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Onesmoothoperator stormed home to win the 2025 Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup on Friday night returning to form down under in style and booking his ticket to the $10 million Melbourne Cup with a powerful late burst under hoop of the hour Mark Zahra.
The UK-trained stayer, prepared by Brian Ellison, delivered a thrilling performance in the Group 2 $750,000 Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) under the lights at The Valley, slicing through the field from near last to claim victory by three-quarters of a length over Athabascan, with Scary finishing third.
“He’s been working really well; his times have been good, Ellison, whose stable is based in North Yorkshire, told Racing.com.
“He’s got a lot of speed, and that’s why you have to rate him.
“I thought we had a bit to do at one stage, but when he pulled him out, he picked up well.
“I know he’s got a great turn of foot, you just can’t ride him handy, you have to ride him for luck.
“He (Zahra) gave him a great ride.”
Sent off as the $4.20 favourite, Onesmoothoperator capitalised on a genuine tempo and Zahra’s patient ride, unleashing a sustained run down the middle of The Valley straight to secure the win in 2:36.77.
“We needed a gallop on, and there was plenty of gallop on,” Ellison added.
“I thought ‘are we in trouble here’ but when he got him rolling… he hasn’t run for two months, never been away, he’ll improve for the run as well.”
Originally set to defend his Geelong Cup title, the eight-year-old was rerouted to Moonee Valley after wild weather forced the Geelong meeting’s postponement from Wednesday to Thursday.
The switch proved a masterstroke, with Ellison praising the horse’s work and confirming that it’s all systems go to Flemington for the Melbourne Cup on November 4.
“I just want ten days with no dramas like we did last year, like we’ve had before,” Ellison said.
“And he’ll run well at Flemington. I’m not sure he’s going to win it because it’s a really hot race, he won’t disgrace himself.
“I’m alright, I don’t panic or anything. He goes for his bone scan tomorrow again, and hopefully, he comes out of that alright.
“He got vetted this morning (Friday morning), he got vetted two days ago, everything’s good.”
This marks Onesmoothoperator’s second consecutive Cup campaign, having finished 12th last year behind Knight’s Choice.
His win now elevates him into the final field, and his odds have shortened significantly following the Moonee Valley Gold Cup results.
Onesmoothoperator firmed in from $34 to $13 in the latest Melbourne Cup odds at Ladbrokes.com.au.
With the horse again thriving under Australian conditions, Onesmoothoperator looms as a genuine dark horse for the big one on the first Tuesday in November.
“It was pretty easy actually,” Zahra said after riding the Moonee Valley Gold Cup winner to a surging victory.
“I just, as Brian said, just let him be and the only time he’s gone bad we tried to ride him forward, I would have had no choice anyway, but he was off the bridle second last and just let it all unfold.
“It sort of went on early and they all packed up, and I was still travelling. I just needed a bit of a break, I thought I was the winner at the 400 (metres) but as soon as he got that room, he was strong and it was soft late, it was a very good win.
“We’re at Moonee Valley, so stuff like that can happen all the time, but you knew they went quick the first bit and they were always going to slow up.
“But for a backmarker, it’s always good when they bunch up because you get a bit of momentum and get it going off the bend and power home strong, which he did.
“A couple went early past me, but I travelled well and sort of I reckon at the 300 I thought I’m home here, like nothing was getting away from me and I was just sort of chiming in nicely and it was soft in the end.”
Zahra is already locked in to ride the 59kg topweight, Irish raider Al Riffa, in his bid at a third Melbourne Cup trophy in four years.
Zahra famously went back-to-back on Gold Trip (2022) and Without A Fight (2023) and gets a chance to partner one of the best in betting in 2025 with Joesph O’Brien’s galloper coming off a dominant four-length win in the Group 1 Irish St Leger to stamp his credentials as a genuine Cup contender.
Click here to view the confirmed Melbourne Cup 2025 jockeys and likely field.
Craig Williams rode Onesmoothoperator in the Melbourne Cup last year on 51kg and he will carry one extra kilo this time round with Zahra confident the horse will be competitive.
“He ran very well in it last year I think off a wide barrier, so I’ve already got a ride at 59 (kilograms) but he’s definitely not without hope, 52, he settles well and he’ll run the trip, so he’s definitely got a chance,” he said.
| 5. Onesmoothoperator (3) J: Mark Zahra56.5kg 5x840T: Brian Ellison | ||
| 9. Athabascan (7) J: Daniel Stackhouse55kg 9x000T: John O'Shea & Tom Charlton | ||
| 13. Scary (6) J: Lachlan Neindorf53kg x0027T: Emma-Lee & David Browne | ||
| 11. Berkshire Breeze (5) J: Michael Dee55kg 8x626T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 8. Grand Pierro (2) J: Zac Spain56kg x0838T: Jason Warren | ||
| 10. Cleveland (4) J: Jye McNeil55kg 48x47T: Kris Lees | ||
| 6. Post Impressionist (9) J: Ethan Brown56.5kg 8x866T: Anthony & Sam Freedman | ||
| 3. Smokin' Romans (8) J: Ben Melham56.5kg x7294T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 2. Trav (1) J: Masahiro Hashizume57kg 7x440T: Raymond Connors | ||
| 1. Brayden Star (11) J: Craig Williams57kg x7451T: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | ||
| 14. So You Are (10) J: Cejay Graham53kg 33512T: Stirling Osland |
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