A fortnight after her near four-length romp in the Group III Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2500m) at Morphettville, The Map reserved a spot in the 2024 Melbourne Cup with another strong staying performance in Saturday's Listed Lexus Andrew Ramsden Stakes (2800m) at Flemington.
Ridden by Damian Lane for Oopy MacGillivray and Dan Clarken, the 6-year-old daughter of Alpine Eagle came with a well-timed run to defeat Mostly Cloudy (IRE) (Harzand) by a half-length with The Map's Adelaide Cup conqueror Excelleration (Excelebration) back in third.
With her third stakes win of 2024, The Map advances her record to nine wins, three seconds, and three thirds from 28 starts with earnings of $845,215.
"It's been a phenomenal couple of weeks in my life, it's just awesome," Oopy MacGillivray told Racing.com.
“We’ve kept working her; we didn’t change a thing, she kept eating. She just gets more and more self-assured every time she comes out she does it a bit easier.
“That was a superb ride. He sat in there amongst all those horses; he never got anxious and let her do her thing.
“I said to him, ‘if she’s doing her thing, she’ll be happy, and when you get out, she’ll go.' He had to sort of push out, but once she was out, there was no stopping her.
“We’ll go to the paddock now, she can have three or four weeks off and we’ll just let her chill.
“We’re in the Melbourne Cup, let’s get her there fit, probably with no weight penalty, so that’s the first plan.”
Armidale Stud consigned The Map to the 2020 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, where Oopy MacGillivray had the final say at $35,000.
The daughter of Alpine Eagle is the best of three winners from four to race for the 9-time winning Savoire Vivre (GB) mare This Moment.
A sister to triple stakes-winner Iggimacool, This Moment had a sister to The Map in the Armidale Stud draft at the 2023 Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale. She was a $50,000 purchase for Angus River Contractors. Named On The Map, she joined her sister in the Clarken/MacGillivray stable.
After foaling another Alpine Eagle filly last spring, This Moment was covered by So You Think’s ATC Australian Derby winner, Quick Thinker.
