Riddle Me That Relives the Glory Days

Tara Madgwick - Saturday July 1

It’s been a long time between drinks for six year-old Deep Field gelding Riddle Me That, who had not won a race since 2020, but he relived the glory days when taking out the $200,000 VRC Winter Championship Final (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday.

Riddle Me That strolls home alone - image Grant Courtney

Trained by Matt Laurie and ridden by Jye McNeil, he was sent off at odds of 40-1, but he made light of the lack of interest from punters to forge clear and win as he pleased.

McNeil revealed that as he was a late replacement rider, he didn’t get the chance to talk to trainer Matt Laurie, who is currently in New Zealand.

“He’s not here today, so I just had the stable representative and it seems to be a winning combination,” McNeil joked.

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“I drew well, so I wanted to use that barrier draw (two) today and we landed in the perfect position.

“At the top of the straight, it was just a matter of manoeuvring into the clear. I was going well enough, and he produced a nice finish.”

Retained to race by his breeder, Riddle Me That has the overall record of six wins and eight placings from 29 starts with earnings topping $540,000 and this was his third stakes win.

Riddle Me That is the first stakes-winner among 10 winners from good producing Group III winner Justine Coup, a grand-daughter pf Group I winner Royal Regatta by Entrepreneur (GB).

He is the ninth Australian stakes-winner this season for retired sire Deep Field, whose son Cosmic Force now stands at Newgate and will have his first runners next season. 

His Group I winning son Portland Sky stands at Widden Stud and will have jis first foals in the spring.

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Race Result - Vrc-Crv Winter Championship Final LR 1600m

Flemington Track: Soft(5) Time: 1:36.60
1
Riddle Me That
- 6g Deep Field (AUS) x Justine Coup (NZ) (Entrepreneur (GB))
Tnr: M M Laurie Rdr: Jye McNeil 54
2
1.3
Charterhouse
- 5g Charming Thought (GB) x Crocus Rose (GB) (Royal Applause (GB))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: B Shinn 55.5
3
2.8
Frankie Pinot
- 6g Your Song (AUS) x My Last Fling (AUS) (Sebring (AUS))
Tnr: T & C McEvoy Rdr: Madison Lloyd 56
4
2.9
Unusual Culture
- 4m Unusual Suspect (USA) x Cultured Pearl (NZ) (Darci Brahma (NZ))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Carleen Hefel 54
5
3.1
Jimmy The Bear
- 4g Jimmy Creed (USA) x Belvedere Road (AUS) (Street Boss (USA))
Tnr: Patrick Payne Rdr: W Egan 54
6
3.3
Keats
- 6g Galileo (IRE) x Airwave (GB) (Air Express (IRE))
Tnr: Gavin Bedggood Rdr: Celine Gaudray 54.5
7
3.4
Flash Feeling
- 4h Iffraaj (GB) x Shanzam (AUS) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: J D Sadler Rdr: W F Pinn 54
8
3.6
King Magnus
- 7g Magnus (AUS) x Influential Miss (AUS) (Carnegie (IRE))
Tnr: R Griffiths & M De Kock Rdr: Thomas Stockdale 60
9
3.9
Packing Waltham
- 6g Wootton Bassett (GB) x Baki (FR) (Turtle Bowl (IRE))
Tnr: Ben & J D Hayes Rdr: D W Stackhouse 54.5
10
4.0
Bullfinch
- 6g Kodiac (GB) x Thistle Bird (GB) (Selkirk (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Zac Spain 54.5
11
4.2
Daytona Bay
- 4g American Pharoah (USA) x Soubrettes (NZ) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: P G Moody Rdr: Will Price 54
12
4.4
Bermadez
- 6g Tavistock (NZ) x Pikea (AUS) (Anabaa (USA))
Tnr: M D Moroney Rdr: Beau Mertens 54
13
5.2
Junipal
- 7g Reset (AUS) x Palatine Hill (AUS) (Palace Music (USA))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: John Allen 55.5
14
7.2
Beehunter
- 6g Toronado (IRE) x Safe (AUS) (Strategic (AUS))
Tnr: J D Sadler Rdr: Matthew Cartwright 54
15
7.4
Our Playboy
- 5g Sebring (AUS) x Mischief Night (AUS) (Shamardal (USA))
Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: D Yendall 54
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