Four-year-old gelding Lario and jockey Beau Mertens pose with connections after winning the Godolphin Puckapunyal Cup on Sunday. Photos: Jay Town/Racing Photos.
Photo by
Jay Town
Four-year-old gelding Lario took out the 2026 Godolphin Puckapunyal Cup at Seymour Racing Club on Sunday, storming to a dominant win over 1600m on a picture-perfect afternoon for racing.
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It was fitting, too, that on a weekend commemorating Anzac Day, the region’s rich military history and connection to the Puckapunyal Army Base was also celebrated.
Plenty of Australian Defence Force personnel and their families were in attendance, welcomed with free entry and a marquee, while a stirring Anzac Day ceremony before the main race of the day recognised soldiers and horses alike who had served and fallen at war.
The on-track action was nothing short of brilliant, either, with the Danny O’Brien-trained Lario leading all the way to take out the Godolphin Puckapunyal Cup, steered brilliantly by Beau Mertens.
As the field set off Lario, the $3.60 favourite, burst out of the barriers and straight to the front of the field.
The margin was a length from the Ciaron Maher-trained Until Valhalla as the field headed into the home straight. The two separated themselves from the chasing pack, and while Until Valhalla was able to close down the gap as they headed towards the post, Lario proved too strong, saluting by half a length.
A stirring Anzac Day ceremony recognised the contributions of service personnel and horses.
Photo by
Jay Town
Until Valhalla crossed second from Raging Bull, trained by Bendigo’s Arthur Pace, while local hope Fire Tribe, trained by Lee and Shannon Hope, finished fourth.
There was still plenty of local success across the day, though, with wins for local trainers Hanna Powell and Charmaine Barnes.
Powell saluted in race three with Mahmudah, a four-year-old mare, clinching its maiden victory with Alana Kelly aboard following a strong finish down the home straight to win by three-quarters of a length over 1300m, taking out the Seymour RSL Sub Branch Maiden Plate.
Barnes made it two local winners on the day when Bring Me Power claimed a comfortable two-length victory in race five, the Lindsay Park BM62 Handicap over 1000m, with jockey Lachlan King steering the $15 outsider, which held off the fast-finishing favourite, Kid Dynamite, for a sensational win.
Mahmudah, trained by Hanna Powell out of Seymour, took out the Seymour RSL Sub Branch Maiden Plate.
Photo by
Jay Town
In other races, Il Patrigno, trained by the Melbourne Cup-winning partnership of John Symons and Sheila Laxon, themselves formerly training out of Seymour, claimed race one, the Haeusler’s Maiden Plate, with a dominant three-length victory, while it was a much closer margin for the Chris Calthorpe trained Tarntanya in following event, the bet365 Bet Boost Maiden Plate, prevailing by a nose.
Race four saw I’m Savvy As get up for trainer Reece Goodwin in the Kilmore Ford Maiden Plate, while Khadime claimed the Seymour Toyota BM66 Handicap in the sixth race on the card for trainer Dominic Sutton.
Lethal Thoughts rounded out proceedings in the final race of the day, the Vinrock – New to Yulong BM62 Handicap, clinching victory for Ciaron Maher by a head from Switch Hit.
The on-track action will return to Seymour on Thursday, May 21 for May Day Racing.
