The C.F Orr Stakes has become well known as the race in which the top class middle distance and staying horses resume for their autumn preparation. It is this aspect of the race that makes it as much a contest between trainers as between horses. Making comparisons between trainers is difficult, but to produce a horse to win first up and then follow on throughout the preparation is the mark of a good trainer, and the honour roll of this race proves that. The race has been something of a journeyman. It has been held at the now defunct Williamstown Racecourse, Moonee Valley, Flemington, Sandown and Caulfield, but it has with a few expections been held at Weight for Age over 1400m.
The first brilliant C.F Orr Stakes performance that comes to mind is that of Elvstroem in 2005, trained by Tony Vasil. First up after his courageous fourth placing in the Melbourne Cup, he was caught three wide from barrier 15, on a hot pace set by the track specialist Regal Roller. While Regal Roller had a kick around the home turn, those watching the race surely expected Elvstroem to give in. But he did not. Getting to Regal Roller 100m from home, he had to hold off a late run by underrated Cox Plate winner Savabeel to record a narrow victory.
While Elvstroem’s performance may have been borne out of toughness, the win of Lonhro in 2004 was the result of that galloper’s undoubted brilliance. Drifting back to near the tail of the field as was his custom, Lonhro came with a barnstorming run in the home straight to narrowly run down top mare Vocabulary.
David Hayes was responsible for one of the great training feats in the history of the C.F Orr Stakes, by winning the race with Jeune first up after his Melbourne Cup triumph. In the process, Jeune broke the old Sandown track record, recording a blistering time of 1:21.10 for the 1400m trip. The next year, 1996, the race was moved to Caulfield, but it was the same old story, with a champion trainer, this time Bart Cummings, producing his charge Saintly to win first up after a Melbourne Cup victory, the same as he did with Let’s Elope in 1992. Indeed, Hayes performance emulated that of his father, Colin in 1987, with At Talaq, as he produced that galloper first up to win the Orr after winning the Melbourne Cup. Indeed, when you consider that both At Talaq and Jeune were imports from overseas, raced by the same connections, and later stood with success at Lindsay Park, the parallels are somewhat eerie. David Hayes also won the C.F Orr with Planet Ruler in 1991 and Primacy in 1994.
While Maldivian had always performed well first up, he had never managed to win a race following a break which saw hime sent out a relatively generous 6-1 for the 2009 Orr Stakes having won the Cox Plate at his last start in the spring. Mark Kavanagh had his charge at his peak, and he managed to run his rivals off their feet, scoring from the fast finishing Alamosa. It was a terrific training performance from Kavanagh and helped seal his reputation as one of the best in the business.
As you can see from the immediate past history though, the Orr is a race for great horses, and more particularly great trainers, who more often than not are given the difficult task of preparing their horse for a Group 1 level race first up, a task which sorts the best trainers from the rest.
C.F Orr Stakes Winners
2009 - Maldivian (Mark Kavanagh)
2008 - Shinzig (Mick Price)
2007 - El Segundo (Colin Little)
2006 - Perfect Promise (Lee Freedman)
2005 - Elvstroem (Tony Vasil)
2004 - Lonhro (John Hawkes)
2003 - Yell (John Hawkes)
2002 - Barkada (Lee Freedman)
2001 - Desert Sky (Mat Ellerton)
2000 - Redoute's Choice (Rick Hore-Lacy)
1999 - Grand Archway (Graeme Rogerson)
1998 - Special Dane (Brian Mayfield-Smith)
1997 - Saintly (Bart Cummings)
1996 - Racer's Edge (Gerald Ryan)
1995 - Jeune (David Hayes)
1994 - Primacy (David Hayes)
1993 - Durbridge (Lee Freedman)
1992 - Let's Elope (Bart Cummings)
1991 - Planet Ruler (David Hayes)
1990 - Vo Rogue (Vic Rail)
1989 - Vo Rogue (Vic Rail)
1988 - Vo Rogue (Vic Rail)
