Boom shake, shake, shake the Caulfield Cup

Ben Dorries - Saturday October 21

It was the Caulfield Cup for every battling jockey with a dream as former Kiwi Cory Parish landed a "miracle" win on Boom Time.

There have been plenty of times in the last five years where Parish has struggled to make ends meet but that won't be a problem anymore after winning the $3million Caulfield Cup (2400m).

Most trainers were reluctant to take a punt on Parish when he arrived in Victoria but he put his head down and became a regular fixture for the powerful Lindsay Park team.

David Hayes has shown so much faith in Parish he put him on the Caulfield Cup horse the trainer owns, although most expected Boom Time ($51) to be making up the numbers in the Caulfield Cup.

But Parish and Boom Time made a mockery of that as the horse that Hayes once thought may have had Group III ability surged to hold off the brave Canberra mare Single Gaze ($31) by 1¼ lengths with another head back to Johannes Vermeer ($5 fav) in third.

From a Melbourne Cup point in view, punters were particularly taken with British import Marmelo who ran the quickest closing sectionals, finishing sixth, and he firmed into equal $6.50 Melbourne Cup favouritism.

"It was an excellent performance, right on track for the Melbourne Cup," Marmelo's jockey Hugh Bowman declared.

But the moment was all about Boom Time whose win meant Ben Hayes, who trains in partnership with dad David and Tom Dabernig, became the third-generation Hayes to win a Caulfield Cup.

But it was a real life-changer for Parish, the jockey who struggled to make ends meet and even rode in rodeo and dressage before he came to Australia.

Parish thanked everyone he could think of and singled out Blake Shinn for special mention.

"Blake Shinn has been helping with my style for a little bit, helping me master it so I'd like to help him for helping me out and sticking with me," Parish said.

"I couldn't ask for any more.

"I've been here five years now and David Hayes owns the whole horse and he had the faith to put me on today.

I just wanted to repay him and I've done that.

" It's an amazing thrill. First Group I and for it to be the Caulfield Cup – you beauty."

Hayes is yet to work out the immediate plans for Boom Time but he was savouring his third Caulfield Cup as a trainer and his first as an owner.

He described Boom Time's win as a "miracle'' for a horse that he mostly had thought was probably only up to Group III standard.

"When I had the ownership of this horse it was a pleasure to put Cory on in the Caulfield Cup and reward him for all his hard work," Hayes said.

"What a great horse, tough and backed up off that gutbuster last week and I think that probably won him the race, the good hard run under his belt."

Ben Melham said he was happy with the run of Johannes Vermeer although he ended up further back than he wanted and had to try to "pick and weave" through the field.

Johannes Vermeer firmed from $13 to $9 in Melbourne Cup markets while winner Boom Time was trimmed from $101 to $26.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Blockbuster Sale as NZB Ready to Run Records Tumble
Expectations were exceeded at Karaka with tremendous results witnessed across two days of selling at NZB’S 2024 Ready to Run Sale, confirming the demand for proven racetrack results and quality New Zealand-prepared horses.
Million-dollar Hour for Leung at NZB Ready To Run
Hong Kong bloodstock agent Willie Leung had a big hour at Karaka early on Thursday afternoon, spending more than $1 million to secure two well-credentialled colts at the NZB Ready to Run Sale.
Vale, Danny Champion
The thoroughbred racing industry is in mourning following the passing of respected horseman Danny Champion.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Castelvecchio has gone from nowhere to somewhere during the course of this spring with three stakes-winners putting his name in lights and he had a promising three year-old colt salute at Hawkesbury on Thursday that has now won two of three starts.
Arkansaw Kid Brother Sells for $520,000
A well-related son of Harry Angel provided a late highlight in the final hour of the 2024 NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka on Thursday when he was knocked down to a $520,000 bid from bloodstock agent Morgan Carter.
Ka Ying Rising connection draws Hayes team to Shamexpress at Karaka
With one of the world’s most exciting sprinters flying the flag for David Hayes in Hong Kong, it has been no surprise to see the trainer’s sons zeroing in on progeny of Windsor Park Stud stallion Shamexpress during the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka this week.
Churchill Colt Pulls Off Stunning Pinhooking Result at NZB Ready To Run
Chad Ormsby has enjoyed plenty of racetrack success this year with pinhooks that he has been unable to sell at the Ready to Run Sale, but the multi-talented horseman had a very different outcome with the standout member of his 2024 Riverrock Farm draft at Karaka on Thursday.
Sires With Winners - Thursday November 21
Here is the full list of 32 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Castelvecchio Out for Remainder of Season
Aeliana’s late charge into second place in the $1.5million Group I MRC Thousand Guineas last Saturday stamped her as the filly to follow out of the race, but it wasn’t quite enough to put her sire Castelvecchio to the top of the second season sires list and he is now out of service at Arrowfield following surgery last week.
City of Troy Crowned 2024 Cartier European Horse of the Year
Outstanding Justify colt City of Troy was crowned Horse of the Year at the 2024 Cartier awards on Wednesday night in London at a star studded ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel.