The wait for a first winner at this year’s Melbourne Cup carnival is over for the Godolphin team, with talented filly Jorda taking out the Group Three Kennedy Plate.
The royal blue colours had gone winless through the first two meetings of the Flemington carnival and it took until the final race on Thursday’s VRC Oaks program for Jorda to get the global operation on the board.
The James Cummings-trained Jorda’s long-head win over I am Excited was also the first winner for this year’s Melbourne Cup carnival for star jockey Hugh Bowman in his final ride of the carnival.
Bowman was later suspended for careless riding from an earlier race after being suspended on Tuesday.
He is due to head to Japan on Sunday for a six-week riding stint although his dual suspensions run until November 22.
“It’s great to finally get on the board,” Bowman said.
“I’ve had a lot of placings so it’s been a little frustrating. But I’m happy to get one over the line and especially for James Cummings and Godolphin.”
Along with Jorda’s win, Godolphin’s Australian trainer Cummings also had three winners at Thursday’s Hawkesbury meeting including the Listed Ladies Day Cup with Duca Valentinois.
“I felt like she was at a real peak today,” Cummings said of Jorda.
Godolphin’s English trainer Charlie Appleby has Folkswood and Qewy running in feature races on Saturday while Cummings’s chances include Impending in the Group One Darley Classic and It’s Somewhat in the Emirates Stakes.
