impressive win to its resume, as it seeks a bid to the NCAA Tour

James Cummings proved that he can do it on his own as Prized Icon produced one of the strongest three-year-old staying performances of recent times in winning the Group 1 AAM Victoria Derby over 2500 metres - the feature race of Day 1 of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.Cummings, 28, confirmed that success is definitely in his bloodline as he followed in the footprints of his great grandfather James Cummings; his grandfather Bart Cummings, the Cups King; and his father, Anthony Cummings, in saddling a winner of the classic.Ridden by veteran South African-born jockey Glyn Schofield, Prized Icon ($17) saw off the challenge by favourite Sacred Elixir ($2.70) by two-and-a-half lengths with the well-backed Inference ($9.50) a further length-and-a-quarter away in third.Oceanographer put on a slashing Melbourne Cup trial in winning the Group 2 Lexus Stakes (2500m). Sweeping from last to first, and just getting there by the official margin of a long-neck, this Charlie Appleby-trained visitor from England propelled himself into calculations for Tuesdays race -- he is now second favourite at $6 with UBET?-- and received a one-kilogram penalty for the Cup in which he will now carry 52kg.Shane Nichols, from the Mornington Peninsula, meanwhile, saddled his first Group 1 win as I Am A Star ($8.50) saluted in the Myer Stakes (1600m). Jockey Dean Yendall is also having a Carnival to remember in riding his second career Group 1 winner after he steered Thursdays Crown Oaks favourite Yankee Rose to victory in the Spring Champion Stakes in Sydney three weeks earlier.The Mick Price-trained Flying Artie ($10) caused somewhat of an upset in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) for three-year-olds. Billed as the Race of the Spring, most pundits had his expected his stablemate Extreme Choice ($3.60) and Godolphins Astern ($2.80) would fight out the finish.The fourth Group 1 race on the day saw Le Romain ($15) win the Cantala Stakes over 1600 metres for Newcastle trainer Kris Lees, to give jockey Hugh Bowman a double after saluting aboard Flying Artie. In the very open race, favourite The United States ($6) finished just outside of the placings in fourth.Headline ActJames Cummings: Commenting that it might take a little while for the win to sink in, his reaction to the victory was as graceful as any post-race comments made immediately after the event could get -- especially when he paid tribute to the patient ride of Glyn Schofield in steering Prized Icon to victory.Away from the snapping photographers and glaring television cameras, the warm embrace between the trainer and his father, Anthony, said everything of their excitement at James achievement and the pride of a father seeing his son star on such a big stage. How often does the fourth generation of a training dynasty go on to win the same race over six decades?James was very quick to attribute any success he has had to the extraordinary situation of being mentored by his late grandfatherThe win was also a further family affair as James father-in-law, Filipino racehorse breeding magnate and major brewery executive Eduardo Cojuanco, bred Prized Icon at his southern New South Wales stud, while James wife -- Monica -- was also in the ownership.Talking PointDerby distance: It may not have been the first-choice topic of conversation among many of the 90,136 people who attended Derby Day, but the appropriateness of the 2500 metres Derby distance comes into question when many analysts are doing their form prior to the race.The Derby is run three months after the competitors officially turn three-years-old on Aug. 1. Is the race programming expecting too much of these young horses in training for and running in such an important race over that grueling distance? Is it too long?While Prized Icon looked to have handled the trip within himself, there is a case made by some trainers that once they have prepared horses of this age to race over such a distance, then it is more difficult to prolong their racing careers with success into their fourth year and beyond.Will we see a 2000 metre Victoria Derby sometime soon? Probably not. Tradition will weigh heavily on any decision.EyecatchersOceanographer: He was rated a $151 hope when Melbourne Cup markets opened in August. This Charlie Appleby-trained English raider confirmed he wasnt in Australia just to be a low-flying chance with his slashing third placing in the Geelong Cup, and he followed up with one of the most impressive Lexus Stakes performances for a winner of that race -- and as such produced one of the best Melbourne Cup trials in recent years.With the winner of the Lexus Stakes gaining automatic entry into the Melbourne Cup field, chief handicapper Greg Carpenter still allotted a one-kilogram penalty on the strength of the win to take Oceanographers Cup impost to 52kg. It drew this response from Appleby toward jockey Chad Schofield, who will take the Cup ride: It told Chad that he can have an extra cup of tea on the day then.UBET have Oceanographer as the second-favourite for the Melbourne Cup at $7.50.?Tiamo Grace: The Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) has historically been the best guide to the Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m) the following Thursday, and Tiamo Grace may well take it up to race favourite and Cox Plate third placegetter Yankee Rose in the classic. Tiamo Graces Wakeful win followed up a luckless run at Caulfield a fortnight earlier. While UBET have rated Yankee Rose at $1.95 in