(144) Melbourne Cup-G1

Flemington. November 5. $4,075,000. Open Hcp. 3200m.

1. MEDIA PUZZLE (USA) (D Oliver 52.5) trainer: D Weld.

2. Mr Prudent (C Brown 52) ch g 8 Phizam (NZ) - I'm in Business, by Jevington.

3. Beekeeper (GB) (K McEvoy 53) b h 5 Rainbow Quest - Chief Bee, by Chief's Crown.

2 len. Long neck. 3m 16.97s. 23 strs.

MEDIA PUZZLE (USA) (10-a)

Chestnut gelding foaled 1997

Breeder: Moyglare Stud Farm Limited

Owners: Dr M W J Smurfit & D R O'Keough.

Click here for Tesio pedigree

Werk Nick Rating: A

GP Inbreeding: Native Dancer 5f x 5m.

Age

Starts

Wins

2nds

3rds

In Europe

 

 

 

 

2

1

-

-

1

3

7

3

-

2

4

2

1

1

-

5

7

1

-

2

In Australia

 

 

 

 

5

2

2

-

-

 

19

7

1

5

Sire: THEATRICAL - Bay 1982. Champion Turf Horse in USA; 10 wins, $2,946,853, Breeders' Cup Turf S-G1, Belmont Turf Classic-G1, Man o'War S-G1, Hialeah Turf Cup-G1, Sword Dancer H-G1, 2d Breeders' Cup Turf-G1. Closely related to PARADISE CREEK. To stud 1988. Standing at Hill 'n' Dale Farm, Kentucky, USA. Sire of winners of $43.4 million -53 SWs inc Group I winners ASTRA, ROYAL ANTHEM, PORTLAND PLAYER, ZAGREB, VAUDEVILLE, GERI, DUDA, STARTAC, THEORETICALLY, MARCHAND DE SABLE, GOLDEN TREAT, DAHLIA'S DREAMER, MADELEINE'S DREAM, PHARMA, also HISHI AMAZON, TAIKI EL DORADO, HUMBEL, BROADWAY FLYER, APOLDA, GORDI, MEDIA PUZZLE , etc.

Dam

Market Slide (1991). 3 wins, $91,657, 3d First Lady H-G3, Heather H-LR. Dam of 3 foals of racing age, all winners -

97 MEDIA PUZZLE (USA). 7 wins, £77,136, Aus$2,565,000, 10f-3200m, VRC Melbourne Cup-G1, Geelong Cup-G3, Ulster Harp Derby-LR, 2d Saval Beg S-LR, 3d Gallinule S-G3, Ballycullen S-LR, 4th English St Leger-G1.

99 Ripple of Pride, b f by Sadler's Wells. 1 win at 12f, in Ireland.

00 REFUSE TO BEND b c by Sadler's Wells. 2 wins, Curragh National S-G1, at 2, 2002.

2nd Dam

GRENZEN. 8 wins, $346,490, Santa Susana S-G2, Santa Monica H-G2, Santa Maria H-G2, Las Palmas H-G3, Santa Ynez S-G3, Pasadena S-LR, 2d Kentucky Oaks-G1, Oak Leaf S-G2, Ashland S-G3, Linda Vista H-G3, Anoakia S-G3, Las Flores H-LR, La Habra S-LR, 3d Hollywood Oaks-G2, La Centinela S-LR. Dam of 13 foals, 10 raced, 8 winners inc -

TWILIGHT AGENDA. 13 wins, Meadowlands Cup-G1, Bel Air H-G2, Sam Pasqual H-G2, Del Mar BC H-G2, Col F W Koester H-G2, Native Diver H-G3, San Diego H-G3, Barronstown Stud Gold S-LR, Minstrel S-LR, 2d Breeders' Cup Classic-G1, Sant Anita H-G1, 3d Pimlico Special-G1, Oaklawn H-G1. Sire.

Market Slide. See above.

Growth Rate. Winner in Ireland. Dam of -

MUNAAJI. Champion 3YO Sprinter in Germany; 5 wins, Goldene Peitsche-G2, Grosser Preis von Berlin-G3, Scherping-Rennen-LR, 2d Iduna Nova Flieger Preis-LR, Dortmunder Fliegerpreis-LR, Dusseldorfer Sprint-Cup-LR, 3d Benazet-Rennen-G3, Premio Umbria-G3.

Irish Edition. Winner in UK. Dam of -

GO AND GO. Champion 3YO MD Colt in Ireland; 6 wins, $681,850, Belmont S-G1, Laurel Futurity-G2, Tyros S-LR, Minstrel S-LR, 3d San Fernando H-G2, Native Diver H-G3. Sire.

Latest Release. 11 wins, $232,790, 3d Downs At Albuquerque H-LR.

