So You Are stakes Cup claim with Bendigo triumph

Shayne Hope | October 28, 2026

So You Are’s bid for a spot in the Melbourne Cup field lies in the hands of handicappers after the Bjorn Baker-trained gelding pressed his case with victory in the Group 3 Bendigo Cup (2400m).

Ridden by Rachel King, So You Are made it four wins in a row when finishing half a length clear of second-placed Berkeley Square on Wednesday.

Litzdeel was third, with favourite Kings Valley fourth.

Connections of the five-year-old son of So You Think will lap up their share of the $500,000 purse.

But a bigger payday may lie ahead as they wait to learn if the Bendigo triumph was enough to secure a start in Australia’s most famous race at Flemington on Tuesday.

“He’s done everything he can, the horse, so he deserves to be there and hopefully that’s enough to get him in,” Baker’s assistant Luke Hilton said.

“Great campaign. He’s just got better and better each time.

“He relaxed beautifully today, (barrier one was) a big help and he was able to get a lovely run in the race.

“Rach (King) put him into the race when she was ready to go, and he was tough.”

Hilton expects the 3200m Melbourne Cup would suit So You Are, who needs to receive a 1.5kg penalty from handicappers to leap into the top 24 on the order of entry.

If he doesn’t, he can still sneak in if some rivals don’t pass vet inspections or choose not to accept.

“He doesn’t win by big margins, which probably counts against him in getting a little bit more (of a penalty from) the handicappers,” Hilton said.

“But he just keeps doing it, so you can’t knock winning form.”

King felt the Bendigo Cup unfolded “perfectly” for So You Are, adding the gelding had refined his craft and improved across recent runs.

“He’s just a horse in really good form,” she said.

“He’s tough, he puts himself on speed and makes life easy, and he doesn’t want to let one get past him.

“Fingers crossed they’re nice to us now and let us in (to the Melbourne Cup).”

Meanwhile, Yulong-owned Quick Finish will be the first filly to contest the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) since Lycra in 1990.

Trained by Tony and Calvin McEvoy, Quick Finish is one of 16 contenders in a capacity field for Saturday’s renewal at Flemington.

The first three editions of the Derby were won by fillies – Rose Of May (1855), Flying Doe (1856) and Tricolor (1857) – but none have beaten the boys since Frances Tressady in 1923.

Prize money for this year’s Derby has increased to $3 million amid ongoing debate about the time-honoured classic’s ideal distance.