Stanhope Shiela’s first stop on Cup tour

She was in Stanhope as a Melbourne Cup ambassador, starting the day at the Emmett family’s dairy farm and ending it at the Robgill Homestead cocktail party.

Stanhope now qualifies for a potential $50,000 windfall, among 24 towns chosen to be part of the Melbourne Cup sweep.

Each of the regional towns will be allocated a barrier for the cup and if their horse wins they claim the cash — won last year by Bendigo, which had barrier 17 and Verry Elleegant.

Laxon was the first winning female trainer in the 162-year history of the race, but is now focused on a five-year-old So You Think gelding who she has high hopes for in coming years.

The New Zealander and her training partner, former Seymour-based trainer John Symons, now have 30 horses in work at their Sunshine Coast stables.

I Ponder is the stayer on which she is pinning her 2023 Melbourne Cup hopes and with two wins (both on the synthetic surface) from seven starts in staying races that faith may soon be rewarded.

I Ponder will, however, need to do better than its 13th finish in the Caloundra Cup — although that was in heavy going.

Symons has a special history of his own, trainer of Bel Esprit (a sprinter that won $2 million in stakes and was part owned by Essendon legend Kevin Sheedy).

Bel Esprit is probably more famous as the sire of Black Caviar, which won 25 races in succession.

Lexus Cup hats were common place in the crowd at Stanhope, which was one of 33 destinations selected in Victoria — from 100 applicants — to host a full day visit by the Cup.

The selection criteria included consideration of previous Cup tours, but was largely based on a written application that was completed by Stanhope racing enthusiast Des Hocking, development group co-ordinator Glenda Cowie and other members of the community centre group.

Etherial retired to the property of her owners, near Cambridge in New Zealand, but of her nine foals produced none as good as herself.

Laxon arrived in Victoria on the night before Friday’s Stanhope event and returned to Queensland on Sunday.

She has been to every cup since claiming the 2001 trophy, apart from the COVID years.

Victorian Racing Club head of security Simon Ogden guarded the 3.4kg jarrah-based 18-carrot gold trophy from dawn to dark on Friday.

Rarely did he have a hand off one of three handles on the famous cup — representing the owner, trainer and jockey.

He, along with thoroughbred racing historian Andrew Lemon and Laxon were the key figures of the tour.