Darley Victoria sire Domesday opened the Melbourne Cup card on a winning note with his filly Antelucan in the LR Ottawa Stakes (1000m) at Flemington.

Antelucan (2f Domesday – Dawn Attack by Fantastic Light) finished with a strong gallop down the grandstand rail to score by a long neck.  “This is our grand final week and it’s very rewarding for the whole team,” trainer John O’Shea said.  “She was set for this race 12 weeks ago and we were lucky to draw the right side of the track.”

Domesday (Red Ransom) has sired 8 stakes winners highlighted by Group 1 horses Pressday and Doctor Doom.  He stands at Darley’s Northwood Park base in Seymour for a 16,500 (inc gst) fee.

Winning jockey Chad Schofield said Antelucan had been well educated at Darley’s Osborne Park pre-training facility alongside the Hawkesbury River.  “She’s a professional.  Even though it was her first start she raced as though she had done it many times before.”

Antelucan is a Super VOBIS filly and is out of a half-sister to Group 1 racehorse and sire Desert King.  The mare had already thrown Group performers Crucial and Hazard and her final foal is a yearling colt by Helmet.