Who Shot Thebarman carrying Otago cup dreams
NORTH Taieriborn contender Who Shot Thebarman will carry the hopes of the Otago thoroughbred breeding industry when it lines up in today’s Melbourne Cup.
To win the race and set off a ring of cheers across the Taieri Plain, the 10yearold horse will have to create history at 5pm today.
The horse, bred by Brian and Lorraine Anderton, at White Robe Lodge, will attempt to become the oldest horse to win the $7,050,000 event that first ran in 1861.
Only eight have attempted the feat at the ripe age of 10 and most have not finished in the first half of the field.
The combination of Who Shot Thebarman’s age, past successes and his quirky name have elevated him to culthero status among horse racing fans.
Though the horse is rated as an outsider, Brian Anderton has no doubt Who Shot Thebarman will be competitive.
The horse comes in to the race after a fast finishing fourth in his last start in the 2500m Moonee Valley Gold Cup last weekend.
‘‘As an observer, I thought it was a really good run and it suggested to me that over a bit more ground he will be ready to go a good race,’’ he said.
‘‘He has got barrier 18 to start from and no horse has won from there, but I said there is going to have to be one one day and it could be him.
‘‘It would mean an awful lot to us if he was able to do it.’’
Who Shot Thebarman is owned by the O’Leary family, of Whanganui. They purchased the horse for just $8000 from White Robe Lodge.
The four brothers and their wives named the galloper after a phrase their aunt would use when she was holding an empty glass.
Who Shot Thebarman has already competed in the big race three times for third, fifth and 11th placings.
He was sired by Yaminin Vital, which was struck down by an intestinal problem in the prime of his stud career.
His dam, 18yearold Ears Carol, resides at the stud. Who Shot Thebarman is at long odds of 34 to one to win today’s 3200m event.
I was pretty driven to make an impact when I came back, and I am more motivated now than
I have ever been
WELLINGTON: Kiwi jockey James McDonald has a golden opportunity to win Australasia’s greatest race today when he partners Yucatan in the $A7 million ($NZ7.57 million) group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m).
The Aidan O’Brientrained runner is a $5.50 favourite for the race that stops a nation following a dominant victory in the group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) at Caulfield last month, and has all the attributes to provide his 26yearold jockey with a breakthrough cup success.
Victory in the twomile feature would be extra special for the boy from Cambridge, who took all before him as an apprentice jockey in New Zealand before shooting to prominence as a star of the international jockey ranks.
With two Sydney jockeys’ premiership wins, a Golden Slipper triumph on Mossfun and a contract as the retained rider for Godolphin’s Australian operation, McDonald had the world at his feet.
But his world came crashing down following an 18month ban from racing for a betting misdemeanour, which resulted in him being off the scene between November 2016 and May of this year.
The time away from racing has given McDonald a greater perspective on life, and he has returned to the saddle in devastating form.
‘‘I was pretty driven to make an impact when I came back, and I am more motivated now than I have ever been,’’ McDonald said.
‘‘I want to get as much success as possible and source the best rides.
‘‘When you do ride a winner, it probably feels more special because you’ve had so long out, and you don’t take it for granted. I just enjoy riding at the moment.’’
McDonald will be having his fifth ride in the Melbourne Cup today and hopes he can improve on his placed efforts with Fiorente (second, 2012) and Hartnell (third, 2016).
‘‘It’s really satisfying to be on a live chance in the race and he’s with the best possible team,’’ he said. ‘‘I have been dreaming of a Melbourne Cup for many, many years — since I was a boy, and obviously it would be a dream come true.’’
McDonald will have to be at the top of his game after Yucatan drew barrier 23 in the 24horse field. The last horse to triumph from the wide barrier was mudlark Van der Hum in 1976.
But the subsequent performance of the two horses that filled the placings behind Yucatan in the Herbert Power Stakes has given McDonald greater confidence.
‘‘The horse that won the Lexus Stakes [A Prince Of Arran], I could have beaten it by six or eight lengths in the Herbert Power, so it was satisfying to see the two placegetters run so well in the Lexus . . . the form is franked and it is all good signs.
‘‘The wide draw of 23 is not really a big deal. He’s a European horse who is normally slow into gear anyway, so it gives me a bit of time to sort myself out and get in a position where it’s going to be winnable.’’
McDonald has ridden the winners of 36 group 1 races and produced a gem to land Saturday’s group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) on the New Zealandbred Shillelagh.
He said it was just great to be involved in the cup this year.
‘‘I’m really looking forward to it. He looks the horse to beat.’’ — NZ Racing Desk