Emissary arrives late to win Geelong Cup

EMISSARY has won this year’s Geelong Cup with a charging run to secure the $500,000 prize and a likely spot in the Melbourne Cup.

In front of a big crowd – the first in three years – at Geelong Racecourse yesterday (Wednesday, October 19), the British horse was in second-last place when the field settled after the jump but tucked in behind fellow Brit Rodrigo Diaz at the 1,200-metre mark on his way to passing the entire field, rising to 15th at the 800-metre mark and 12th at the 400-metre mark.

Jockey Blake Shinn hit the afterburners down the centre of the straight and Emissary surged, passing favourite Surefire to win by a length, with Irish horse Makram in third place nearly three lengths behind.

Trainer Michael Moroney was very happy with the win.

“We were disappointed with his last run but we put it down to the [soft] ground mainly and we were starting to wonder whether he really stayed but on that today, he certainly does,” Moroney told the media after the race.

“We’d love to press on for a Melbourne Cup now, all going well.

“It’s probably one of the better Geelong Cup fields we’ve seen for a long, long time and I think for that reason, the handicapper will recognise that.”

Emissary is 31st in the order of entry for the Melbourne Cup on November 1 and will need a weight penalty of at least 1kg to secure his entry into the race that stops a nation at Flemington.

bet365 Geelong Cup results:

1. Emissary
2. Surefire
3. Makram
4. Rodrigo Diaz
5. Grove Ferry
6. Interpretation
7. Midnight Blue
8. Aurora’s Symphony
9. Luncies
10. Schabau
11. Team Captain
12. Attorney
13. Herman Hesse
14. La Dragontea
15. Teewaters
16. Media Award

• Scratched – Serpentine, San Huberto,  Francesco Guardi