Off 'n' Away. 4 wins, 3d Sea-World International-G2.

In Time's Eye. Placed; 2d Derby Trial S-G3, at 3, 2002.

Latest Chapter. Unraced. Dam of

SOCIAL HARMONY. 9 wins, Macdonagh Boland S-G3, Belgrave S-LR, 2d Greenlands S-G3, Gladness S-G3, Waterford Testimonial S-LR, Cork Sprint-LR, 3d Ballycorus S-G3.

Clear Issue. Winner in UK. Dam of -

Force Of Will. 2 wins, 3d Curragh National S-G1, Tetrarch S-G3.

Hire A Brain. Winner in UK. Dam of -

Sheer Quality. 2 wins, 2d Luther Burbank H-LR, Camellia S-RL, 3d Tulare BC S-LR, Mother Lode BC H-LR. Dam of -

IRISH MINSTREL. 3 wins, $161,620, Del Mar Barona Cup-RL, in 2002.

Political Fact. 7 wins, 3d Beresford S-G2.

3rd Dam

MY POLY. 2 wins in USA. Dam of 8 foals, all winners-

GRENZEN. See above.

BOLD WHO. 18 wins, $117,371, Duncan F Kenner S, 2d Pelleteri H, 3d Hawthorne Juvenile S, Display H.

Sonny Pelouse. 15 wins, 2d Ak-Sar-Ben Juvenile S.

Polly Porter. 2 wins in USA. Dam of -

Riviera Princess. 4 wins, 3d Colorado Breeders S. Producer.

Autumn Shower. Unraced. Dam of -

SOONER SHOWERS. 4 wins, Bay Meadows Mid-Peninsula S-LR, San Mateo Co Sophomore H-LR, 2d Juvenile S-G3, Churchill Downs Twin Spires S-LR, Arlington Hyde Park S-LR.

Groton Poly. Unraced. Dam of -

POLY'S PARADE. 3 wins, Clipsetta S-LR, 2d Apollo S-LR, A M Fisher S-LR.

Bar Tea H. 3 wins in USA. Dam of -

SWEET BLANCHE. 8 wins, $296,611, Woodbine Yearling Sales S-RL, 2d Nandi S-RL, Mazarine S-LR, Detroit Queen Bee S-LR, 3d Lady Angela S-RL. Dam of -

LEYANNA. In Venezuela; won Clasicos La Fusta-LR, Mathieu Valery-LR, 2d Pr Guia Hipica-LR, La Fusta-LR.

ROCKET RYAN. 5 wins, $174,109, Calder Foolish Pleasure S-LR, Ellis Park Juvenile S-LR, Calder Birdonthewire S-LR, 2d Hialeah Caribbean S-LR.

Katebyrne. Winner in USA. Dam of -

RUBY PARK. 4 wins, $286,984, Woodbine Shady Well S-RL, 2d George C Hendrie H-G3, Ballade S-RL, 3d Whimsical S-LR.

Tea'n Thing. Winner in USA.

CRUMPET. 4 wins, $192, Woodbine Juvenile S-RL.

Au Bar. Winner. Dam of Bar Shot (3d Woodbine South Ocean S-RL).

 

THERE WERE emotional scenes as Damien Oliver, riding for the memory of his late brother Jason, who died after a barrier trial accident only days before, rode a perfect race on Media Puzzle to win the Melbourne Cup.

The accolades were shared with Irish trainer Dermot Weld, the only northern hemisphere based trainer to succeed in winning the coveted "two miler", repeating his success with Vintage Crop, the Cup winner of 1993.

Weld had two of the seven northern invaders in the Cup including the favourite Vinnie Roe, and it must have been an enormous thrill when his two runners shot clear of the field 400 metres out. But suited by the fast pace set by Sandmason and Hatha Anna, and the hard track, Media Puzzle gave his rivals no chance in a great staying effort. Mr Prudent, a true two miler, having won and run second in the last two Sydney Cups finished brilliantly to do best of the locally bred horses. Godolphin's Beekeeper who was racing for the first time since his good run in the Caulfield Cup ran an outstanding race for third. Vinnie Roe held on well for fourth with the rest of the field outclassed.

Trainer Dermot Weld said he was pleased with the run of Vinne Roe as the four-year-old will develop and improve and probably have another tilt at the Cup next year.

After his fourth in the English St Leger in September, 2000, Weld earmarked a Melbourne Cup campaign for Media Puzzle. Subsequently the horse suffered a fractured pelvis and spent 4-1/2 months in his stable. The gelding had won only one race since but bloomed in Australia and scored a record-breaking win in the Geelong Cup-Gr.3 in his lead-up to the Flemington event.

This year's Cup was the second fastest. Media Puzzle ran the distance in 3:16.97, just outside the record 3:16.30 registered by Kingston Rule in 1990.