Sirmione powered down the Flemington straight this afternoon to take out the Group One Darley-Australian Cup (2000m) and give legendary trainer Bart Cummings his 249th Group winner.

Sirmione was positioned by rider Peter Mertens near the tail of the field and then swung out to be three deep on the home turn. The four-year-old charged down the straight, hitting the lead at the 350m and from there was never going to be caught.

“As soon as I got him outside of Miss Finland he just sprouted wings,” jockey Peter Mertens said. “He (Bart Cummings) instructed me not to look for inside runs and just come to the outside if I had to.

Sirmione's improved so much as a horse during his last couple of runs, he's more mature in the mind.”
The Bart Cummings trained Sirmione ($3.80) won by four lengths from the favourite, Princess Coup ($2.80) who was closely followed by Casino Prince ($17), trained by Anthony Cummings.

Even the legend himself was surprised at the strength of the victory by his newest dual Group One winning galloper.

“I thought if he won it would half a length or a neck, but he won it so easily,” Cummings said. “He has improved a great deal and a little more than I thought. We'll probably look at the BMW in Sydney for him next. It's the only mile-and-a-half weight for age race in Australia, it's seems like the appropriate thing to do.”

Sirmione strengthened his WFA record today, which now stands at two wins and a second from his four starts.

Today's victory by Sirmione is the 13th Darley-Australian Cup winner and 249th Group winner Bart Cummings, 80, has trained as he continues to chip away at the record of 282 Group winners trained by Tommy Smith.

Like Sirmione, popular mare Miss Finland was unlucky during the race and was wide going around the home turn. However, unlike Sirmione, she tired in the straight and only managed fifth place.
Her trainer David Hayes and managing part-owner, John Messara, announced after today's Cup the four-year-old would now be retired.

“She's not quite what she was so we'll retire her,” Hayes said. “The real Fin would have probably sprinted with Sirmione and got beaten by a half length because she had a bad run. She's been a highly competitive four-year-old, but not a champion. When she runs fourth in a Cox Plate, second in an Underwood and a Caulfield Stakes, everyone is up in arms and a lot of horses can't even get into those races.”

“She's the best two and three-year-old I've ever trained by a long way. She's given me the best ride.”
Miss Finland finished her career with Group One victories in the One Thousand Guineas, VRC Oaks, the Cadbury Guineas and the Arrowfield Stakes.

Her first Group One win was the 2006 Golden Slipper where she missed the start and ran along the inside rail from last to claim victory.

As a broodmare, Miss Finland will first be sent to Hussonet.

[ 本帖最後由 S.WEEK 於 8/3/2008 09:12 PM 編輯 ]

澳洲杯原來開

Encosta De Lago 一Q  :gggg: :gggg: