Impressionable Victorian golfer Daniel Popovic set his sights on winning a major just minutes after pulling off one of the most stunning victories in Australian sport.

His win may not quite have been on par with John Daly’s shock victory as an alternate at the 1991 US PGA but for a player ranked 1251st in the world a week ago, it was something very special.

“My goal with golf is to win a major championship. I don’t feel it’s that far off,” said an excited Popovic after a closing with a three-under-par 69 for a four-shot win over faltering Queenslander Rod Pampling at the Palmer Coolum resort.

His victory as a 400-1 bolter in such a high-profile tournament has fast-tracked him onto the world golf stage.

Greg Norman was one of the first people to call his mobile to congratulate him.

“I’m going to walk away thinking if I keep doing this, I’m going to get there,” said the 26 year-old, who has cancelled his spot in next week’s Q-school qualifying.

Popovic (64-70-69-69) thought about his ill-father Radi, who has incurable bone cancer, all week.

“He’s the reason (I won) because of what he’s going through,” said an emotional Popovic.

“I’ll come home after a bad round and say to him `golf is a hard game’ and he’d say `look what I’m going through’.

“It puts things into perspective.

“When I stood over some putts and had some doubts, I thought of his words. They got me back on track.

“My dad is why I am more confident and back myself and push so hard on the golf course.

“I can’t wait to give him a big bear hug.”

Popovic’s career was set back by a jet ski accident in which he suffered two bulging discs.

He financed his golfing dream by putting toppings on pizzas and working as a traffic controller as a teenager.

Pampling (71-67-69-69), who hasn’t won since the 2008 Australian Masters, was disappointed after such a hot start in which he birdied his opening six holes.

“I knew I had to make a birdie on the last to put some pressure on him, I was trying to win it,” he said of his approach to the last green which found the water.

Pampling surrendered four shots in his last three holes to fall back into a tie for second with Anthony Brown (73-68-64-71) on 12 under.

Geoff Ogilvy (67-69-72-69), who just couldn’t get a round going, finished tied for fourth on 11 under with Brad Kennedy, who had four sub-par rounds.

Peter Senior couldn’t replicate his final-round heroics of last week’s Australian Open but his closing round of 77 was enough to secure him his fourth order of merit title and a start in next year’s British Open Championship at Muirfield.

Kathy O’Hara has escaped serious injury in a fall at Rosehill after two-year-old debutante Shadowofyoursmile almost came down in the first race.

The Garry White-trained filly copped a bump from another horse and after O’Hara hit the ground, continued to race through the field.

O’Hara came back with a graze on her face and ice on her shoulder but said she was OK.

The Rosehill Gardens Handicap (1100m) was won by Regimental Pride who went into the race with two starts under his belt.

His jockey Glyn Schofield was confident throughout and sent the horse to the front in the straight but had a momentary fright when he sensed another horse coming.

“I had the race won at the top of the straight and took my time to chase them,” Schofield said.

“Then I saw a head appear but I realised the horse didn’t have a jockey on its back.”

Regimental Pride ($ 6.50) beat favourite Let’s Frolic ($ 2.50) by a short neck with a half length to Howdah ($ 5) third.

Shadowofyoursmile came through her ordeal with no apparent problems while the winner will back up in the $ 200,000 Wyong Magic Millions on Thursday.

“This was like a trial to him,” trainer David Payne said.

“He only had to walk over and will walk home. It’s not like he had a float trip and that’s what takes it out of them.

“As long as he does well over the next couple of days he will go to the Wyong race and then to the Magic Millions at the Gold Coast.

“It was a good win and a good gallop for him.”

Tim Martin will assess Let’s Frolic as a Magic Millions prospect over the next few days but may take the option of not running her again and waiting to see if she makes the race.

The $ 2 million Magic Millions Classic (1200m) is at the Gold Coast on January 12.

Australian jockey Zac Purton has guided Hong Kong’s reigning champion Ambitious Dragon to victory in the International Mile at Sha Tin.

The Tony Millard-trained Ambitious Dragon was cleared by vets just hours before Sunday’s race after he was found to be moderately lame in a hind leg a day earlier.

Purton brought Ambitious Dragon down the outside to overhaul Glorious Days who beat him last month in the lead-up race.

“I travelled like a winner the whole way, but I did last time so I wasn’t going to start counting my chickens until I got to the line,” Purton said.

The 29-year-old jockey has been based in Hong Kong for the past five years and enjoyed Group One success at Royal Ascot this year aboard Little Bridge in the King’s Stand Stakes.

The sea air has worked wonders for King Diamond who has reignited his career with a surprise win in the Ballarat Cup for new trainer Jarrod McLean.

Formerly trained in Melbourne by Mark Kavanagh and then Peter Moody, King Diamond was transferred to McLean who makes use of the beach at Warrnambool to help rehabilitate unsound horses.

His methods with King Diamond paid off in Sunday’s Listed Ballarat Cup (2200m) when the six-year-old edged Pelicano by a nose with well performed mare Exceptionally 1-1/4 lengths third.

King Diamond was sent out at $ 41 to claim his first win since March last year and gave jockey Brad Rawiller his third Ballarat Cup.

“It’s a big thrill and an advertisement for the beach at Warrnambool,” McLean said.

“He came to me from two very good trainers in Mark Kavanagh and Peter Moody.

“I backed right off him to get him feeling better.

“These old horses can gallop. You’ve just got to get them sound and the beach is the key.”

Managing owner Rob Slade said Moody had recommended sending him to McLean.

“He was feeling his joints and had a few niggly problems and Peter said he would be better off trained at the beach,” Slade said.

The Cup meeting was the scene for the first race run in the right handed direction in Victoria for more than 60 years with I’m too Sexy winning the $ 200,000 Magic Millions Clockwise Classic (1000m).

An initiative between Magic Millions and the Ballarat club, the race was designed to give Victorian youngsters experience racing in the same direction as next month’s $ 2 million Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast.

The Mark Riley-trained filly was sent straight to the front by Luke Currie and she dominated the race, winning by three lengths from Ticket To Toorak.

“I said to Luke the first fifty yards are crucial. We’ve really got to make her begin well and be right up there,” Riley said.

“We’ll stick to the plan and if she pulls up well we’ll go to the Magic Millions.”

A half sister to Stralia, who was sold to Hong Kong for a reported $ 1 million plus after his second to Snitzerland in the Group Two Danehill Stakes, I’m Too Sexy was a $ 30,000 yearling at the Adelaide sale and earned $ 122,000 for her debut win.

Champion Japanese filly Gentildonna has survived a protest to win the Japan Cup by a nose from Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe runner-up Orfevre.

The pair came together in the final stages of the 2400m race with a nose separating them on the line but after a stewards’ inquiry, the filly was declared the winner.

Rulership, ridden by Australian Craig Williams, ran on well for third, 2-1/2 lengths away, after coming out of the barriers last.

European Melbourne Cup runners Red Cadeaux, Jakkalberry and Mount Athos finished eighth, 11th and 12th respectively with Arc winner Solemia 13th of the 17 runners.

Gentildonna was ridden by Yasunari Iwata who steered Delta Blues to a famous Japanese victory in the 2006 Melbourne Cup.

Earlier in the day, Hong Kong-based Australian jockey Zac Purton rode Satona Panther to victory to seal victory in the World Jockeys’ Challenge held over two days in Tokyo.

Jamie Whincup just demands to finish ahead of Mark Winterbottom on Sunday to finish him off.

Holden superstar Whincup’s fourth V8 Supercar championship seems to be 67 laps away.

His title lead will grow to be unassailable if he finishes ahead of, or not far behind, his only challenger Winterbottom in Sunday’s race at Winton.

Whincup won race a single on Saturday as fuel and a failed pit method foiled his Ford rival.

The Group Vodafone driver now prospects the standings by 326 points and will safe the title prior to the ultimate round of the series in Sydney if he leads by far more than 300 factors on Sunday night.

“I plan to do exactly what I have been doing. It would be stupid to alter the mentality, modify the way we go about our race,” Whincup said.

“We’ll certainly consider to increase the auto, and if we can do that, qualify nicely. The day’s fairly important in the grand scheme of issues.”

Winterbottom will be hoping for far better immediately after a promising commence to Saturday turned to disaster.

He began on pole place, but misplaced out to Whincup at the begin.

Then a initial-lap safety vehicle led Winterbottom’s staff to right away contact him into the pits to modify to delicate tyres.

