Punt Drunk: All hail Dubai Moon
As Group 1 racing approaches for another year, the team at Punt Drunk are keeping tabs on everything obscure throughout the racing world.
Dubai Moon stole the show this week, while a certain GOAT is set for a return to the saddle.
Buckle up, punters — the good horses are making their way back to the track over the next couple of weeks.
Dubai Moon wins three times in a week
It isn’t very often a horse wins three times in the space of a week — dare we say, it might have never happened.
However, the Frankie Stockdale-trained Dubai Moon achieved that feat in country Victoria.
Since January 6, the veteran stayer has faced the starter six times, but his win at Hanging Rock on Australia Day kicked off this amazing run of wins.
Arron Lynch partnered him to victory on that day, before Dakotah Keane took the reins at Moe some 24 hours later.
Lynch was back on board at Pakenham on Thursday night, with Dubai Moon capping off quite the remarkable week.
He didn’t just win in those three races — he smashed his rivals, racking up a combined winning margin of 14.25 lengths.
What capped it off was trainer Frankie Stockdale’s celebrations with 200 metres to go at Pakenham.
This is incredibly good! 😂
Here is trainer Frankie Stockdale cheering Dubai Moon home on the outside fence at the 150m mark! 👑 pic.twitter.com/M32rYFJOPD
— Racing.com (@Racing) February 1, 2024
Damien Oliver back in the saddle
The recently retired Damien Oliver is making one final return to the saddle for a special appearance in Saudi Arabia later this month.
Oliver, who concluded his remarkable Australian riding career with a dramatic final ride in Perth last December, was recently seen participating in Friday’s Flemington jump-outs.
Mark Van Triet, his former manager, officially confirmed Oliver’s one-off return.
This echoes the pattern set by another former champion rider, Glen Boss, who, after retiring in the spring of 2021, came back for the jockey challenge on Saudi Cup night in Riyadh on February 24.
Tom Papley outdoes Matt Damon at Randwick
During a preseason intra-club trial, Sydney Swans star Tom Papley found himself in the limelight as his part-owned racehorse stole the show at Royal Randwick, outshining Hollywood icon Matt Damon’s debut Australian runner.
Damon, who garnered national attention earlier in the week as a co-owner of first-time runner Dale on Randwick’s Kensington card, witnessed both Dale and $2.5 million purchase Railway Man falter while Papley’s Getafix made a stellar first impression.
The ownership group for Getaflix also includes former Swans players Paddy McCartin and Ryan Clarke, as well as notable owner Carl Holt.
A precocious Getafix finishes really nicely to score on debut!@nashhot @JohnOSheaRacing pic.twitter.com/3E5FbEqODt
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 31, 2024
About Punt Drunk
Welcome to Punt Drunk – our weekly column covering all the latest horse racing and punting controversies, dramas and headline news. Have a story or gripe or issue that just grinds your gears? Just hit us up in the comments or contact us page and our jaded, punt hardened Punt Drunk staff will give it the Punt Drunk treatment it deserves. Don’t expect pleasantries or typical racing media fanboy gloss from Punt Drunk – we’re on the punt and we don’t have time to bullshit; the next is about to jump…
