OTI’s General Manager, Shayne Driscoll, counts down his Top 10 Memorable Moments across the 2023/24 Racing Season.

Number 6 – Cepheus’ Sizzling Spring

Cepheus caused somewhat of a boilover in the autumn of ’23 when winning the Group 2 Ajax Stakes. Heading into the spring of this racing season, with a Big Dance ticket secured and having had a small let-up only across the late-winter period, we were unsure of his ceiling and excited by what this talented but injury-plagued galloper may achieve. Owner expectations were blown out of the water by what his campaign would produce.

His G2 Shannon Stakes victory (highlighted within Memorable Moment #7) was followed by his biggest payday when taking out the $1.5m Alan Brown Stakes at Rosehill, courtesy of yet another Nash Rawiller special.

He would then head to the $2m Big Dance carrying the unenviable impost of 62kg. He would start favourite, despite carrying 4kg more than all other contenders and 5.5kg more than the eventual winner, Attractable. Finishing 2nd beaten just 1.17 lengths, his effort was outstanding and capped off a sizzling spring.

Cepheus has again secured a ticket to the Big Dance in November, courtesy of his July South Grafton Cup victory. Let’s hope he can go one better.