The method did not perform, expense him track position he worked challenging to make up, and the resulting aggressive fuel use harm him at the end of the race.

The Ford Functionality Racing vehicle ran out of fuel on the ultimate lap and he lost far more factors as Lee Holdsworth passed him for third place – Winterbottom only just crossing the finish line ahead of the automobile stopped.

It could have been worse.

Winterbottom’s title hopes would have been extinguished entirely had the race not been shortened by a lap due to the fact of time constraints.

“I thought I was on for a podium but the vehicle coughed as I came up to the line so to miss it by such a fine margin is cruel,” Winterbottom mentioned.

“The excellent point is we come once again tomorrow and with a great auto we ought to be confident.”

Whincup, 29, will join exalted company with a fourth title.

Only Dick Johnson, Ian Geoghegan and Mark Skaife have been five-time Australian Touring Auto Championship winners, and Whincup would join Allan Moffat, Jim Richards and Bob Jane with a fourth title.

The unbeaten record of a few-year-old Sessions came to an end at Rosehill on Saturday as consistent filly Catkins turned the tables on the drifting favourite.

Sessions opened at $ 1.40 just before starting at $ one.85 in the Hollywood Trend Secrets and techniques Handicap (1300m) and following in excess of-racing in front he was a invested force half-way down the straight as Catkins rushed previous him.

Catkins ($ four) went on to score by a convincing a few lengths more than Furious Jet ($ 7) with Sessions weakening to third, one more head away.

“The five-horse fields are not performing any favours for him,” Sessions’ jockey Peter Robl mentioned.

“He’ll be greater in fields of twelve or 16 when there is real pace and he can get some cover and turn himself into a racehorse.

“He just won’t chill out in front.”

Secure foreman Brad Widdup told stewards trainer Peter Snowden had advised Sessions would drop in distance.

“I’ve spoken to Peter and the plan now is to drop back to 1000 metres to teach him to race,” Widdup mentioned.

“He’s a a lot greater horse than that.”

Sessions had won his only two starts which includes a initial-up win in excess of Catkins two weeks earlier when he exhausted late as Catkins received inside of a half length.

Catkins was nominated for a Listed race at Sandown on Saturday but premier trainer Chris Waller elected to remain at property and explained it proved the appropriate move.

“She’s a reliable filly and she’s beaten the mares twice this preparation and she was capable to beat the colts today with a affordable weight,” Waller said.

Waller stated Catkins was probably to go for a spell with late Sydney autumn carnival races such as the PJ Bell Stakes on the radar.

“I consider she’ll also be a good filly for the Queensland winter carnival,” Waller explained.

Jim Cassidy atoned for a couple of luckless rides aboard the Clarry Conners-skilled Dear Demi to information the filly to a resounding victory in the Victoria Oaks at Flemington.

Owned by millionaire adman John Singleton, Dear Demi came from nicely back to storm down the outdoors and overhaul favourite Zydeco in Thursday’s 2500m staying function.

The lightly-raced Summerbliss was a game third.

Conners, who made the decision to set Dear Demi for the Oaks 6 months ago, was thrilled to come away with the major prize.

“She just keeps attempting and it was a really gutsy win these days,” Conners explained.

“She’s a beautiful filly. 7 begins this prep and she just keeps acquiring much better.”

It was Cassidy’s fifth win in the Oaks but Singleton exposed the huge race hoop practically lost the plum mount after striking difficulty aboard Dear Demi in two lead-up runs and being unluckily beaten in both.

Singleton had been ready to sack Cassidy and give the ride to Nash Rawiller but when Rawiller was suspended, Cassidy was given another likelihood.

“I mentioned `just give her a commence mate. Clarry and the horse have done every thing else. Just steer for Christ’s sake. You are only on her due to the fact Nash is suspended. Allow that be clear’,” Singleton mentioned.

Cassidy didn’t allow him down and Dear Demi did the rest to post a memorable Oaks win.

Green Moon, ridden by jockey Brett Prebble has won the $ six.2 million Melbourne Cup at Flemington.

The Robert Hickmott-skilled 6-year-outdated beat Fiorente with Jakkalberry finishing third in the 152nd working of Australia’s biggest race.

“It was never ever going to get beaten,” Prebble said of his mount.

“At 1200m I knew absolutely nothing was going to go with him. I pressed him a bit quickly but it truly is challenging to wait when you’ve got so considerably electrical power underneath you.

