REMEMBER WHEN

HOPES for a Gold Coast win in the next day’s Melbourne Cup were sky high.

Gold Coaster Peter O’Mara, part owner of Sky Heights, stood to win $300,000 of the $1.8 million first prize money if his stayer won the cup.

Weekend dramas over Tie the Knot’s inept Mackinnon Stakes effort and wide barrier drawn for danger horses Rogan Josh and Laebeel had greatly bolstered his confidence.

The previous week, Mr O’Mara and five fellow syndicate members believed the Zabeel four-year-old had the correct credentials to capture the “race that stops a nation”.

Sky Heights, the 5/2 favourite, drew the coveted rails position.

Mr O’Mara and his partners said they were even more confident.

“Everything has fallen into place, it could not be better,” he told the Bulletin just days before the race.

“Sky Heights has drawn barrier one and the main dangers, Rogan Josh and Laebeel are off the track and so wide they’ll need track and plenty of it to compete.”

Rogan Josh, with jockey John Marshall went on to win the race, with Central Park second and Lahar and Zazabelle dead heating for third.

Sky Heights, ridden by Damien Oliver, placed 17th in the field of 24.

Meanwhile, a manhunt was launched following a frenzied stabbing attack on a woman at a Gold Coast boat ramp.

She was knifed 10 times before she broke free and escaped from the man.

Police began a large-scale hunt for the man.