By MIKE DILLON
It doesn't take long in the shadows of defeat.
Sunline takes a hit from Northerly on Saturday and they're now coming out of holes in the ground to declare themselves good things in the Cox Plate.
The connections of Universal Prince and Shogun Lodge have both declared themselves as the winner of the Cox Plate overnight, stablemates Lonhro and Viscount are being hailed as being able to make the next step up and they are even talking things like North Boy as a winning chance.
Racing's one endeavour where it pays to stay on top.
Australian bookmakers reacted quickly to Sunline's defeat by making the Kiwi mare and Northerly joint Cox Plate favourites on $3.50.
"The only difference now would be a soft track," says Double Bet book manager Brian Taylor.
"On an off track, which wouldn't suit Universal Prince, Shogun Lodge or Northerly, Sunline would run a 6-4 ($2.50) favourite."
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Northerly is being considered for the $A4 million Melbourne Cup.
In fact, Western Australian trainer Fred Kersly, who likes to keep everyone guessing, says he has not ruled out a Caulfield Cup/Cox Plate/Melbourne Cup treble.
Meantime, he will enter Northerly for next Sunday's $A350,000 Underwood Stakes, in which he could clash with Sunline again.
There is a slight chance The Secondmortgage could try to sneak into the $3 million Caulfield Cup via the Underwood, although the $A100,000 Naturalism Stakes, a quality handicap on the same programme, could be preferred.
Mike Moroney is desperate to get a feature win with The Secondmortgage, who now shares the third line of Caulfield Cup favouritism.
Moroney cannot make a decision on which race he will put The Secondmortgage in until he hears from senior ownership partner Gerard Peterson, stranded in the United States as a result of last week's tragedy.
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The big weekend news about the Melbourne spring carnival is the near certainty astute Irish trainer Dermot Weld will bring Vinnie Roe down for the Melbourne Cup.
Vinnie Roe impressively won the Irish St Leger this weekend and looks magnificently handicapped in the Melbourne Cup with 52kg.
It smacks of the weight Weld got Vintage Crop into the cup with when the combination landed one of the most spectacular punts in 1993.
Weld also guided Vintage Crop to win the Irish St Leger, which is penalty-free for the Melbourne Cup.
"Michael Kinane always said Vintage Crop could run through the pain barrier and this horse is the same," said Weld about Vinnie Roe.
As a result of the win Australian bookies have tightened Vinnie Roe from 66-1 to 20-1 for the Melbourne Cup, but English bookmakers have reacted stronger by dropping him from 40-1 to 14-1.
Vinnie Roe was ridden by 24-year-old Pat Smullen, Ireland's champion jockey last year.
Persian Punch, who finished a terrific and unlucky third in Jezabeel's Melbourne Cup, is a definite starter again after finishing fourth behind Vinnie Roe at The Curragh, a run which delighted trainer David Elsworth.
Persian Punch was tightened by the favourite Millenary, who finished second, but a judicial inquiry did not change the placings.
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Lisa Mumby has signed a contract to ride for six months in Singapore.
The central districts jockey has been riding in the best form of her career and recently spent two weekends riding in Malaysia.
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Flying Babe is certain to improve with her winning run in Saturday's $50,000 Highview Stakes at Hastings, and she'll need to.
Elfonze put her hand up to take any of the 3-year-old fillies' races with her close third to Flying Babe.
She was unlucky when Michael Walker could not find her an inside gap in the home straight.
The class filly looked no chance to get within two or three lengths of the leaders when Walker had to hook her across the heels of the entire field to get into the open and the closing strides she put in were one of the day's highlights.
"She'd have won 19 of 20 runnings of that race," said Walker.
Co-trainer Colin Jillings believes there is considerable improvement in Flying Babe.
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There were some sharp winning performances at the weekend.
Revolution, Gordons, Flying Pig and Platonic looked good getting the money and Cinder Bella, Hill Of Grace, Star Of Honor and Ethereal were among those to catch the eye without winning.
Racing: Cox Plate good things appear from nowhere
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