As Efficient as Ever

Lloyd Williams owned Efficient won the AAMI Victorian Derby today at Flemington. Efficient strode away from the rest of the field in the last 100 metres to win by three lengths from Gorky Park, while Teranaba finished in third.

Efficient who is trained by Graeme Rogerson and was ridden by Michael Rodd settled back in the field for most of the race before making a run down the rails in the home straight and then coming out wide to sprint away from the strong derby field and end winning strongly by three lengths.

So impressive was Efficient that Nick Williams, the son of absent winning owner Lloyd Williams, confirmed that the gelding would be paid up for the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday. If it is to run in the cup on Tuesday then Craig Newit would be the jockey to ride it.

It was a great ride from Rodd after the race he said he just followed his instructions, 'Mr Williams sent message through ... don't leave the fence until I have to."

"I was worried they'd got away from me (at the top of the straight)," Rodd said.

"But what I knew was this horse can really level out and makes them all look second rate."

In the other results for the day and David Hayes kicked off Derby Day in winning fashion winning the Group three, Carbine Club Stakes with Permaiscuous. Permaiscuous, which led all the way to post giving her, her sixth win in ten starts, is owned by a syndicate of 44 women. Patriotism, trained by John Hawkes, finished second with the Bart Cummings-trained Antidotes a long head away third.

In the group two, SAAB Quality, Maybe Better confirmed his credentials fro a Melbourne cup with a stylish win. Maybe Better trained by Brian Mayfield-Smith finished a neck ahead of Irazu, with favourite Vanquished back in third. But Mayfield-Smith said that they would have to see how the horse pulled up before it was a sure starter in the Cup.

The group one, Ascot Vale Stakes was the third of the day at Flemington and Gold Edition claimed her first group one race in great style. Gold Edition strode away by three lengths from Splashing Out under Steven King while Churchill Downs boxed to finish third for Craig Williams.

Tuesday joy has set herself up fro Thursday and Oaks day after winning the group two, Wakeful Stakes. The three-year-old filly got the breaks today, with Danny Beasley bringing her with a sweeping run through the field to win the 2000m feature by 1¼ lengths over J'Adane, while Anamato rounded out the placings.

Brian Mayfield-Smith managed to get a double across the line with Lyrical Bird winning the group one Myer Classic. Top New Zealand mare Seachange was second after looking home and hosed, with Kosi Bay, trained by Bart Cummings, third. Mayfield-Smith, for whom Lyrical Bid was his 30th Group I victory, said he was "overwhelmed" with his great day of racing.

"Lately it's been going good but six-nine months before that we were struggling. The main thing is to come good, keep coming back," he said.

Desert War won the group one Mackinnon Stakes with a great run three lengths from Growl and Aqua D’Amore finished third. Desert War is trained by Gai Waterhouse who also trains the third placed Aqua D’Amore.

Gai Waterhouse and Chris Munce teamed up again in the Seppelt Salinger Stakes to win there second group won race in a row aboard Dance Hero. After the pair won the Mackinnon with Desert War, Munce came out and led from the front in the Salinger to win by a head from Shadoways and finishing third was Miss Andretti.

The last race of the day was the Helvetic Stakes which was run and won by Malcolm who was ridden by Darren Beadman. Mr Obiquitous came in second and behind it was Live in Vain.

A record crowd of 129,189 got along to see the great days racing at Flemington.

In other racing news, Our Smoking Joe has been pulled from the Melbourne cup with a leg infection. With the poor run from Sphenophyta in the Mackinnon Stakes today it means that Lee Freedman will be without a runner in Tuesdays feature race.

"He picked up an infection in his front leg and he now needs to have severe treatment," Freedman said.

"It's very disappointing. He might be better next week but he won't be right for Tuesday."

Be sure to check SportsAustralia.com for the Melbourne Cup final fields set to be announced later tonight.

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