Australia: Vow and Declare gets class relief in bid to snap long win drought

Vow and Declare has lost 15 starts since a career-defining win in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup in 2019, but he often races in other stakes at the highest level.

Vow and Declare was 18th in the 2020 Melbourne Cup and 10th in this year’s running of the two-mile classic on Nov. 1.

His next start is far less difficult. Vow and Declare will start favored in the Group 2 Zipping Classic at 1 1/2 miles at Caulfield Racecourse on Friday evening across American time zones.

Trained by Danny O’Brien, Vow and Declare, 7, is the most prominent runner in a field of nine in the $507,300 Zipping Classic, the seventh race on a nine-race program that begins at 8:35 p.m. Eastern, or 5:35 p.m. Pacific.

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The race has changed in recent days. The Zipping Classic field lost its future-book favorite when Without a Fight was declared unfit to race by veterinarians earlier this week. A two-time stakes winner in England earlier this year, Without a Fight was 13th in the Melbourne Cup in his Australian debut.

Vow and Declare was beaten 8 3/4 lengths by Gold Trip in the Melbourne Cup and was sixth by slightly less than two lengths in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup at 1 1/2 miles on Oct. 15 in his preceding race.

The Zipping Classic will not be an easy race for Vow and Declare because of the presence of Luncies, a five-time winner who was second in the Group 3 Queen’s Cup at 1 5/8 miles at Flemington on Nov. 5. Luncies also is winless in 15 starts since a win in a minor handicap at 1 1/8 miles at Hawkesbury Racecourse in May 2021.

The recent form of Desert Icon is encouraging. He won the Group 3 JRA Cup at about 1 1/4 miles from the front at Moonee Valley on Sept. 23 and was third in the Group 3 Herbert Power Stakes at 1 1/2 miles at Caulfield on Oct. 8, a key prep for the Melbourne Cup.

Desert Icon was seventh of 12 after a slow start in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Cup at 1 9/16 miles on Oct. 22 in his most recent race.