Brian Ellison eyes Melbourne Cup with Onesmoothoperator

The race was being used by Brian as a warm-up race to the main event, which takes place at Flemington on Tuesday, November 5. 

But it was nonetheless a fantastic prize to win in its own right, the £160,000 more than covering the cost of his ambitious trip to Australia.

Brian is no stranger to Australia, having previously targeted the Melbourne Cup with the smart stayer Carte Diamond. 

Sadly that didn’t come off as his horse was injured in a freak accident in training a few days before the race, but everything is going to plan this time as Onesmoothoperator was pretty impressive on his Australian debut and the penalty he incurred for his win means that he will definitely get into the Melbourne Cup providing he is still fit and healthy.

The six-year-old, who is owned by Tyneside businessman Patrick Boyle, gained his most high-profile success in Britain when giving Brian a dream success in the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle at the end of June. 

Since then, he finished a slightly unlucky seventh in the Ebor handicap before running two fair races in his build-up to his Australian challenge.

What was remarkable last week was that Onesmoothoperator, who is essentially a stayer, was able to win such a valuable race over a distance shorter than ideal, the Geelong race being run over a mile and four furlongs whereas the Northumberland Plate and the Melbourne Cup are over two miles.  

But win it he did, and in some style as well. Partnered by local rider Craig Williams, who had a spell riding in Britain a few years ago, he was a 10-1 shot but won like a short-priced favourite coming through to lead inside the final furlong before quickening away to land the valuable prize by two-and-a-quarter lengths.

It was an impressive Melbourne Cup trial and the bookmakers immediately cut his odds from 33-1 to 12-1 although he is now down to as low as 8-1 for next week’s race.

After his win Brian said: “I’ve been here a few times and had some bad luck but this horse has been brilliant. He came over and actually put on weight during his journey, and Matt Brown, who rides him every day has been great.

"I said to Craig, who was riding him for the first time, that he’s not your normal stayer, he’s got loads of speed and has always had a good turn of foot. He gave him a great ride. I think the horse is loving it out here, he’s been bouncing.

“I kept saying to his owner, that we had to go to Australia. Patrick loves going racing and it is a fantastic atmosphere in Australia at this time of year. I told him that I thought this horse has a good chance if he was able to get into the Cup.

“Things didn’t work out for him in the Ebor, he was too far back in a race that nothing came from behind. The plan was to sit in the middle but he got shuffled to the back and that left him with far too much to do. I wasn’t disappointed as I thought he ran well in the circumstances.

“You have to put your head down and keep kicking. Everybody had bad luck but I’ve always had faith in this horse, I know he’s a good one.” 

One problem for Brian in the lead-up to the Melbourne Cup is securing the services of a top-class jockey, for although Craig Williams rode him to win last week, he is a much sought-after rider in Melbourne and will have the choice of several fancied horses when it comes to the big race so is not certain to be able to ride Onesmoothoperator again. 

However, if he does choose him, that would be a tip in itself.

Brian also struck on the home front last week when Hardy Bloke won the staying handicap at Nottingham on Thursday. 

Tried in a visor for the first time, the seven-year-old was sent off favourite at 9-2 and despite losing ground at the start, came through strongly in the closing stages to win going away by two lengths in the hands of Ben Robinson.

It was the gelding’s first win for Brian’s Norton-based team having been bought for just 4,000gns at Newmarket’s in training sales last October.

The other Ryedale trainer to have a good week was Tim Easterby, who made it nine winners in a fortnight when Bay Breeze won the 6f handicap under David Allan on the same Nottingham card.

Up to then it had been a slightly luckless season for the five-year-old who had run so well when fourth of 21 in a decent handicap at York in July but hadn’t gone on from there. 

Thursday’s soft ground though proved ideal for him, and having shown up well from the outset, he kept on strongly to win by a head.

Austrian Theory (centre) was among Tim Easterby's winners this week. (Image: PA) He was Tim’s third winner of the week following the trainer completing a double with Profiteer and Austrian Theory at Pontefract three days earlier, the former taking the five-furlong handicap by a head and the latter scoring by a length and a half in the mile-and-a-quarter handicap. Like Bay Breeze, both were ridden by Dave Allan.

Tim has now sent out 84 winners this year, so he has a good chance of sending out a century of winners for the sixth time in the past seven years. 

Although lacking a star performer, it has also been another good season for Norton’s Julie Camacho, who made it 30 winners for the year, her second-best career total, when Cover Point won the five-furlong handicap at Newcastle earlier in the week.

Away from the racecourses, there is to be a quiz at Jack Berry House on Friday, November 8.

It is not just about racing, and teams are to be a maximum of five and the cost is £15 a head which includes a light supper.

There is also a bar and a raffle and all proceeds go to Jack Berry House which is run by the Injured Jockeys Fund, a wonderful asset for all sports people in Ryedale not just those involved in the racing industry. 

For further details visit Jack Berry House in Old Malton, call 01653 602090 or email jo.russell@ijf.org.uk.