Top of the Range (NZ) (Savabeel) has dashed the Melbourne Cup hopes of Brimham Rocks (Fastnet Rock) when beating the Chris Waller-trained gelding by a long head in the Gr.3 Bendigo Cup (2400m) on Wednesday.
Brimham Rocks was No. 37 in the Melbourne Cup order of entry leading into Wednesday’s race and needed to win and receive a penalty to move closer to gaining a start in next Tuesday’s Cup which is restricted to 24 runners.
The Mike Moroney-trained Top of the Range is not among the 42 horses remaining in Melbourne Cup contention.
Top Of The Range ran second to Melbourne Cup hope Surprise Baby (NZ) (Shocking) in the Adelaide Cup in March and had finished a last-start second to Wolfe (Novellist) in the Coongy Cup at Caulfield a fortnight ago.
Moroney said the six-year-old had finally come of age.
“He’s never been an easy horse to train,” Moroney told broadcaster racing.com.
“He’s had heart fibrillation earlier in his career but he’s matured now and he’s good to deal with.
“I’m not sure where we’ll go. We’ll see how he pulls up first as it’s hard to make decisions on race day.”
Leading Perth Jockey William Pike turned in a spectacular ride to guide the Top of the Range to a last-gasp win in race-record time of 2:27.41.
“I had to come back and double check my number was up there,” Pike joked after the race. “I’ve run a lot of close seconds and been very much the bridesmaid on my visits and hopefully I can keep the form going through the carnival.”
Top of the Range was purchased by bloodstock agent Dean Hawthorne for $250,000 out of Blandford Lodge’s 2015 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling draft.
