Though he did not take home any of the Group 1 plumbs over the Carnival, Godolphin's retained trainer Charlie Appleby will long remember his Melbourne spring.
It was a case of what might have been when his Bendigo Cup winner Francis Of Assisi (IRE) made a one-act affair of Saturday's $300,000 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington.
Appleby won the $300,000 Group III Geelong Cup (2400m) with Melbourne Cup fourth
Ridden by William Buick, Francis Of Assisi pounced on leader Tom Melbourne (IRE) just after straightening and the further they went the further Francis Of Assisi put a gap on them.
He was good value for his 10-length margin over import Vengeur Masque (IRE) with the
"He led all the work before he ran in the Bendigo (Cup) and galloped out better than what we expected," Appleby said.
"He was only doing the lead work because there weren't any races for him to compete in prior.
"This horse, you could just see mentally, he's just thriving.
"He got his own head in front and won his own race at Bendigo and he thought he was King Kong so he's probably shown that today."
"They will now go home and look forward to next year."
Before being purchased by Godolphin, Francis Of Assisi began his career for the Coolmore team under the guidance of Aidan O'Brien.
The 7yo gelding is a son of the former shuttler Danehill Dancer out of the Kingmambo mare Queen Cleopatra.
A sister to 4-time Group 1 winner Henrythenavigator, Queen Cleopatra was a Listed winner and placed in the Group 1 Irish 1000 Guineas and Group 1 French Oaks.
Also, the dam of Francis Of Assisi's stakes-winning brother
Sequoyah's dam Brigid (Irish River) is a sister to Or Vision the dam of the Group 1 winners Dolphin Street, Insight and Saffron Waldon.
