Beekeeper stung by Northerly at Caulfield

Champion Australian racehorse Northerly, the punter’s favourite, added the Caulfield Cup to his cache of Group One successes at the Melbourne track today as Godolphin’s Beekeeper ran a great Melbourne Cup trial.

Northerly, the solidly backed 9-2 favourite defied all challengers under the steadier of 9st 2lb to beat Fields Of Omagh (11-2) by a half-neck with three-quarters of a length to Republic Lass (8-1) in third place.

Beekeeper, ran a brave race to finish sixth – less than two-lengths from the winner.

The four-year-old missed the start slightly and wound up midfield along the rails in a dawdling run race, a departure from the tempo of Caulfield Cups of recent years.

Jockey Kerrin McEvoy declared he raced keenly when the pace slackened mid-race and Beekeeper was shuffled back passing the half mile post when some of those behind him looked to improve their positions.

Beekeeper encountered more traffic in the straight but ran the final section of the race as well as any other and should clearly have wound up much closer to the winner.

"He went keenly when the pace went off but he did find the line," Tony Howarth, Godolphin’s head lad, said.

"We knew he had to improve to be competitive and that run indicates he has taken the next step.

"I’ll speak to the boss, Saeed (bin Suroor) and Simon Crisford but at this stage it looks like it is on to the Melbourne Cup," he said.

McEvoy said it was a terrific run and he was impressed with how the horse found the line.

"It was a great Melbourne Cup trial and if I had the opportunity I would like to stay with the horse in that race," McEvoy said.

Northerly’s victory was his seventh at Group One level.

Trainer Fred Kersley, one of the country’s most respected trotting trainer-drivers before turning his hands to training thoroughbreds, said the horse was now an Australian icon of the turf.

"Nothing will beat the Cox Plate last year as his best win but that will have to be looked upon as one of his bravest under the big weight," Kersley said.

"I knew he could beat the other horses but the trick was whether he could beat the handicapper."

Jockey Greg Childs has ridden Northerly six times for six wins but next week, out of loyalty, has to hand over the reins to Patrick Payne in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.

Childs will ride the legendary Sunline in her final race start as she tries to win the Cox Plate for the third time in four years.

She was second to Northerly in the weight-for-age event last year.