The 10-1 chance Cup Night produced a last to first finish under a gem of a ride from Patrick Carbery to claim victory in the $100 000, Group 3 Northam Stakes.
The Bernie Miller trained five-year-old, who was first up here, was snagged back by Carbery from the worst of the draw and he had the full field in front of him turning into the straight but, with most of the runners shifted out to the centre of the track, and wider, where the previous winners on the day had come from, Carbery instead astutely saved ground and his horse’s energy to put Cup Night into a position from which he could challenge if good enough.
Carbery did need to find a split between two runners, but when that came, it was left to Cup Night to show what was made of and the chestnut did not disappoint, rattling home late to score a decisive victory from the fast finishing Rock Magic ($9) out wide with the $31 outsider Money Matters, who had hit the lead briefly in the straight, taking third spot.
The $2.60 favourite Flirtini, the mount of William Pike, was never seen to good advantage at any stage of the race. Although not that far back in the finish (1.83 lengths) the Simon Miller trained runner finished unplaced.
The Carbery family feature prominently in the ownership of Cup Night.
“I thought, for sure, Patrick would be heading to the outside given the last two races results,” said owner Danny Carbery, “but, when I saw him going on the inside I thought, he knows what he is doing … and it worked out really well.
“A lot of work goes into it as everybody knows. After last prep, where everything didn’t really go to plan …there was not so much something to prove, but more that we just wanted Cup Night to get back on track and I think he is back on track now, which is good.”
Cup Night’s sire is Maschino who also sired the 2020 Northam Stakes winner, Fabergino.
