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A look at some of the stories from the support races on Saturday’s Caulfield card
Sandhu doubles up at Caulfield
Julius Sandhu did a good job of increasing the awareness of the Ramos racing colours with a winning double at Caulfield on Saturday.
The striking blue jacket bearing a pink 'FR' and pink cap made their first appearance in the winner's stall for the day after Thorin won the second event, while they were back there after Ulysses's blow-out win in the first leg of the Quaddie.
The $150,000 Neds Price Boost BM100 Handicap (1400m) was the former Queenslander's first start for Sandhu, having previously been trained in Queensland by Tony Gollan, and Sandhu said he's already proven himself a popular member of the stable.
"They put him up for sale and Ramos family obviously thought it would be a good decision to purchase the horse and they bought it and rang me and said would you like to have a crack and I said, 'why not, he's an 87-rater so he can clearly run'," Sandhu said.
Ulysses powered home from last at the 200m under the urgings of Tatum Bull to nab Poland right on the line and win by a nose at $26.
Thorin, who was ridden by Celine Gaudray, started $7.50 and scored at his eighth start for Sandhu, having headed to Cranbourne after stints with David Payne and Jean Dubois in New South Wales, having started his career in Germany.
Bull celebrates comeback city winner
The win on Ulysses was an emotional one for Tatum Bull, who celebrated her first city winner since returning from a career-threatening foot injury.
The ever-smiling rider was forced to question whether her career was over after a trackwork fall at Pakenham in early October last year and had more than eight months between race rides.
Bull made the most of a call up to partner Ulysses in the absence of original rider Laura Lafferty and celebrated her first win since returning to the saddle on June 23.
"It's really exciting, I'm a bit emotional because I never thought the day was going to come, but I've worked pretty hard and my partner Daniel Stackhouse has been the backbone to me getting back," Bull said.
"We spoke about my rides before we came here today and nothing went to plan, but he always reminds me to trust myself, so without him I wouldn't have been able to get over the line."
The win on Ulysses was her second Saturday city winner in Melbourne, coming almost 12 months to the day after partnering Here To Shock to victory at the same course on July 23 last year.
It came 40 minutes after Stackhouse rode a winner of his own in Arran Bay.
"I think we'll have to celebrate tonight," she said.
Gaudray double closes gap before Hefel responds
Sandhu's other winning jockey also celebrated a significant day with Celine Gaudray edging back within one of Carleen Hefel in the engrossing battle for this year's Metropolitan Apprentice Jockeys' Premiership.
Gaudray's win Thorin was her 27th city success for the season, a tally she took to 28 five races later after winning aboard the James Cummings-trained Kin.
After Gaudray's double, Hefel responded with a double of her own, winning the final two races of the day.
After a maiden Group success aboard Sigh in the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes she won the final race aboard Flash Flood to take her lead back to three with six metropolitan meetings remaining before the season ends on July 31.
Bay continues Stokes' hot run
Phillip Stokes continued his hot run when Arran Bay enhanced his second-up record at Caulfield.
The son of All Too Hard registered his third second-up win from four starts when he finished too powerfully for is rivals in the 1400m Neds No Place Handicap.
It was fifth meeting in a row that the Pakenham trainer has taken runners that he has trained a winner.
On Friday at Sale he won with $12 chance Regal Amazon, two days earlier he produced Lines Of Glory to win at Mr Gambier, celebrated a double at Tuesday's Pakenham synthetic meeting with Dick Whittington and Twin Perfection, having also trained a double at Murray Bridge last Saturday.
"We're having a good run and they (winners) have come all over the place too, it's been good," he said.
Arran Bay's win, which came with Daniel Stackhouse in the saddle, was the four-year-old's fifth from 18 starts, which have also included seven minor placings, and lifted his career earnings beyond $370,000.
Torranzino; from Warracknabeal to Caulfield
Warracknabeal is 347km from Caulfield and not renowned as a stepping-stone to Saturday city success, but Torranzino proved it can be a launching pad with his win in the $150,000 Neds Punters Toolbox Handicap (2000m).
The Paul Preusker-trained gelding backed up his win in a 2000m maiden at the Wimmera town famous as being the birthplace of renowned musician Nick Cave.
They have been the only two starts at 2000m for the Kiwi-bred son of Tarzino and Dean Yendall, who was aboard for both wins, said it was encouraging given his tendency to want to lay in in the home straight.
"He's just got a few tricks in his box, just to let me know 'you have to do a bit on me' and makes me earn my keep, so it was good to get a win on him today."
