Secured in great race
The loss, though, was worth it. Come August of that year, Jenkins phoned Munce again, wanting to book him for the Melbourne Cup. Having seen her up close in Auckland, Munce jumped at the chance.
“The first day I rode her (in the Caulfield Stakes) … she was a hot filly. She was a Zabeel, so was quite hot, a bit stirry and she raced a bit that way,” Munce said,
“The more racing she got, the better she settled down and come race day she was a real professional.”
The Melbourne Cup dream hit a speed hump in a roughhouse Caulfield Cup, where Munce and Jezabeel were almost put through the rail when European jockey Ray Cochrane shifted in abruptly on the eventual winner, Taufan’s Melody.
“It was disappointing. I’d had a good run, I was closer in the run than I expected and everything was beginning to unfold nicely. I thought I was going to kick through and win the race,” Munce said.
“Brian was quite angry. He was filthy. They were talking about legal action and everything. I was disappointed too, but you can only do so much.
“The upside was I knew I was on the right horse after Caulfield. She just kept improving.”
Munce had only had one ride in the Melbourne Cup before 1998, running 11th on Aquidity in 1992.
Even though Jezabeel drew 16, the race panned out perfectly with the mare relaxing beautifully and getting into a nice position near the speed.
All looked good until Glen Boss, a fellow Queenslander, loomed large on the Mackinnon Stakes winner Champagne.
“I remember that vividly. When I got to the front I thought, ‘Geez, I hope I haven’t gone too early.’ I sensed Champagne coming up on my outside,” Munce said.
“I was still riding for my life. It was my second ride in a Melbourne Cup and I was just happy to run second.
“It wasn’t until the last 100m, I could feel my mare was still sustaining her gallop and I could sense Champagne weakening on her run. Jezabeel and myself, I think we took another gasp of air and we fought even harder. It was tooth and nail right through the line.
“I was still a bit unsure ... I hadn’t had that many rides at Flemington so I didn’t know the angles that well. I felt that I’d won, but I wasn’t getting carried away until my number came up.”
Munce had a few more rides in the great race over the years, with his best result being third on Maybe Better to the Japanese duo Delta Blues and Pop Rock in 2006.
Jezabeel never raced again, but Munce saw her some time later at Sir Patrick Hogan’s Cambridge Stud and noted how she had let down into a beautiful broodmare.
The two share a special bond, having scaled the biggest mountain in Australian racing, and 20 years on their moment together is as vivid as ever.
“It’s a great club to be part of. The Melbourne Cup is iconic, it’s history. To go down in racing history was a terrific thrill,” Munce said.