Australian Cup Glory For Azzopardi

ANTHONY Azzopardi's golden run has continued with Fernando's Riot annexing Saturday night's Group 1 TAB Australian Cup Final (525m) at The Meadows.

Going into the showpiece event largely discarded by punters after drawing awkwardly in box six, the son of Fernando Bale and Ready To Riot miraculously found himself trailing tearaway leader Hardaway Winnie turning into the back straight.

“When I saw the little fella (Fernando's Riot) sitting second down the back chasing the bitch (Hardaway Winnie) I started to get a smile on my face,” said an elated Azzopardi.

“I knew he'd be strong late; he's a great little dog and is owned by first time owners, this just means so much. It's why you get up in the morning, what else can I say?”

The question on everyone's lips going into the $300,000 to-the-winner Australian Cup finale was could race favourite Whiskey Riot overcome his box eight draw?

In the end, the assignment proved too much, but the superstar sprinter was nothing if not heroic finishing third, not shirking his task for a stride.

And when speaking of heroic, Hardaway Winnie's runner-up performance for Melbourne Cup winning trainer Paul Bartolo was equally gallant, going down by just a neck at the finish.

“I'm so proud of Fernando's Riot,” Azzopardi beamed after the 29.72 rails hugging victory.

“He's spent his career pretty much in the shadow of Whiskey (Riot) … if you told me a month ago he'd win us an Australian Cup I would have said you were joking. I'm just thrilled; he's a beautiful animal.”

Fernando's Riot's Australian Cup victory was Anthony Azzopardi's 27th winner from 70 starts thus far in 2020, the kennels prize money tally now exceeding $700,000.

The insatiable run of form he's enjoying has been nothing short of remarkable.

Earlier on Saturday night's monster Australian Cup card, Legendary Lad, trained by Azzzopardi's partner Kylee Osborne, took out the Group 3 GRV Vic Bred Maiden Final (525m) in dominant fashion.

Meanwhile, on the staying front, it was Here's Tears who claimed group 1 glory by taking out the Fanta Bale Super Stayers Final (725m) in emphatic fashion.

Trained by Rob Britton, who of course guided champion Fanta Bale throughout her brilliant career, Here's Tears had to do it the hard way to take out the $100,000 to-the-winner staying feature in 42.31.

In a race billed as a three-way battle between Here's Tears and race favourites Just Terms and True Detective, that's exactly how it played out over the latter stages, the trio asserting their class late to fight out a thrilling finish.

Getting into his work down the back straight and in a striking position, the royally bred Here's Tears toughed out a gritty win at the finish, staving off the late challenge of True Detective and Just Terms to claim win 11 of his 26 start career.

Already boasting the Sandown Park 715 metre track record on his bulging resume, the younger brother to champion stayer Tornado Tears has the world at his feet, with the fast approaching Group 1 Association Cup at Wentworth Park now firmly on the agenda.

“Absolutely relieved, I thought he had to lead to win so to see him do it the way he did from behind … what do you say,” said Rob Britton in the race aftermath.

“I'm just privileged to be involved with this line, it's just phenomenal.”

PIC: GRV/Bluestream Pictures