Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) - Flemington

Tuesday, 4 November 2008: Handicap of $5000000 and $100000 trophy. 1st $3000000 and $100000 trophy, 2nd $750000, 3rd $375000, 4th $200000, 5th $125000, 6th $110000, 7th $110000, 8th $110000, 9th $110000, 10th $110000.

Time: 3.20.40 (last 600m in 34.93) - Track Condition: Good

FF: Failed to finish

There is one story above all that made up the great race that was the 148th Melbourne Cup – Cups King Bart Cummings winning his 12th.
The trainer had been stalled on 11, six clear of the distant pack, since Rogan Josh won in 1999. Viewed, a $41 chance, brought up the 80-year-old’s dozen when he held out the international Bauer by a nose. The photo was almost as big a surprise as Rimfire’s win had been to Jack Thompson, the rider of second-placed Dark Marne in 1948, the first year the photo-finish was used in the Cup.

The moving picture on the big screen at Flemington and on television screens across the country – almost always the right guide - followed Bauer and rider Corey Brown, but it was course caller Greg Miles who got it right in going for Viewed, and it was 21-year-old jockey Blake Shinn who celebrated his maiden Melbourne Cup with more exuberance than did the great trainer. Not that Cummings wasn’t affected and not that anyone believed his “hay fever” line was anything but a cover for teary eyes. The win was also Cummings’ 250th at Group 1 level.

Along for the winning ride was Cummings’ greatest supporter, owner Dato Tan Chin Nam, who won a record fourth Cup after Think Big (1974, 1975) and Saintly (1996).  The fabulously wealthy Malaysian property developer caught Bart’s eye in an Adelaide hotel in the early 1970s when he had a string of wins at two-up. Both have been winners from the relationship, Cummings putting Cups in Dato Tan’s cabinets and Dato Tan helping Cummings out of a financial black hole that came with a failed horse syndication scheme in the early 1990s.

That they could celebrate this year shocked those who had “given” the Cup to the European visitors – Cummings had actually claimed the race involved “spot the Aussie” –  be it Aidan O’Brien and his Ballydoyle trio (Septimus, branded the best stayer in the world, Honolulu and Alessandro Volta), Luca Cumani with Mad Rush and Bauer, or Dermot Weld with Profound Beauty.

Cumani, second with Purple Moon the previous year, came the closest with Bauer, half-owned by Australians Terry Henderson and Simon O’Donnell and their OTI Racing. Not only did many think Bauer had won, but the official time, registered through a chip in the saddlecloth, had him .001 seconds quicker than the winner.
Shinn had been concerned he had gone too early – he put three lengths on the field at the 500 metres – on Viewed when Bauer came at him, but the visitor appeared to peak just before the line and the Scenic five-year-old held on.

Viewed’s form had appeared ordinary and his program had been hindered by being withdrawn at the barrier in the Yalumba Stakes, the week before the Caulfield Cup. He was 10th in that 2400-metre race, but had a checkered run after copping interference at the start. And his last in the Mackinnon (2000 metres), three days before the Melbourne Cup (3200 metres), came after a lot of dead-ends in the straight.

The Cup also will be remembered for the Ballydoyle “balls-up”, with O’Brien’s three Irish riders setting a suicide pace. Septimus (Johnny Murtagh) went to the lead, then handed over to Alessandro Volta (Wayne Lordan) and Honolulu (Colm O’Donoghue) slotted in behind them. Turning into the back straight the trio was four lengths clear and running sprint sectionals – not surprisingly they were done turning for home and they finished 18th (Septimus), 20th (Alessandro Volta) and 21st (Honolulu). Vets found Septimus and Honolulu were lame. The three-year-old Alessandro Volta was simply deadbeat.
Chief Steward Terry Bailey, having warned against team riding and pacemaking, called in O’Brien (on his way to the airport). The trainer said, angrily, that his horses had tried but he had got the tactics horribly wrong.

He did joke that he might have to work with Cummings to find the winning Cup formula. Hall Of Fame trainer Lee Freedman (52), who didn’t have a runner this year, said of Cummings: “We grew up watching him win Melbourne Cups and he’s still winning them. I’m equal second (with five) and I am officially no hope of getting anywhere near him. He’s a freak.’’

Hard luck stories came from the jockeys of C’Est La Guerre (Brett Prebble, third), Master O’Reilly (Vlad Duric, fourth) and Zipping (Dan Nikolic, ninth).

Cumani’s more favoured runner, Mad Rush (Damien Oliver, seventh), and Weld’s Profound Beauty (Glen Boss, fifth) appeared not to stay, despite beautiful rides and perfect runs. Weld indicated his mare would be a stronger chance when more seasoned next year.
Moatize (Clare Lindop, sixth) fits that category, and Cummings will be patient with him with the next Cup in mind.

The other O’Brien, Flemington trainer Danny, also had three runners – Barbaricus, by the sprinter Lion Hunter, who weakened to finish 19th; Gallopin, who choked down and did not finish; and Master O’Reilly, who ran on much better than last year when he was eighth as $3.80 favourite.