Ryan Moore rides Protectionist to victory at the Melbourne Cup. Photograph: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images
The 154th running of the Melbourne Cup has gone to Germany, with Protectionist bolting away to win by three lengths. But the race was soured by news that the pre-race favourite Admire Rakti died in his stalls after finishing last. A second horse, Araldo, was later put down after breaking a leg.
In one of the more emphatic Cup wins of recent times, English jockey Ryan Moore turned in a peach of a ride to save ground, avoid traffic, peel off the tiring horses and steer Protectionist to victory.
The remarkable Red Cadeaux, who hit the lead in the straight, was runner up for the third time. The frequent flyer, who has competed in Japan, Dubai, Hong Kong and the UK, always saves his best for Melbourne but once again found a better competitor on the day. Who Shot Thebarman ran third and Signoff fourth.
In his fourth start in the race, Precedence finished a credible sixth for the grandfather/grandson training combination of Bart and James Cummings.
A five year old, Protectionist is one of the most inexperienced horses to win a Melbourne Cup. Tuesday was just his 10th race start. But his form was strong, having taken out the Prix Kergorlay - a 3000m race in France, considered one of the strongest overseas betting guides. When he flashed home for fourth in the Herbert Power Stakes, bookmakers kept him safe, sending him out at 8-1 for the Cup. He had the perfect barrier, the right jockey and conditions to suit
The usual pre-race bedlam and high winds seemed to get to Protectionist but once the gates opened he relaxed and settled as good stayers do. In the final furlong, he was the only horse lengthening his stride.
Moore, as understated as ever described the win as “a pretty good feeling”. In little under a fortnight, the globetrotting jockey has pinched Australia’s two most esteemed races, the Melbourne Cup and the Cox Plate. Trainer Andreas Wohler was a little more effusive, declaring he and connections would celebrate long into the night. Kris Lees, whose great hope Lucia Valentina wasn’t a factor in the race, will take over the training duties with Protectionist, starting on Wednesday.
But the 2014 Melbourne Cup may well be remembered for all the wrong reasons. The old racing adage ‘weight stops a train’ proved true in the case of Japan’s Admire Rakti. A noted swooper and lugging 58.5kg, the favourite surprisingly raced handy to the speed but was under pressure 800 metres from home. Less than 20 minutes later, one of the grandest stayers in the world was pronounced dead. An autopsy will be held at quarantine headquarters at Werribee.
“It’s a shame. We had such a nice, clean-run Melbourne Cup,” the chief steward, Terry Bailey said.
Racing Victoria’s chief vet, Brian Stewart, told Fairfax Media that Admire Rakti died from a heart attack or internal bleeding. He added that such a death would occur in the death of only around 0.0075% of race horses.
“Irregular heartbeat, which progresses to a condition, called ventricular fibrillation, which means the heart beats in a bad rhythm and is similar to a heart attack in simple terms,” Stewart said. “It happens very, very rarely. Ventricular fibrillation of the heart in racehorses can be stress related. Adrenalin plays a role.”
Ward Young, a spokesman for the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses, condemned the death. “We are distraught to learn of another horse dying at the Melbourne Cup,” Ward said. “These events are more common then we would like to believe.”
Seventh-placed Araldo became spooked by the rowdy crowd following the race, fracturing a cannon bone. He was taken for surgery but vets were forced to put him down. The horse’s trainer, Michael Moroney, said Araldo was startled by a member of the crowd waving a flag.
“They’ve run 150 Melbourne Cups and nothing like that has happened before,” said Moroney. “It’s shattering for my owners, my staff and myself. We have just lost a great young stayer who was lightly raced and had just run seventh in the Cup. My staff are shattered. Everyone here is sticking together. We don’t blame anyone.”
No comments:
Post a Comment