8 Feb 2012 - Latest News

Presented by Adelaide’s leading home builder Medallion Homes, the inaugural 2012 Medallion Homes Late Mail Luncheon® announces it will serve up a smorgasbord of champion race trainers in Adelaide on Friday 4 May to celebrate and preview the Group 1 2012 SA Derby.

An extraordinary gathering of racing’s elite has been assembled including 2011 SA Derby winner Anthony Cummings, multiple Group 1 winning trainer Mick Price and 2011 Cox Plate winning trainer Greg Eurell.

They will join local stars Leon Macdonald who won the 2011 Caulfield Cup, champion SA trainer Tony McEvoy, Group 1 winning rider Clare Lindop and Hall of Fame legend John Letts.

The celebrations will continue for two days and include the luncheon and Official After Party on the Friday 4 May followed by the running of the 2012 SA Derby at Morphettville Race Course on Saturday 5 May.

The event will be hosted by Australia’s number 1 race caller Bryan Martin OAM who will be joined on stage by the ‘rockstars of racing’ to discuss who they think will win the Derby.

The Late Mail Luncheon® has proved a huge success over the past 8 years in Melbourne where it is now regarded as the premier social racing event of the spring. With the support of the SAJC and Thoroughbred Racing SA, the luncheon has now been confirmed for Adelaide until 2015.

The brainchild of Mark Scaife (not the racing car driver although he wishes he had a dollar for every time), the luncheon brings together trainers, racing experts, dignitaries, celebrities, fashionistas, owners and serious punters for a preview of the 2012 SA Derby at Morphettville.

This years' luncheon will feature champion trainer Anthony Cummings who of course won last years’ SA Derby with Shadows In The Sun.

Historians would remember that it was in fact Anthony’s famous father – James Bartholomew Cummings – who won his very first Group 1 race in the SA Derby of 1958 with Stormy Passage. Organisers are still hopeful the great man may make a surprise appearance on the day.

Leon Macdonald is one of the event’s stars after an amazing 2011 which saw Leon win the Group 1 Caulfield Cup with Serious Speed. But last year’s win may just be a prelude to a bigger year to come for the master Adelaide trainer.

The champion mare returned to racing in fine fashion on Australia Day (Jan 26) at Caulfield with a brilliant win in the Listed John Dillon Stakes.

Group 1 winning trainer Greg Eurell will make the trip across to Adelaide for the luncheon after another year where the brilliant horseman took out the 2011 Cox Plate with Pinker Pinker.

After becoming a household name with the baldy faced champion Apache Cat, the popular Eurell blew away a hot field in the Australasian Weight For Age Championship and set the scene for an intriguing 2012.

There is a strong Adelaide connection for Multiple Group 1 winning trainer Mick Price and the Late Mail Luncheon®. The owner-breeder of Mick’s newest stable star ‘Instinction’ is none other than Managing Director of Medallion Homes and naming sponsor of the Late Mail Luncheon®, Peter Katelanis.

Instinction, who has now put 3 wins in a row on the board including a Listed win at Flemington on the last day of the spring carnival in 2011, produced a stunning first up win on Australia Day at Caulfield over an unsuitable 1200m. Set for the 2012 Australian Guineas and a clash with superstar Helmet, the master trainer has a history of winning the big races.

In this line up is champion SA trainer Tony McEvoy. Leading the SA Trainers’ Premiership, McEvoy has firmly established himself under his own steam after purchasing a part of the former Lindsay Park from his long time friend David Hayes. McEvoy is of course regarded as a brilliant horseman and trainer in his own right after being a part of the amazing success that Lindsay Park achieved for so long.

 

The luncheon on Friday 4 May will be hosted on stage by racing’s own Bryan Martin OAM. Bryan of course commenced his race calling career in Adelaide some years ago.

Honorary Guest and Key Note Speaker on the day will be David Galbally QC. David is the son of legendary criminal lawyer Frank Galbally; is a Queen’s Counsel himself and is considered one of the most influential and thought provoking legal minds in the country.
 

Medallion Homes, Adelaide’s leading home builder is the naming sponsor of the luncheon and has added some glamour and excitement to the luncheon by hosting the Official After Party. The venue is yet to be announced and event organisers are keeping this one a closely guarded secret.

The Late Mail Luncheon® has supported worthy causes since its inception in 2005, by raising much-needed funds. In 2012, funds raised at all Late Mail Luncheon® events across Australia will go to help the funding of emergency cardiac intervention laboratories or ‘cath labs.’

Event Director Mark Scaife explained the cause is a personal one after he suffered a near fatal heart attack in June last year at the age of 43. Surgical intervention saved his life but also made him aware of the need to establish more facilities given the increasing rates of heart attack in Australia.

Official Luncheon Ambassadors on the day include Adelaide’s own Olivia Nunn and Emily Krstina Santic (daughter of Tony Santic owner of Makybe Diva). They will join racing fashionista Annie Leo and racehorse owner and socialite Shari-lea Hitchcock.

The Late Mail Luncheon® is one of the few racing events that brings together the racing industry and the general public in an intimate event where everyone is welcome and all guests are treated like VIP’s.

With just 100 tickets available to the general public, this is one event that will sell-out fast.

 

Tickets start from $440 including the lunch and SA Derby Day. Bookings can be made via the event website at www.latemaillunch.com or email tickets@latemaillunch.com.au

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