Andrew Eddy

Stern Idol certainly had to earn the victory — and not only because of the 75kg on his back. When he came down the hill to the Tozer Road double, where runners must shift sharply to the right, jockey Steven Pateman was careful not to bustle the big gelding around the bend under such a heavy weight. That allowed three runners to improve up on his inside, and Stern Idol suddenly went from leading to fourth in the space of a few strides, with his history-making bid briefly looking in danger.

Race 1 – Maiden Hurdle (3200m) Result: Ongatiti ($2.50) 1st; Shamarkand ($3.40) 2nd; Sirius Black ($5.50) 3rd. Margins: 10 lengths x 2.5 lengths Ciaron Maher wasted no time making his mark on the Warrnambool May Carnival, combining with Steven Pateman to win the opening event with progressive five-year-old Ongatiti. The kiwi-bred stayer, having his first campaign over hurdles, enjoyed the perfect run in transit behind outsider Lucky Chance before Pateman set him alight before the home turn.

Classy three-year-old filly Point Barrow has gone to the spelling paddock, leaving 16 final acceptances for Saturday’s G1 Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville. The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Point Barrow was expected to be one of the favourites for the Goodwood following a close-up finish in the G1 Sangster Stakes (1200m) a fortnight ago, but she is now listed on Racing Australia as spelling.