Melbourne Cup goal for Ladies First

Ladies First took a step towards a start in the Melbourne Cup with her tenacious win in the Auckland Cup at Ellerslie on Saturday.

The Allan Sharrock-trained mare overcame a horror run in the race and left her trainer shaking his head after her victory in the group 1 3200m race.

''I'm a bit shocked, really - I thought she had run second,'' Sharrock said.

''She was posted three-wide around one bend and then two bends and I said she can't win. ''They all thought she was a wet-tracker, but her last three wins have been on firm tracks.''

Ladies First prevailed by the barest of margins to successfully execute a long-term plan.

Thoughts are now turning to another cup.

''We've pulled her out of the Sydney Cup and she'll go to the paddock, and then we'll be looking at the Livamol Classic and the Melbourne Cup,'' Sharrock said.

The daughter of Dylan Thomas could provide owners Humphrey and Fiona O'Leary with another crack at Australasia's most famous race.

They are also part-owners of Otago-bred stayer Who Shot Thebarman, who ran third in the 2014 Melbourne Cup behind Protectionist.

After Ladies First was caught out wide early, rider Johnathan Parkes pressed forward to get one off the fence on the pace.

The 5yr-old dug deep in the straight to beat runner-up Five To Midnight by a nose.

''It was such a brave effort. I wanted to get handy, but she didn't have the gate speed to get across and I got caught three wide,'' Parkes said.

''I thought I would let her roll and she fought so hard to the line. It was a very good performance.''

Another of Saturday's group 1 winners has Australian targets on his agenda.

Cambridge trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman will soon be studying Australian racing programmes for a suitable challenge for their Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes winner, Saint Emilion.

Saint Emilion was in front in his favoured front-running role for Leith Innes and he held a strong gallop to the post for the 13th win of his career in the 2000m feature.

''It worked out perfectly and Leith rode him a treat. In that mood he's hard to catch,'' Forsman said.

''He was just cruising and he really deserved that.''

Baker and Forsman's hot favourite, Lizzie L'Amour, was a big flop in the race. Their other runner, Nicoletta, was also unplaced.

''They were both disappointing and maybe victims of a track that has dried out,'' Forsman said.

By contrast, the going was ideal for Saint Emilion and Innes said the son of Mastercraftsman had the race sewn up a long way out.

Leading rider Opie Bosson was glowing in his assessment of Saturday's group 1 2yr-old stakes winner, Sword Of Osman.

''The whole race he relaxed beautifully in front,'' Bosson said.

''He's amazing - he's like a 3yr-old now.''

Premier Sydney jockey Hugh Bowman was lucky to avoid serious injury when he fell from Golden Slipper contender Performer at Randwick on Saturday.

Bowman, the regular rider of champion Winx, came off when Performer, also trained by Chris Waller, appeared to take a step sideways in the straight in the Todman Stakes.

Bowman was reported to have abrasions to his foot and face and was kept in hospital overnight.

Waller said the incident ''puts into perspective what they (jockeys) do as a job every day and the risks they take''. 

-Additional reporting from NZ Racing Desk and AAP

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