Great House Earns His Ticket to the Melbourne Cup

Mark Smith - Saturday October 30

The first two for Chris Waller and James McDonald on Victoria Derby Day as Highclere Thoroughbreds’ Great House (IRE) made sure of his place in Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup when he wore down Mankayan (IRE) in the Group III Lexus Hotham Hcp (2500m) at Flemington.

The Group III Newcastle Cup winner was not beaten far in the Group 1 Metropolitan at Randwick and Group 1 Caulfield Cup at his two most recent starts.

Great House finishes best (image Grant Courtney)

The son of Galileo had to work hard to overcome Linda Meech on a stubborn Mankayan (Intello) who only handed up in the final 50 metres to go down by three-quarters of a length.

Emissary (GB) (Kingman) was a further two and three-quarter lengths back in third to make it a 1-2-3 for European-breds who had seven of the eight starters.  

McDonald said he had to work for the win.

“He had to tough it out there,” McDonald said.

“It was genuine tempo and he got the first half beautifully relaxed, chimed into it, and I actually thought that he was going to win a bit easier. But that was a tough horse inside me (Mankayan).”

Great House (IRE) made certain of his place in Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup.in which his odds were slashed from $51 to $26.

Great House (image Reg Ryan/Racing Photos)

“With 50kgs, it is obviously a nice light weight to go into a race like that, but we have the quest to find a rider to ride at that light weight. I’m sure Chris has pencilled in a few,” stable representative Jo Taylor said.

“He came through that Caulfield Cup really well. On Tuesday his work here at Flemington was the work of the morning from my horses. He reproduced that today with a very good ride from James.

“There’s a reason that he’s the champion that he is with rides like that. Absolutely timed to perfection.

“He’s been a nice sound horse, and he’s been honest. Every time we’ve raised the bar he seems to have stepped up to the plate, so why not keep doing that?”

A 175,000gns purchase by Highclere Racing at the 2020 Tattersalls Online August Sale, Great House (IRE) advances his record to five wins, two seconds, and three thirds from 15 starts with earnings of $694,290.

A half-brother to Group III Maisons-Laffitte Prix Miesque winner Aboule (Exceed And Excel), Great House (IRE) is one of six winners from 10 to race out of the Indian Ridge mare Anja.

Anja is a half-sister to French Derby winner Anabaa Blue out of Allez Les Trois, a half-sister to King’s Best and the great racemare and even better broodmare Urban Sea, the dam of, among many greats, Galileo, the sire of Great House (IRE). 

 

 

Advertisment

Race Result - Hotham Gr3 2500m

Flemington Track: Good(4) Time: 2:34.56
1
Great House
- 5g Galileo (IRE) x Anja (IRE) (Indian Ridge (IRE))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J B Mc Donald 57.5
MM National Broodmare Sale $0
Seller: Coolmore Stud, Jerrys Plains, NSW (As Agent)
Buyer: Withdrawn
2
0.8
Mankayan
- 6g Intello (GER) x Angelic Note (IRE) (Excellent Art (GB))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Ms L J Meech 54
3
3.6
Emissary
- 5g Kingman (GB) x Soviet Moon (IRE) (Sadler's Wells (USA))
Tnr: M D Moroney Rdr: G Boss 54
4
3.6
Le Don De Vie
- 6g Leroidesanimaux (BRZ) x Leaderene (GB) (Selkirk (USA))
Tnr: A & S Freedman Rdr: D Oliver 58
5
3.9
King's Charisma
- 5g Teofilo (IRE) x Bawaakeer (USA) (Kingmambo (USA))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Jye McNeil 54
6
4.1
Mirage Dancer
- 8h Frankel (GB) x Heat Haze (GB) (Green Desert (USA))
Tnr: T Busuttin & N Young Rdr: C Newitt 59
7
5.8
Knights Order
- 7g So You Think (NZ) x Lamanka Lass (USA) (Woodman (USA))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Jordan Childs 58.5
8
11.8
Sous Les Nuages
- 5g Holy Roman Emperor (IRE) x Sousmarine (IRE) (Montjeu (IRE))
Tnr: Matthew Cumani Rdr: Fred W Kersley 54
9
31.8
Fun Fact
- 6g The Factor (USA) x Fill The Page (AUS) (Dane Shadow (AUS))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: Rachel King 57
More Reading...
El Vencedor wins G3 Balmerino Stakes
El Vencedor is making a habit of picking up major victories at Ellerslie, adding the Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m) to his burgeoning record at Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup Day meeting.
Galileo's Great House Too Strong in Newcastle Cup
Beaten out of a place in his two most recent outings in benchmark 78s,  Highclere Thoroughbred Racing’s Galileo gelding Great House (IRE) dominated the finish of Friday’s $245,000 Group III Sharp Office Newcastle Cup (2300m)
Kiwi Bred Grey Wins Subzero for OTI at Flemington
New Zealand-bred gelding Cloudland proved a handful for James McDonald at Flemington on Tuesday, but the champion jockey was in a forgiving mood after they had claimed top honours in the Subzero Handicap.
Knights Choice a True Underdog Story
Punters were left stunned when the Queenslander Knight's Choice and Japanese visitor Warp Speed (JPN) emerged from the pack to fight out a dramatic finish to the $8,560,000 Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.
All Too Hard's Arran Bay Brave in the Furphy Plate
Phillip Stokes admitted his preference was to run Arran Bay in the Listed John Letts Cup at Morphettville but was overruled by the owners, who made the correct decision in favouring the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) at Flemington.
Rosemont and Partners Stakes Quinella on Cup Day
Written Tycoon posted his second new stakes-winner on Melbourne Cup Day when promising three year-old gelding Catoggio took out the Listed VRC Amanda Elliot Stakes (1400m)  for Rosemont Stud and partners, who also race the second horse Bosustow.
More Stakes Success for Air Assault
Group I placed last season in the SA Derby, talented gelding Air Assault kept the winning run going for Victoria Derby winning trainer Andrew Gluyas when taking out the Listed SAJC John Letts Cup (1800m) at Morphettville on Melbourne Cup Day.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday November 5
Here is the full list of 145 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.