'I can’t believe he won like that' - Melbourne Cup hero Gold Trip powers to victory in Group 1 Turnbull Stakes

Last year’s Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip emphatically bounced back to form to land the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes on Saturday.

The six-year-old had been winless in five starts since his two-length success at Flemington last November, but a return to the same track sparked a performance that joint-trainer Ciaron Maher believed usurped his Melbourne Cup victory.

Simon and Ed Crisford’s West Wind Blows, having his first start in Australia, hit the front with just over a furlong to go before Gold Trip came with a surging late run under Mark Zahra to beat him by a length and three-quarters.

“Unbelievable, I’m tingling,” said Zahra after success aboard the 18-1 shot. “I can’t believe he won like that. What a win."

He added: “He’s such a raceday horse. He goes down the straight and he looks at the crowd. He’s an absolute ripper. I had him switched off and I’ve always said that he’s a horse who I don’t like to cuddle. When I go, I like to give it to him. He's a stallion, and he does think about it. I hit the front at the 200 [metre mark] and thought he’s going to absolutely bolt in.

“He’s such a lazy horse in the run. Ever since I’ve ridden him, I’ve just let him drop out and find his feet, which he really appreciates.

“When I asked him to pick up, a couple of times at the 1000 and the 800, he came up underneath me. I just needed a bit of room in the straight and when it presented at the top of the straight, the rest is history.”

Gold Trip: last year's Melbourne Cup winner will head to Cox Plate nextCredit: Robert Cianflone / Getty

Gold Trip was ninth in the Cox Plate prior to his Melbourne Cup victory last year and the Moonee Valley Group 1 is firmly on the agenda according to Maher.

He said: “That really gets you going, doesn’t it?! He put the writing on the wall with his run at The Valley and you just look at him in the yard, he looks amazing. The team have done an unbelievable job. The horse is pristine."

Maher, who along with David Eustace also won last year's Turnbull with Smokin' Romans, added: “It’s probably his best win, if you can say that from a Melbourne Cup winner, but he was dynamic today and very impressive. I’d say he’d probably have another Cox Plate on the table.”

West Wind Blows has run a number of solid races in defeat this season, including when third in the Coral-Eclipse and second to Pyledriver in the Hardwicke at Royal Ascot. The four-year-old had last been seen in the Group 3 Winter Hill Stakes at Windsor in August, when beaten a short head by Passenger.

After filling the same position again, rider Jamie Spencer said: “He ran a good race. Everyone’s happy.”

Soulcombe, who won last year’s Melrose when with William Haggas, was third for Chris Waller, with favourite Romantic Warrior fourth.

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