The best moments of the spring.

Racing enthusiast and UFC star Jack Jenkins has listed his top 5 moments of the Spring Carnival.

‘Phar Jack’, who is a Victorian Racing Club (VRC) ambassador, was fully buoyed by the popularity of racing this spring.

“I don’t think here’s ever been a better Spring Carnival in my lifetime,” Jenkins said on SENTrack & RSN’s Giddy Up.

He was a massive fan of Jamie Melham’s Caulfield/Melbourne Cup double on Half Yours, but what else was on his list?

Phar Jack’s Top 5

5 - Jamie Melham’s Cups double

“For Jamie to come back from the big fall she had and there were questions about her confidence and her ability to ride how she used to,” Jenkins said.

“To see her come back this spring and ride big winners plus two of the majors was great.”

4 - Racing Blogger’s involvement

“I thought he was an absolute revelation.

“I will admit that I was completely on the fence about him just from what I’d seen on social media until the day we sat down at the Ascot Vale Hotel for the Cox Plate luncheon.

“He’s just a super out there, contagiously happy guy. He was even getting photos with bookies.

“He was a bit of a hit.”

3 - Pride Of Jenni’s Empire Rose win

“To be retired twice and to come back and perform like that, she carries the hearts of the punters on her sleeve.

“It was a huge roar. Everywhere you watched it, you can see videos of people in pubs and all kinds of places watching her do it.”

2 - Goodbye to The Valley

“I thought it was done with the respect that the track and facilities deserved from the executives and the whole team at Moonee Valley.

“They sent it off in a way that was fitting. It made me excited moving forward that they will give the new facility the same show of respect.”

1 - Champions Day… easily

“It is easily Champions Day.

“That day has become the best day of the carnival.

“You had Giga Kick win, Via Sistina win again - I just think it is the best day.

“And then you had Fisher and the buzz about that was massive.

“The mainstay of that day is the way they’ve programmed the racing and it makes it the best day of the carnival.”

Gareth Hall also put forward his Top 5.

Hall’s Top 5

5 - The theatre of the Everest

“From the fake news regarding Ka Ying Rising in the build-up and whether he would perform like he had in Hong Kong,” Hall said.

“He got to $3 during the week the to $1.70 on the day and blew them away.”

4 - Champions Day

“It was a terrible day (weather wise) but the love of racing really shone through by the people who rocked up.”

3 - Melbourne Cup

“Loved it. It was the best story to come out of the race that Half Yours was able to win.

“Think about the difference if say Goodie Two Shoes won. It would have been a great story but nothing like Half Yours and Jamie Melham.”

4 - Pride Of Jenni’s Empire Rose

“I’ve never heard a roar like that on Derby Day.”

1 - Cox Plate

“It wasn’t the best Cox Plate field and Via Sistina has gone better, like she did in 2024, but just the finale for the last Cox Plate at The Valley as we know it.

“To have a finish like that when she had to dig deep. The roar of The Valley, you can feel it in your body when everybody gets up.

“That’s my number one.”