, the official top-tier standing that had been beforehand denied it since its inception in 2017 on account of its novel slot race format.
Duke De Sessa completes double for Maher
Duke De Sessa was let go by Coffey on the 600m mark and held on for a superb win.
It was Maher’s second Caulfield Cup victory, eight years after his star mare Jameka received.
Maher stated Duke De Sessa appreciated the tender 6 observe at Caulfield.
“The horse had the appropriate type entering into. He had 4 2,000-metre runs, and going to the mile and a half, and he loves a little bit of lower within the observe, it labored out,” he stated.
“How good Harry Coffey? I used to be speaking to him after the horse’s final run. He stated he likes reducing weight when he is bought an opportunity.
“Honest play to him. He rode him confidently and he rode him properly, and it was a fairly simple watch.
“He is a stunning horse he had numerous capability. He was only a bit aggressive as a colt. He was gelded and he is simply come again a nicer horse. The crew has executed an important job.
“He is bought a little bit of lower within the observe his final couple of runs, which actually helped him, and right this moment for his grand last, spot on.”
Land Legend was third residence, unable to stick with Duke De Sessa when Coffey hit the button.
Harry Coffey kisses the Caulfield Cup after guiding Duke De Sessa first previous the submit. (Getty Photographs: Vince Caligiuri)
Coffey, who was recognized with cystic fibrosis at six weeks outdated, celebrated his twenty ninth birthday together with his first Caulfield Cup victory.
“I simply could not imagine it that he stored working and the Caulfield Cup was going to have Harry Coffey’s identify subsequent to it,” Coffey stated.
“It is simply phenomenal. It is not alleged to occur to folks like myself.
“I am thought-about a battler and other people wish to chortle about how I am a battler and a rustic boy, however not many Caulfield Cups get received by nation boys.
“I could not pull the horse up, to be trustworthy. I simply let him roll and me and him simply had a bit of second … I really cannot let you know the love and the happiness for a way properly this horse ran right this moment.”
There was drama earlier than the race when Warmonger broke by means of the gates and delayed the beginning.
AAP/ABC
