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Avilius gains automatic Melbourne Cup entry with Flemington win

Mike Hedge

Avilius has kept an ambitious plan alive and well, by winning the G3 Bart Cummings at Flemington on Saturday, 6 October and guaranteeing himself a start in next month’s G1 Melbourne Cup.

On a program highlighted by the 28th consecutive victory of world champion mare Winx in the G1 Turnbull Stakes, Avilius had to win on the track and then defend the victory in the stewards’ room.

A five-year-old to southern hemisphere time, Avilius won by a short head from Jaameh with Yogi a further 1-3/4 lengths back in third place.

Avilius cruised to the lead soon after straightening and appeared to be set for a comfortable win until Jaameh loomed on his inside.

The two horses brushed with 100m to run leading to the rider of Jaameh protesting against Avilius.

The stewards quickly dismissed the protest and, even more swiftly, trainer James Cummings accepted the automatic Melbourne Cup entry offered to the winner of the race named in hour of his legendary grandfather who won the Cup 12 times.

"We tend to go for the small fish when they're there, but there is a whale on the horizon," Cummings said.

“That was a good strong win with plenty of weight on his back.

“He wouldn’t have had a strong pace like that for a long time and I’m sure he’ll be better for the run.”

Cummings wouldn’t be drawn on where Avilius might run next, and raised the possibility of the horse going straight to Australia’s greatest race without another run.

“We have a number of options and when the dust settles we’ll come up with a good plan.”

Avilius drops from the 58.5kg he carried today to 53kg in the Melbourne Cup, which is run at Flemington on Tuesday, 6 November, although he is now eligible for a weight penalty.

The win was the fourth from as many starts in Australia for Avilius who was previously trained in France by Andre Fabre.

For Winx, a daughter of the much-lamented Darley stallion Street Cry, the show rolled on, despite a couple of anxious moments near the top of the straight.

But jockey Hugh Bowman guided her deftly through the pack and she cruised to a one length win over Youngstar, registering a phenomenal 21st G1 success.

Winx will now go to the G1 Cox Plate in an attempt to become the first horse to win the race four times.

In Sydney on Saturday a close finish went against the Godolphin team when Aramayo went down by a half-head to Maid Of Heaven in the G1 Spring Champion Stakes.

Aramayo found the front inside the 200m, but just failed to hold off the winner.