‘Just keep a lid on it’: Zahra wins four on Derby Day but wants more as cup carnival continues

Mark Zahra celebrated a remarkable day at Flemington, claiming four victories on Victoria Derby Day, including the marquee race on Observer during a radiant spring afternoon.

Record-tying performance

Speaking to Nine after his quartet of wins, Zahra reflected while carrying his boxed trophies from the day’s triumphs, which featured two premier Group 1 races — the Victoria Derby and the Coolmore Stud Stakes. The event drew an enthusiastic crowd of 86,112 spectators at Flemington.

"I can’t even remember what I won on first... it was good to have two winners on the board. So full of confidence heading into Tentyris. And I thought he was my best ride today. He’s just improved and improved and won the big one, you start to think, can I do it again? And then Observer just led all the way."

Family reactions

"I just tell her [wife Elyse] I’ll meet you in the yard after. But she’s pretty fired up about today. I’ve told her it’s day one for the carnival, so we’ve just got to relax, get through the rest of the week first."

"[My daughter] asked if I had a winner or not, but she’d rather watch Gabby’s Dollhouse than the races at the moment. She does like when I bring her home a trophy. So I’ve got a few to hand over for her tonight."

Looking ahead

Zahra expressed optimism for the rest of the Cup Carnival week, aiming to maintain focus and composure as racing continues.

Next coverage

Fans were thanked for following the action, with a reminder that the Melbourne Cup Day live blog would return on Tuesday morning.

Author’s summary: Mark Zahra achieved four major victories on Victoria Derby Day at Flemington, expressing gratitude and composure as he looks ahead to more racing success in the Cup Carnival.

The Sydney Morning Herald — 2025-10-31