Cup day spoils head to Pakenham

Mileva (3) holds off the late challenge of Bless Her in the Alinghi Stakes at Caulfield. 254250 Picture: PAT SCALA/RACING PHOTOS

By David Nagel

It’s hard to imagine that there’s ever been a bigger Pakenham influence on a feature race-day of Melbourne’s famous spring carnival than what took place during Caulfield Cup Day on Saturday.

Sure…Ray ‘Darby’ Webster stole the racing spotlight in 1943 when he prepared Dark Felt to win the Melbourne Cup, but what took place over the last three races at Caulfield on Saturday was truly impressive for the town of Pakenham.

The spotlight-stealer this time was Pakenham-trainer Peter Moody and his mighty five-year-old gelding Incentivise, who captured the attention of the racing world with a devastating win in the $5million Group-1 Caulfield Cup (2400m).

Moody has become a real spokesperson and promoter of the Pakenham facility since recommencing his brilliant training career – after a four-year hiatus – in the middle of last year.

“I can’t thank the people here at Pakenham enough, they’re doing a hell of a job and I think you’ll only continue to see bigger and better results out of this great training facility,” Moody said on Sunday after the cup.

But the strong Pakenham influence doesn’t end there.

Three-and-a-half lengths in arrears of one of the greatest Caulfield Cup wins of all time was another horse with a strong Pakenham connection – runner-up Nonconformist.

The Grahame Begg-trained gelding is part-owned by the Henwood family, with dad Wayne, son Nick, and sisters Mel and Anthea among a list of owners who would have been roaring from their lounge rooms on the weekend.

The family has strong Pakenham and Nar Nar Goon connections with Wayne a Pakenham footballer and previous president of the club, while Nick has made his name at the Goon.

A family of mad Melbourne supporters, the Henwood family has had a memorable few weeks after the Demons broke a 57-year drought with their demolition of the Western Bulldogs in the AFL grand final on Saturday, 25 September.

But due to Covid the family has been forced to sit idle at home while their football team, and now racehorse, have stolen the spotlight in recent times.

“It’s been a bit surreal what’s happening, but it’s been great,” Mel said.

“Normally we would be going to these events, but it’s given the family something to look forward to during the tough times that everyone has been going through lately.”

Pakenham’s dominance of the last three races on the card began in race eight, with on-course trainer Phillip Stokes causing an upset win with Mileva in the $175,000 Listed Alinghi Stakes (1100m).

Mileva showed true grit to hold off the challenge of Pakenham-owned Bless Her, who has popular locals Madeline and Troy Wilson, Graham McCraw and Ben and Pam Maroney amongst her ownership group.

And Moody capped off a great day for his stable, and for Pakenham locals, when his four-year-old horse Oxley Road scored a strong win in the last race on the program, the $300,000 Caulfield Sprint (1000m).