The Might And Power 2024 results saw a mighty upset at Caulfield on Guineas Day with the Anthony & Sam Freedman-trained mare Deny Knowledge defying her price to claim the Group 1 on way to the Caulfield Cup.
2024 Might And Power winner Deny Knowledge could back-up in the $5 million Caulfield Cup field. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
The $1 million weight-for-age event kicked off the elite level racing in Melbourne on Saturday and saw Pride Of Dubai seven-year-old Deny Knowledge deny the odds-on elect Mr Brightside victory with the Chris Waller-trained Atishu making up ground to run third.
The bonny mare was given a masterful ride by Mark Zahra to lead from barrier to box, surging to an early lead and staying in front the entire 2000m trip.
It was a bold and confident Zahra ride aboard a class runner who had three-quarters of a length on the line to spare over Team Hayes’ runner-up Mr Brightside.
The beaten favourite was stalking in second on the straight but ran out of time, losing few admirers on way to the Group 1 $5 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley on October 26.
For Deny Knowledge, recent winner of the Grafton Cup, a step up in trip but notable drop in weight is likely with a quick back-up into the Group 1 $5 million Caulfield Cup (2400m) back at the track next weekend.
“I think she’s classier than probably people give her credit,” declared co-trainer Sam Freedman after the victory.
The team are now hoping a drop back to 50.5kg in next weekend’s classic, the opening leg of the Spring Cups’ double, will be enough to see Deny Knowledge become the first horse since 1990 to do the Caulfield Stakes (now Might And Power) – Caulfield Cup double in the same year.
Deny Knowledge showed plenty of prowess in her all-the-way performance improving on a lead-up fifth to Buckaroo in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m).
“Her run in the Underwood was very good, she took off early and was still there fighting it out towards the finish,” Freedman said.
“And look, we may back up next week if she pulls up well, maybe the frontrunner in the Caulfield Cup, yeah, why not?”
Following her Might And Power victory, Deny Knowledge is at $21 in the pre-field Caulfield Cup odds at Ladbrokes.
Freedman also mentioned a potential tilt at the world’s richest handicap, the Group 1 $8.56 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 5 for which the mare pays $34 to win.
2024 Might And Power Results
| Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Penalty | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | DENY KNOWLEDGE (IRE) | Anthony & Sam Freedman | Mark Zahra | 6 | 57kg | $8.50 | ||
| 2 | 1 | MR BRIGHTSIDE (NZ) | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | Craig Williams | 0.75L | 1 | 59kg | $1.75F | |
| 3 | 5 | ATISHU (NZ) | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 1.5L | 8 | 57kg | $4 | |
| 4 | 4 | ADELAIDE RIVER (IRE) | Kris Lees | Ben Melham | 4.5L | 3 | 59kg | $21 | |
| 5 | 8 | COCO SUN | Tony & Calvin McEvoy | Blake Shinn | 6.25L | 2 | 56kg | $12 | |
| 6 | 3 | KALAPOUR (IRE) | Kris Lees | Damian Lane | 9L | 4 | 59kg | $41 | |
| 7 | 2 | VOW AND DECLARE | Danny O’Brien | Billy Egan | 19L | 5 | 59kg | $21 | |
| 8 | 7 | JENNILALA | Ciaron Maher | Declan Bates | 44L | 7 | 57kg | $41 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
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