AUSSIES RECLAIM CUP
MELBOURNE: Vow And Declare has repelled the international invasion to deliver an allAustralian Melbourne Cup victory and a slice of history for jockey Craig Williams.
In his 16th cup ride and eight years after missing the winning mount on Dunaden through suspension, Williams became just the eighth jockey to claim Australian racing’s big four of the Melbourne and Caulfield Cups, Cox Plate and Golden Slipper.
For trainer Danny O’Brien, it was vindication of his fight to clear his name in the longrunning cobalt saga that threatened his career.
In a thrilling fourway finish, Vow And Declare, who had raced near the speed throughout, surged again on the line to get the verdict by a head.
Master Of Reality was second past the post but relegated to fourth on protest, elevating Prince Of Arran to the runnerup stall with Il Paradiso another nose back.
Williams was thrilled an Australianbredandowned horse was the one to deliver his longedfor Melbourne Cup.
‘‘To be lucky enough to be associated with an Australianbred horse as the race is now so international, it’s wow,’’ Williams said.
‘‘It is very special to be able to win our greatest race.
‘‘It just resonates with everyone. It stops the nation. It’s very special so I’m very thrilled.’’
Williams had finished runnerup aboard Vow And Declare in the Caulfield Cup and also just missed aboard second placegetter Castelvecchio in the Cox Plate.
Connections of Vow And Declare did not tie him down to instructions but he had pored over hours of form and had faith in his horse and his own decisionmaking.
‘‘I went out there with a clean mind, an open book and I was confident in the horse,’’ Williams said.
‘‘He was so happy and rolling along. I was happy to take up the lead and then I was happy to take a sit.
‘‘I had the horse to deliver and he was awesome.’’
O’Brien was not expecting Williams to be as positive as he was on Vow And Declare but said it was a winning move.
Nor was he certain the horse had won in the driving finish.
‘‘But we got the photo and they can’t take it off us now,’’ O’Brien said.
O’Brien also joins an elite squad of trainers to have prepared the winners of
Melbourne’s three feature spring races. He adds the Melbourne Cup to his Caulfield Cup with Master O’Reilly and Cox Plate with Shamus Award, an achievement O’Brien put in perspective.
‘‘Someone told me yesterday there has been no trainer win the three of them in the last 15 years and the last guy was Bart Cummings, so it’s pretty special to have won all three of them,’’ he said.
It was a case of what might have been for the vanquished.
Frankie Dettori has won 250 group 1 races around the world but fell agonisingly short at his 17th Melbourne Cup attempt.
To rub salt into the wound, Master Of Reality lost second place on protest and an inconsolable Dettori was hit with a ninemeeting carelessriding suspension.
‘‘I want to cry,’’ Dettori said. Champion trainer Chris Waller was widely tipped to make a clean sweep of the three richest races in the country after claiming the Everest and Golden Eagle in Sydney.
But favourite Finche fell short, finishing seventh, while stablemate Youngstar was 20th.
The Lindsay Park operation, headed by David Hayes, saddled up three runners but Rostropovich sustained a stress fracture to his pelvis during the race.
He was taken to the University of Melbourne Equine Centre where veterinarians reported the horse to be stable.
The stable’s other runners, Constantinople and Neufbosc, finished 13th and 21st respectively.
The Southland bredandowned The Chosen One could not see out the distance of 3200m and finished 17th of the 24 runners.
WINGATUI galloper Outramlooks to be in for a big season, going by his impressive win at the Otago Racing Club’s meeting yesterday.
The Brian and Shane Andertontrained 4yrold produced a huge finish from off the speed to win for rider Jacob Lowry on a day when racing appeared to favour horses close to the pace.
Outram’s ability has not been in question during his fivestart career, but his temperament has been.
‘‘Last season he just wanted to go a hundred miles an hour, so we have just taken our time with him,’’ Shane Anderton said.
‘‘I think he can go on to better things. He should get up to 1400m and 1600m later on.’’
