Kiwi stayer Wins Listed Roy Higgins to Secure Melbourne Cup Start

Media Release - Saturday March 30

From last to first - Emerging stayer Mark Twain capped a dream day for Cambridge trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood when he won Saturday’s Listed Lexus Roy Higgins (2600m) at Flemington and secured himself a ballot-free entry into the Melbourne Cup (Gr.1, 3200m).

Mark Twain’s heroics in the A$500,000 staying feature came less than an hour after his superstar stablemate Orchestral won the Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) in Sydney. That Savabeel filly will deservedly dominate headlines for her blockbuster performance at Rosehill, but Mark Twain’s supporting act was also something well out of the ordinary.

Mark Twain flew home to win the Listed Lexus Roy Higgins at Flemington, securing a Melbourne Cup berth in the process. Photo: Bruno Cannatelli

The four-year-old son of Shocking came into the race with only 11 career starts to his name. He had won three of those and placed in another three, headed by a last-start third in the Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie on March 9. He was also a fourth placegetter in last year’s Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) before finishing well outside the placings on heavy ground in the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m).

Advertisement

Mark Twain was thrown in at the deep end against some seasoned staying opposition for Saturday’s Roy Higgins, and that difficult task looked close to impossible as he was a clear last and almost detached from the rest of the field coming down the side of the track.

But jockey Mick Dee brought him to the outside in the straight and let him rip, and Mark Twain produced an astonishing finish to bound past all of his 11 rivals and win by half a length.

“I can hardly believe what this horse did today,” James said. “At the 600m, I had all but given up hope. He was flat catching the second-last horse. The big expanses at Flemington helped him, but it was a mighty staying effort.

“You didn’t see him at his best on a bottomless track when he came over for the Derby in Sydney last year. Otherwise, he’s not blotted his copybook. No doubt that staying is the name of his game, and big tracks. The fact that we’ve got the golden ticket into the Melbourne Cup now makes it so much easier to plan his spring campaign. It was such a dominant staying effort today.”

Mark Twain made a big impression on Dee, who was having his first ride on the horse.

“To be honest, I was just trying to get him around the track,” Dee said. “We’re here at Flemington and he wanted to hang out on me the whole way and I didn’t have a lot of steering in the straight.

“Once he finally changed legs and balanced up in the straight, that was when you saw that turn of foot. It was a super effort, but he didn’t give me the easiest of rides. He can pull and reef and tear, but I was able to manage that. He was wanting to get on one rein, but he’s certainly got great staying ability and we definitely saw it then.”

Shocking

Mark Twain was bred by Taikorea Thoroughbreds Ltd. He became the 24th individual stakes winner for Rich Hill Stud stallion Shocking, joining a list that features Group One stars I’m Thunderstruck, Defibrillate, Fanatic and El Vencedor.

The dam of Mark Twain is the Prized mare Pinders Prize, who has produced three winners from seven foals to race including the Moonee Valley Cup (Gr.2, 2500m) Wellington Cup (Gr.2, 3200m), New Zealand Cup (Gr.3, 3200m) and Lexus Stakes (Gr.3, 2500m) placegetter Pentathlon. – NZ Racing Desk.

Advertisment

Race Result - Lexus Roy Higgins LR 2600m

Flemington Track: Good(3) Time: 2:44.02
1
Mark Twain
- 4g Shocking (AUS) x Pinders Prize (NZ) (Prized (USA))
Tnr: R James & R Wellwood Rdr: M J Dee 55
2
0.5
Strawberry Rock
- 7g Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE) x Strawberry Vodka (GB) (Azamour (IRE))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: B Melham 56
3
0.8
Mostly Cloudy
- 5g Harzand (IRE) x Clarinda (FR) (Montjeu (IRE))
Tnr: T Busuttin & N Young Rdr: L Currie 56
4
1.5
Major Beel
- 4g Savabeel (AUS) x Gram (NZ) (O'reilly (NZ))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Jye McNeil 58.5
5
1.7
Gear Up
- 6g Teofilo (IRE) x Gearanai (USA) (Toccet (USA))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: J Mott 57
6
2.4
Glentaneous
- 6g Gleneagles (IRE) x Spontaneous (IRE) (Sinndar (IRE))
Tnr: A & S Freedman Rdr: Damian Lane 57
7
4.9
Mankayan
- 8g Intello (GER) x Angelic Note (IRE) (Excellent Art (GB))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: M Zahra 56
8
7.2
Selino
- 8g Champs Elysees (GB) x Air Kiss (GB) (Red Ransom (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: B Shinn 58.5
9
9.9
Don't Doubt Dory
- 7g Fiorente (IRE) x Doubt No More (AUS) (Not A Single Doubt (AUS))
Tnr: J R Welsh Rdr: Carleen Hefel 56
10
10.2
Daqiansweet Junior
- 6g Sweet Orange (USA) x Paulette (NZ) (Keeper (AUS))
Tnr: P Stokes Rdr: D W Stackhouse 56
11
14.2
Port Guillaume
- 7g Le Havre (IRE) x Keira (FR) (Turtle Bowl (IRE))
Tnr: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes Rdr: Celine Gaudray 56
12
99
Dunkel
- 4g Dundeel (NZ) x Kudamm (AUS) (Cape Cross (IRE))
Tnr: Patrick Payne Rdr: W Egan 58.5
More Reading...
Quality Cambridge Stud draft in National Online Breeding Stock Sale
The need for Cambridge Stud to control the size of their star-studded broodmare band has opened up some special opportunities in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Super Seth has had three G1 winners in Australia this season and John O’Shea and Tom Charlton have trained two of them, so when they produce a lightly raced maiden winner by this exciting young sire we want to know more.
Sires With Winners - Thursday July 3
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sword Poised to Strike
When the first crop yearlings by a young stallion are well received and go into the right stables that’s always a good sign and then a few months after that is when things start to get really interesting.
2026 Golden Slipper Entries – Sortable, Sale Mail – Find Out More
The new season is nearly upon us and that means all over the country a new crop of rising two year-olds are taking baby steps in the best stables in the land with the Australian Turf Club announcing this week they had received 1927 entries for the 2026 Golden Slipper, so who is in the race?
Sires With Winners - Wednesday July 2
Here is the full list of 44 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Lisa Kennedy Recognized for Thoroughbred Welfare
Lisa Kennedy has always had a passion for thoroughbreds, and her efforts in guiding retired racehorses into new careers through EventStars were celebrated at Entain’s Industry Excellence Awards last Sunday as the winner of the Care and Welfare Excellence Award.
So You Think 3YO Wins $100,000 Inglis Xtra Bonus
Good placement from the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable for progressive three year-old So You Think gelding Aloysius, who cast off maiden status at Hawkesbury on Thursday in a race that featured a lucrative Inglis Xtra maiden bonus.
G1 Winning Champion 2YO Velocious to be Offered on Inglis Digital
The G1-winning Champion 2YO Velocious (Written Tycoon) will be offered for auction in the Inglis Digital July (Late) Online Sale.
Winning Hat Trick for So You Think Filly
So You Think has ticked over $12million in seasonal earnings with 150 plus winners including seven stakes-winners and while Covert Thinking is not among the luminaries by her sire, this tenacious 3YO has won three on the trot and landed her first metro victory on Wednesday.