It has been a relatively lean Melbourne Spring Carnival to date for Godolphin however the expensive purchase Exhilertaes closed out Melbourne Cup day with a fighting win in the Listed MSS Security Sprint (1200m) at Flemington.
Kerrin McEvoy had the daughter of Snitzel covered up midfield down the centre of the track. Asked for the supreme effort, she found a seam at the 250 metres, but found a willing opponent in the Zoustar gelding The Astrologist who went down fighting by a head.
The 6yo Wanted gelding Sirius Suspect was a neck back in third.
"James (Cummings) had this mare primed for today," McEvoy said.
"She is a competitive little girl. The other day without much cover, she overdid it a bit, and she has done that with me at times. Today it was nice to get the drop on them and save that finish."
The winner of the Magic Millions 2yo Classic, Exhilarates advances her record to five wins, six seconds and one third from 18 starts with earnings of $2,098,450.
Looking for some fresh blood, Godolphin went shopping at the Magic Millions for the first time in 2018 and came away with eight yearlings.
The equal highest price at $600,000 was Vinery Stud's Snitzel filly who is the first-named foal of Samaready whose six wins from 13 starts included the Group 1 MRC Blue Diamond Stakes in 2012 and Group 1 MVRC AJ Moir Stakes the following year.
The daughter of More Than Ready (USA) has had a troubled time of it in recent years, but on August 26 she foaled a brother to Exhilarates.
