The rain arrived in Victoria on Sunday and the $200,000 Listed Sale Cup (1600m) was run on a heavy track with progressive gelding Makdane faring best in the testing conditions to become a new stakes-winner for Larneuk Stud’s value sire Impending.
Trained by Mick Kent, Makdane was first up after a break having not raced since the end of August, but he was strong late as he set out after Freedom Rally and went on by to win by a length for Mick Dee.
Retained to race by his breeders, Makdane has worked his way through his grades winning six races and placing 11 times to earn nearly $480,000 in prizemoney.
Sale Cup | Makdane Makdane saves his best for late, unleashing a powerful finish to take out the Sale Cup! ???? ?? Ch. 78/68, Foxtel 529, Kayo or via our app REPLAYS: https://t.co/HEhdpozFmy https://t.co/lKRPmknwWi
— Racing.com (@Racing) October 25, 2026
Mick Kent was thrilled to win with Makdane and is now looking to another country cup with the Moe Cup on the radar going forward.
“I thought he might find a couple of these a bit sharp for him today, but they went very hard and he had a lovely soft run and was the last man standing I felt and he loves the wet,” said Mick Kent.
“He won first up last time over a mile so he’s good fresh and it’s a good result for the owners as they used to live up here, so it will be special for them to win a Sale Cup.
“We go three weeks now to the Moe Cup and that will be perfect for him.”
Makdane is the best of two winners from Group III placed Elvstroem mare Danestroem, who died in 2024.
He is the fifth stakes-winner for Lonhro’s Group I winning son Impending, who stands at Larneuk Stud at a fee of $6,600 offering breed to race mare owners a chance to access some impressive bloodlines at a modest fee.
Bred and raced by Darley, Impending is a three-quarter brother-in-blood to Group I MRC Blue Diamond winner Lyre from Group I MRC Thousand Guineas winner Mnemosyne.
