Dunaden wins thriller to keep Cup in France
Source: Agencies |
November 2, 2011, Wednesday
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FRENCH stayer Dunaden prevailed in a thrilling nose-to-nose sprint to the line with British-trained Red Cadeaux to win the US$6.2 million Melbourne Cup in a photo-finish at Flemington Race course yesterday.
French jockey Christophe Lemaire came from well back in the field to push the six-year-old Dunaden hard at the last turn but was joined out in front by the Michael Rodd-ridden Red Cadeaux and the pair fought a furious sprint down the straight of the 3,200-meter handicap, roared on by a huge crowd of over 100,000.
After several suspenseful minutes, Lemaire was announced victor in one of the closest finishes in the Melbourne Cup's 151-year history and the yellow-clad Frenchman pointed to his chest in disbelief before pumping his fist into the air.
Lemaire's triumph was tinged with regret for the rider he replaced, Craig Williams, whose dream of a historic Australian racing treble was dashed when a tribunal turned down his bid to appeal against a 10-race ban on Monday.
Williams, who won local marquee races the Caulfield Cup and the Cox Plate in the leadup, would have been "devastated" to miss out, said Lemaire, who first saw the track on Monday and did not know he was racing until after his plane touched down that morning.
"I didn't know if I could ride or not. It was for me already a pleasure to come to the Melbourne Cup as a spectator, so I was waiting for the judgement," he told reporters after riding the Mikel Delzangles-trained Dunaden to victory at 8-1 odds in the 23-horse field.
"I had a fall just before the Arc weekend and I lost eight winners, four group ones, so I know what it is to be in your armchair and watching your horses win."
Lemaire's triumph was also heartache for Rodd, and the Cup-winning jockey briefly coaxed his six-year-old gelding to a neck in front of Dunaden after a withering run on the outside before the French horse closed the gap.
Dunaden's victory kept Australia's richest thoroughbred trophy in French hands following Americain's win last year and was only the fifth time the trophy had been carried off by a non-Australian or New Zealand trainer.
French jockey Christophe Lemaire came from well back in the field to push the six-year-old Dunaden hard at the last turn but was joined out in front by the Michael Rodd-ridden Red Cadeaux and the pair fought a furious sprint down the straight of the 3,200-meter handicap, roared on by a huge crowd of over 100,000.
After several suspenseful minutes, Lemaire was announced victor in one of the closest finishes in the Melbourne Cup's 151-year history and the yellow-clad Frenchman pointed to his chest in disbelief before pumping his fist into the air.
Lemaire's triumph was tinged with regret for the rider he replaced, Craig Williams, whose dream of a historic Australian racing treble was dashed when a tribunal turned down his bid to appeal against a 10-race ban on Monday.
Williams, who won local marquee races the Caulfield Cup and the Cox Plate in the leadup, would have been "devastated" to miss out, said Lemaire, who first saw the track on Monday and did not know he was racing until after his plane touched down that morning.
"I didn't know if I could ride or not. It was for me already a pleasure to come to the Melbourne Cup as a spectator, so I was waiting for the judgement," he told reporters after riding the Mikel Delzangles-trained Dunaden to victory at 8-1 odds in the 23-horse field.
"I had a fall just before the Arc weekend and I lost eight winners, four group ones, so I know what it is to be in your armchair and watching your horses win."
Lemaire's triumph was also heartache for Rodd, and the Cup-winning jockey briefly coaxed his six-year-old gelding to a neck in front of Dunaden after a withering run on the outside before the French horse closed the gap.
Dunaden's victory kept Australia's richest thoroughbred trophy in French hands following Americain's win last year and was only the fifth time the trophy had been carried off by a non-Australian or New Zealand trainer.
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