THE Melbourne Cup victory of Darren Weir, Michelle and Stevie Payne, and Prince of Penzance will be the lasting story of the 2015 Victorian Spring Carnival.
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Much has been written and told about this special chapter in the annals of sport which goes far beyond the thoroughbred racing industry.
It captured the imagination of a nation.
My Ballarat Cup selections: Sysmo 1 Maygrove 2 Index Linked 3 Roughie: Wales
- David Brehaut
And there is still more to come.
While it might be a long time before another rises to the heights of this racing tale, there is always another special story around the corner.
Tooleybuc Kid could provide just that in the $300,000 Sportsbet.com.au Ballarat Cup, 2200m, on Saturday.
The six-year-old is another member of the vast Ballarat and Warrnambool-based team of Weir.
Like his trainer, Tooleybuc Kid comes from a humble background.
He was bred by former Geelong footballer John Sharrock and named after him.
Sharrock began his football in the NSW Murray River town of Tooleybuc and went on to play in Geelong’s 1963 premiership.
He retains an interest in the son of Denon, racing him with the likes of businessman and prominent racehorse owner Gerry Ryan, and other football identities John Sutcliffe (a former VFL umpire) and Leon Wiegard (a former Fitzroy president).
Tooleybuc Kid has been taken along relatively quietly throughout his career while still winning six races and earning more than $350,000.
He is a three-time Caulfield winner and earlier this year saluted in the $100,000 Pakenham Cup.
There has also been plenty of like about him this campaign, with Weir giving him four runs to have him in peak condition for the Ballarat Cup.
Based on his his close up fifth to The Offer in the Bendigo Cup in his latest run, the Ballarat Cup could easily be the big moment Tooleybuc Kid and connections have been waiting for.
Horsham's Dean Yendall will be in the saddle to complete what would be an all-country success story.
Of course Tooleybuc Kid will not be the only focus of Weir in the Cup.
He also has nine-year-old Azkar, which is coming off an encouraging fourth in the Kyneton Cup, engaged.
And for those who want to see the Weir and Payne story continue, Akzar will be their elect.
Michelle Payne has ridden Akzar in two of his past three starts and from barrier five expect her to be saving ground all the way as she did at Kyneton.
BRAD Rawiller has been one of Darren Weir’s main stable riders for many years, but in the Ballarat Cup he will be aboard the Chris Waller-trained top weight Junood.
Rawiller has enjoyed a great run in this race.
He won the Cup three times in a row – twice for Michael Kent on My Bentley in 2010 and Domesky in 2011. He completed the hattrick on King Diamond in 2012.
Steven King, Stephen Baster and Darren Gauci are other past winners of the Ballarat Cup going around in the race again.
King is a two-time winner on Unsolved in 1994 and McGuane in 1996. He has the ride on Wales.
Baster scored on Make A Scene in 1999 and will this time be aboard last year’s winner Mujadale.
Gauci won on Aquiver in 2001. He tries to repeat the dose on Lord Durante.
SPORTSBET.com.au is offering some one-off exotic betting types on Cup Day.
How many winners will Michelle Payne ride? How many winners will Darren Weir train?
Darren Weir v Chris Waller. Each has two two runners in the Cup. Weir was $1.60 on Friday to have tjhe better of Waller $2.25.
MORNINGTON trainer John McArdle has a good measuring stick for Hellmuth ahead of the colt's debut in the $200,000 Magic Millions 2yo Clockwise Classic, 1000m.
Only two weeks ago the Mornington trainer unveiled another youngster, Power Trip, to win the group 3 Maribyrnong Stakes at Flemington.
"Power Trip would beat him, but probably wouldn't beat him as far as you would think," McArdle told AAP.
"I've trained a number of stakes winning two-year-olds and I think Power Trip is one of the better ones I've trained.
"Hellmuth is a nice colt but we'll have a better idea on Saturday and we'll work out where to from there."
Hellmuth cost $30,000 at the Tasmanian Magic Millions yearling sale, with McArdle buying the son of Wanted from Graeme McCulloch of Grenville Stud.
A SUMMER staying feature Nigel Blackiston won with Outback Joe two years ago is in the trainer's sights again with lightly raced Manapine.
Four-year-old Manapine is set to make his first appearance of the season in the IGA Liquor McKellar Mile, 1600m, with the plan to progress to the listed $150,000 Bagot Handicap, 2800m, at Flemington on New Year's Day.
Blackiston won the Bagot two seasons ago with Outback Joe and he went on to also win the Adelaide Cup before injury forced his retirement. The Adelaide Cup is also an option for Manapine.
The Flemington trainer has waited for Saturday's 1600m benchmark race in which Manapine will jump from a wide gate but the trainer is delighted with the way the gelding is going.
"He had a real good spell after the autumn and he's come back bigger and stronger," Blackiston said.
Visiting UK-based apprentice Kieran Shoemark has the ride.
COUNTRY Racing Victoria is offering racegoers a special piece of Melbourne Cup memorabilia in Ballarat.
A specially commissioned poster of Darren Weir, Michelle and Stevie Payne, and Prince of Penzancemis for sale for $5.
All proceeds go to Down Syndrome Victoria.
