With the Magic Millions at the Gold Coast fast approaching, the good racing begins and with that, the door for 2023 will be properly shut. Looking back, it was a great year of racing, particularly with some outstanding wins right across the calendar year.
Down below is what we feel are the 10 best wins of 2023.
1: Without A Fight Melbourne Cup: History said Without A Fight was going to struggle to win the Melbourne Cup after his Caulfield Cup victory given only 11 horses had done the double. But the Melbourne Cup in recent years has seen history and records broken or changed and with that, The Team Freedman stayer produced a brilliant finale, under a peach from Mark Zahra, to claim the ultimate prize in Australian racing.
It was the first time since 2005 and Makybe Diva that a Freedman name won the great race, with Anthony and son Sam combining to win with the former UK stayer, who will go down as a Melbourne Cup hero given his big race double.
2: I Wish I Win TJ Smith Stakes: The 2023 TJ Smith had it all. The old champ, Nature Strip, up against the young gun and Everest winner, Giga Kick. Then added into the mix was the former Kiwi I Wish I Win, who had been teasing to win a Group l since arriving down under and the genius of Peter Moody was there for all to see, training his horse as sprinter and the end result was giving a world class sprint field a start and a beating, finishing over the top for a big win and confirming himself as one of the best in the country.
For trainer Peter Moody, it was his third win in the race with the previous two wins coming courtesy of his mighty mare Black Caviar. The gelding was outstanding in beating Giga Kick while Nature Strip, who led, just felt the pinch the last 200m after looking the winner for a brief period.
3: Romantic Warrior Cox Plate: It’s very rare you see a Hong Kong horse, a good one, travel overseas to tackle the world stage given how lucrative staying at home is. But Danny Shum took up the challenge of the Cox Plate and with the help of James McDonald, the gelding surged the final few strides and with J Mac stretched right out, the photo went the way of the Hong Kong star over Mr Brightside in a memorable Cox Plate, with a blanket finish across a host of runners.
The horse backed up the performance with an outstanding win in the Hong Kong Cup, confirming his greatness furthermore, but it was confirmed with this win at The Valley in the best race Australia has to offer.
4: Pride Of Jenni Champions Mile: The win seven days prior was great against the Mares, but this win beating up the best milers Australia has to offer was something else. And she did it with similar tactics from the Empire Rose, leading throughout and steadily increased the lead mid race, maintaining a safe margin to the line in an outstanding week for connections, who put so much into racing and deserve every success they get.
With Declan Bates aboard in both wins, the courage to ride that mare the way he did on the world stage against the best, it was something else, and something that shouldn’t be forgotten.
5: Pride Of Jenni Empire Rose: This win was something else. When you see tearaway leaders like this, they usually fold up and tire badly in the straight. To be fair, Pride Of Jenni was getting the staggers in the straight, but she had plenty in had in the straight and was able to fend them off for a big Group l win, and one of the most impressive wins of the entire Spring Carnival.
Declan Bates must have had the mare over ten lengths clear at one stage and the chasing pack were tired chasing, with the mare having in enough in hand to win and claim her maiden Group l.
6: Obamburumai Golden Eagle: Hard name to pronounce but it wasn’t hard to miss his electric finale to claim the Golden Eagle. The Japanese raider was absolutely trucking in the run for Josh Parr, who picked up the ride through good fortune for him with Take injured leading in, but he rode an inspired race, driving hard late and taking narrow gaps to burst through and claim the big race, a win that may open the flood gates for more Japanese runners to venture down under.
The Japanese have always been #1 when it comes to travelling horses across the world but due to Covid restrictions, they had been relatively quiet in coming to Australia, but this win of Obamburumai should ensure more raiders will come for both the Autumn and Spring.
7: Munhamek Gold Rush: If you are talking sentimental wins, it ranks alongside Makybe Diva and her third Cup along with Media Puzzle in 2002. Damien Oliver in his final ride, on his home track, off the back of two wins, produced a ride for the ages to claim the Gold Rush (1400m) at Ascot aboard Victorian raider Munhamek.
The Nick Ryan trained gelding drifted back to near last in the run and looked in awful trouble but Oliver was able to slice his way through and he savaged the line late for a barnstorming win, sending Oliver out in the best way possible and providing Nick Ryan with his biggest win as a trainer.
8: Militarize Golden Rose: When watching this replay, I still don’t know how he won. He looked no chance halfway down the straight when held up without room to move and it looked as if Cylinder was going to win, but Joao Moreira managed to get clear air aboard Militarize and he savaged the line late to nab them on the peg for the biggest win of the Sydney Spring.
The genius of Chris Waller came to the fore, convincing Moreira to come to Sydney for a riding stint, mainly to ride this horse, and with Blinkers first time for the Grand Final, a plan went to perfection, albeit he needed luck. But, he got it, and the win was outstanding.
9: Overpass The Quokka: The inaugural edition of The Quokka at Ascot had it all. The week leading in, there was a malfunction with the barrier draw so it had to be re done, which saw some connections blow up. The race and day itself was a ripper, with a big crowd on hand to witness the 1200m slot race and the money went to Sydney courtesy of Overpass, who led throughout and despite being out of petrol tickets late, he had enough in hand to score, just getting the win over star local Amelia’s Jewel, who drove hard late from the back but just missed.
The win was one of many memorable victories for both Bjorn Baker and Josh Parr, with the pair combining later in the year to win the Winterbottom at Ascot while Baker got the biggest win of his career in the Coolmore Stud courtesy of crack colt Ozzmosis.
10: Gold Trip Turnbull Stakes: This win confirmed the 2022 Melbourne Cup winner was back and back in a big way. With the Flemington meeting using the World Pool for tote betting, it meant the Group l winner was $30+ instead of being $17-$21 with local fixed odds betting and those who backed him were feeling pretty good with themselves 300m out when he angled wider into clear air and put the race to bed in a couple of strides with a sparkling turn of foot.
The win secured the horse his second Group l win and he continued his good form with strong efforts in both the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate, his Caulfield Cup run seeing him finish third and was a tad unlucky behind Without A Fight.