their Oaks market, Tiamo Grace is the second-favourite at $4.60.BlackbookersPure Pride: She was awkwardly away from the gates in the Group 1 Myer Classic and rattled home for fifth placing at $51. Should trainer Murray Johnson decide to line her up in the Group 2 Sandown Guineas (1600m) on Nov. 12, she may be one to remember.Rocketeer: There has to be a feature race win for this guy somewhere when the Autumn Carnival comes around in Sydney next year -- or earlier in the late summer features in Melbourne. He produced four consecutive second placings in lead-up runs and still ran a gallant seventh in the Derby at $12 having had to contend with starting from barrier No. 19.FlopAcatour: This colt may have jumped away from the barriers awkwardly and found to be lame in one leg post-race, but that gives no comfort to the punters who charged into him at $5 with UBET in the dying minutes before race time. Although there were those excuses, as noted in the Stewards Report, the colt also failed at its previous run at Caulfield as the $2.60 favourite. Cheap Air Max Sale . 1, meaning problems for the doping controls at both major international sports events next year. The World Anti-Doping Agency provisionally suspended the Moscow Antidoping Center on Sunday, saying its operations must improve or a six-month ban on the facilitys accreditation will be imposed. Air Max Ireland Sale . Tracey comes to the Blue Bombers after spending over a decade with Queens University. Most recently he was the schools assistant football coach. http://www.airmaxireland.com/ .500 on the season. The Jets are now 0-5-1 in the second game of back-to-backs. The game started the same way the Vancouver game started the night before, with the Jets taking the first two penalties of the game and killing off the first, but the Oilers getting on the board first, scoring on the second man-advantage. Cheap Air Max Ireland . The FA rejected Wilsheres appeal that the length of his punishment was "clearly excessive" and said Thursday his suspension begins with immediate effect. He will miss league matches against Chelsea on Monday and West Ham on Dec. Air Max Ireland . The Cincinnati Reds remain perfect with their speedy rookie outfielder in the starting lineup. BLACKSBURG, Va. -- Virginia Tech coach Buzz Williams consistently cites Ahmed Hill as the toughest player in his program.So it came as no surprise to him that Hill made the big plays in the final minute of a close non-conference game.Ive been to where Med grew up, Williams said. Hell be fine in the toughest situation you can create.Hill scored 20 points to lead the Hokies to an 80-75 victory over Ole Miss on Sunday.Hill hit 5 of 10 from the floor, including 3 of 6 from beyond the 3-point arc for Virginia Tech (8-1), which won its fourth straight game. Zach LeDay added 15 points.Sebastian Saiz led the Rebels (6-3) with 21 points.Ole Miss trailed the entire second half, including 68-54 with a little more than five minutes left to play, but the Rebels scored on six straight possessions. They hit three 3-pointers in that span to cut the lead to 71-70 on a basket by Cullen Neal with 1:224 remaining.But the Hokies went to Hill, and he responded, scoring six points in the final minute. He drained a jumper with 59 seconds left to push the lead to 73-70. He also hit four free throws in the final 16.6 seconds to help the Hokies hold on.Were trying to work on finishing better, Hill said. Last year, we didnt finish as well, and Buzz is trying to teach us how to finish better in the second half. Were learning every day.Hill made 7 of 10 from the free-throw line, but the Hokies connected on just 60 percent of their free-throw attempts (18 of 30). Virginia Tech was able to make up for it by hitting 10 of 26 from beyond the 3-point arc.If they get penetration, because of their spacing and ball movement, theyre going to find the open guy, Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy said. Youve got three of their five guys tyypically making 3s -- and then (Chris) Clarke throws one in.dddddddddddd And LeDay throws one in. It doesnt do good for the other team.BIG PICTUREOle Miss needs to shore up its perimeter defense if it harbors any hopes of postseason play. The Rebels gave up 10 3-pointers to Virginia Tech and have allowed at least eight 3s in eight of nine games this season.Virginia Tech added another impressive win to its resume, as it seeks a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Ole Miss came in ranked No. 26 in the Ratings Percentage Index. The Hokies also have non-conference wins against New Mexico, Nebraska and Michigan.QUOTE TO NOTEVirginia Tech post player Khadim Sy scored the Hokies first three baskets of the second half, forcing Kennedy to stop playing a 1-3-1 zone and go to a man-to-man defense -- which the Hokies exploited. Sy, a native of Senegal, scored just the six points, but had an impact on the game and has a huge fan in his coach Williams.Hes like Eddie Murphy in `Coming to America, Williams said. Hes just happy to be here. I think thats part of the reason why hes good. He doesnt have a lot of bad voices in his head. He wants to do what you ask him to do.UP NEXTThe Rebels return to action Thursday with a home game against Murray State for the first of three straight non-conference home games before opening SEC play against No. 6 Kentucky on Dec. 29The Hokies are in exams this week and dont return to the court until Saturday when they continue non-conference play with a home game against The Citadel. Virginia Tech is a combined 23-2 all-time versus its next three opponents. ' ' '