“This is the pinnacle of racing in Australia. It was a great feeling.”

Green Moon is owned by Australian businessman Lloyd Williams who has now won four Melbourne Cups with his previous winners becoming Just A Dash in 1981, What A Nuisance in 1985 and Efficient in 2007.

In a gradually run Cup, Green Moon unleashed a huge sprint down the Flemington straight leaving the backmarkers with no possibility. The Gai Waterhouse-educated Fiorente, ridden by James McDonald, ran on properly for 2nd. Jakkalberry, skilled by Italian Marco Botti and ridden by Irish jockey Colm O’Donoghue, sprinted home for 3rd.

Sydney stayer Kelinni held on for fourth location, with the ‘First Four’ dividend in NSW having to pay $ 1,467,099.60.

Ethiopia, who travelled close to the speed early in the race, weakened to finish last.

This year’s Cup showcased 1 of the strongest fields ever to contest the event.

Dominated by internationals, the 24-horse field included defending champion Dunaden and the 2010 winner Americain, even though French star Red Cadeaux was out to avenge final year’s near loss.

Americain began the race as favourite, whilst there was also sturdy betting support for Dunaden and Mount Athos. Maluckyday was considered the greatest regional chance.

Kimi Raikkonen lived up to his ‘ice man’ sobriquet by claiming his first win for a few years as Sebastian Vettel clung on to his championship lead in a drama-laden Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday.

Raikkonen, the 2007 champion who returned to Formula One this season right after a two-year absence, grabbed his triumph following early leader Lewis Hamilton was forced into retirement after 20 laps by a electrical power failure on his McLaren car.

The Finn won convincingly ahead of Fernando Alonso of Ferrari who pushed tough for victory in the closing laps of an extraordinary contest that integrated two prolonged safety auto intervals and a rash of key accidents.

Defending champion and existing leader Vettel began from the pit lane in his Red Bull and created one of the biggest drives of his job to finish third.

Vettel’s phenomenal drive, including clocking fastest lap, kept him ten factors ahead of Alonso in the title race with two races remaining.

Vettel leads on 255 points with Alonso on 245 and Raikkonen 198.

There was no alter to the order of the top rated 5 as fourth-placed Mark Webber joined Hamilton on the DNF listing.

Red Bull’s Webber crashed out at a few-quarter distance, caught up in an incident sparked by three other cars.

This was Raikkonen’s initial win because the 2009 Belgian Grand Prix and his 19th job win.

As the eighth diverse winner of the season he gave the Lotus name a victory for the 1st time since Ayrton Senna won for the unique group in the United States in 1987.

The 33-yr-old betrayed couple of feelings on the podium.

Asked how he felt, he mentioned: “Final time you guys have been providing me grief due to the fact I didn’t smile adequate, but I am pleased for the crew. It really is been a challenging season and not easy occasions recently.

“Hopefully this will give absolutely everyone perception and turn the tables so we can win much more races, if not this yr then following yr.”

Lotus group chief Eric Boullier mentioned: “This is just a great one. It really is a final reward for the team. We have deserved this for a long time. We had a tiny bit of luck. Kimi is excellent for everybody at Enstone and good for the enthusiasts in F1.”

Alonso, who cut Vettel’s lead from 13 points to 10, mentioned: “I’m very happy as I assume we had been not super competitive this weekend. We had to battle through the race, but we had a really good method and needed victory.

“But we believe it was a ideal Sunday as we kept fighting correct right up until the end.”

Vettel’s overall performance justified his self-assurance in claiming ahead of the race that he could deliver a sturdy factors finish regardless of starting at the back of the field.

“I informed you guys, don’t quit believing,” he stated more than the team radio. “In no way raise!”

Vettel’s largest earlier improvement from the grid was 14 spots from 19th to fifth at the 2008 Monaco GP.

Red Bull had been unable to verify their 3rd straight constructors championship, but with a lead of 82 factors ahead of Ferrari, search specific to do that at the United States Grand Prix at Austin subsequent month.

Amid the retirements had been Nico Rosberg, who had a magnificent airborne crash in the ninth lap in his Mercedes following a high-speed collision with Indian Narain Karthikeyan’s faltering Hispania automobile.

The two walked away unscathed.