The form from the recent running of the 2025 Bairnsdale Cup was to the fore last Saturday at Caulfield, when recent second placegetter Rhinoceros was successful in the $130,000 Robert Taranto Handicap (1400 metres).
The Emma-Lee and David Browne trained galloper powered away late for an unexpected win at the massive odds of $31, under the urgings of jockey Dean Yendall.
Rhinoceros leaving placegetters, Red Phantom ($18) and Regal Azmon ($8) comfortably in his wake.
It capped off another great day at the track for the Brownes, the former Kiwis now based at Pakenham also winning with emerging three-year-old, Statuario in a lucrative $200,000 race.
The original plan was to use Saturday’s Caulfield assignment as a lead-up to the Warracknabeal Cup for Rhinoceros, but they obviously forgot to tell the talented New Zealand-bred gelding.
Already a winner of the Colac and Dunkeld Cups, Rhinoceros is now likely to be weighted out of the Warracknabeal race, but that was the last thing on the mind of joyous co-trainer Emma-Lee.
“I love this horse so much, I might have to get a rhino tattoo now. He’s a gem and just keeps giving, he’s been up for a long time and I keep wondering when he’s going to want to go out, but he’s just loving his life and is an absolute marvel,” Emma-Lee said.
Rhinoceros has now had 45 starts for 10 wins, seven placings and $522,252 in stakes for his breeder Andrew Fowler, who shares ownership with Sparta Racing.
Unfortunately Le Zebra, also trained by the Brownes who was part of the stable’s Bairnsdale Cup quinella, raced below par on Saturday, finishing last in the 2025 edition of the Easter Cup.
