Bendigo mare Savaju finished a gallant sixth in Thursday’s $200,000 Melbourne Cup Carnival Country Final at Flemington.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Shaun Dwyer-trained mare loomed at the top of the straight and looked capable of running a place, but she peaked on her run at her first try at the mile and ground away to finish sixth.
Ballarat trainer Darren Weir grabbed first and second in the inaugural running of the race with Another Coldie and Night’s Watch.
Savaju split the pair on Bendigo Cup day, but this time around it was Another Coldie who saluted from well-backed favourite Night’s Watch, with I Am The Dark third.
Savaju finished five lengths away from the winner and earned her connections $4000.
She now boasts career prize money earning of just over $80,000.
Sutton Grange-based galloper Rock Of Mahal was 14th in the same race as Savaju.
Trained by Brent Stanley, Rock Of Mahal was always back in the field and struggled to make ground in the home straight.
Stanley has another chance to grab a Flemington winner when he saddles up Violate in Saturday’s Group Three Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m).
Violate is coming off a third placing in the Geelong Cup.