Outram, by the Andertons’ sire Gallant Guru, raced unkindly in his first three starts but has now together backtoback wins.
He is likely to race on the Otago summer circuit.
The choice of where could be the most vital part of the Andertons’ planning for Outram’s next start.
‘‘He is such a bigstriding horse he would be no good on some of the smaller tracks,’’ Anderton said.
‘‘We will try to pick out a nice race for him on one of the bigger tracks.’’
The biggest track in the South Island awaits Gallant Boy following his win in race 8, a 1400m open handicap.
The 9yrold is set to start in the Coupland’s Mile on the middle day of the New Zealand Cup carnival in Christchurch.
‘‘We are paid up for the Coupland’s Mile, so as long as he pulls up well he will go there,’’ Anderton said.
Rider Corey Campbell had Gallant Boy handier to the speed than he has been in some of his 1400m starts.
Gallant Boy did not waste his chance when in striking position on the home turn, scoring by a half length over runnerup Irish Excuse.
WINGATUI trainers made sure the riches from the Otago Racing Club’s Melbourne Cup day meeting stayed close to home, dominating yesterday’s ninerace card.
Trainer Terry Kennedy starred on his home club’s biggest day, scoring a winning treble with Ray’s In Command, Bakela and Havana Heights.
Trainers Brian and Shane Anderton notched wins with Gallant Boy and Outram, and Steven Prince’s added a victory with Deciptio Visus.
Wingatui jockeys Jacob Lowry, Courtney Barnes and Corey Campbell notched a victory each on the Wingatui runners.
Barnes rode Havana Heights to win race 5. Her United Kingdom owner David King enjoyed instant success with Kennedy when the 5yrold gained her maiden win over 1400m.
King offered Kennedy the mare to train as Kennedy had had success training her halfsister, Lesley Brook, to win five races.
‘‘David rang me out of the blue and asked me if I would train the horse for him because she was a halfsister to Lesley Brook,’’ Kennedy said.
Havana Heights had largely struggled in the North Island before joining Kennedy, with two placings in 12 starts.
The mare looks as if she will improve on her record, judging by the way she ran to the
line yesterday. Havana Heights pricked her ears halfway down the straight and looked more focused on the action on the outside of the track than the race in front of her.
‘‘I think she will do a good job down here. She has still got a bit to learn,’’ Kennedy said.
‘‘She is bred to get a bit of ground, probably not this season, but next season she could be a Dunedin Gold Cup horse because she is a beautifully bred mare.’’
Bakela relished stepping on to an improved track to win race 2, after battling through heavy ground in his recent starts.
Rider Chris Johnson gave Bakela the perfect run behind the leader, Bluey’s Chance, before the 5yrold overhauled his rival in the straight.
Johnson produced a brilliant ride to score the first of his two wins for Kennedy with Ray’s In Command in the opening race. He set a comfortable race tempo for the 5yrold before letting him sprint to a comfortable maiden victory
‘‘It was a great ride by Chris. He said the horse won with plenty in hand and gave him a good feel,’’ Kennedy said.
Members could be forgiven for thinking Ray’s In Command is named after Otago Racing Club president Ray Kean.
The galloper is raced by the club’s former president, Stephen Grant, and fellow committee member Fred King.
King formerly raced and still owns Lesley Brook, the halfsister to Havana Heights.
He is no relation to Havana Heights’ owner, David King.
Kean took over the presidency of the club from Grant last year.
Grant said it was merely a coincidence that Ray’s In Command shared the name of the man now in command of the club.
‘‘We raced the dam, Kay’s In Command, and Ray’s In Command is a combination of her name and his sire, Raise The Flag.’’
Kean also notched a win yesterday, as he shares in the ownership of Outram. The 4yrold won race 7 over 1200m with Jacob Lowry in the saddle.
❛ It was a great ride by Chris. He said the horse won with plenty in hand and gave him a good feel
Trainer Terry Kennedy talking about the win of Ray’s In Command