Vow And Declare wins

MELBOURNE: Vow and Declare has staved off international competition to win the A$8 million (K18.97 mil) Melbourne Cup at Flemington racecourse on Tuesday.
All 24 horses got away cleanly, with Vow and Declare (A$12 (K28.19) leading from Master of Reality, Twilight Payment and Youngstar as they passed the post for the first time.
Twilight Payment settled to hold the lead until the last turn before the Craig O’Brien-trained Vow and Declare held strong and won from the inside.
The thrilling conclusion to the 3200m race required a photo finish to settle second and third, with Irish stayer Master of Reality pipping English-trained Prince of Arran for third.
However, an immediate protest against Master of Reality jockey Frankie Dettori for alleged interference in the final 100 left the final results under a cloud.
The protest was upheld, promoting Prince of Arran to second ahead of Il Paradiso in third and Master of Reality in fourth.
Upstaging the favoured internationals with the Australian horse Vow and Declare, the victory handed jockey Craig Williams the ‘grand slam’ of the Cup, Cox Plate, Caulfield Cup and Golden Slipper.
“It was a privilege to ride him today. We had a difficult barrier draw,” Williams told Channel 10.
“Danny said ‘trust him, we know what he can do’. It’s been great to be associated with a great horse like this horse.”
Williams was close to winning the three major Melbourne races in 2011 after claiming the Caulfield Cup on Dunaden and Cox Plate on Pinker Pinker.
He famously missed the winning ride on the French-trained Dunaden in the 2011 Melbourne Cup because of suspension.
Eight years later, Williams joins Neville Sellwood, Roy Higgins, Pat Hyland, Mick Dittman, Jim Cassidy, Damien Oliver and Chris Munce as the only jockeys to win the ‘grand slam’. For O’Brien the win was one that meant everything.
The trainer was involved in a protracted battle with officials over a cobalt case, which he eventually won, but the process took its toll on his business.
“It doesn’t get much better than this,” he said yesterday “It’s an amazingly special thing to happen, I really can’t believe it.
“I feel incredibly blessed to have a horse good enough to be in it and then for him to be ridden so beautifully by Craig.
“The last 100, he just wouldn’t give in. He wouldn’t give in, put his head out on the line and now we’ve won the Melbourne Cup!”
Japan’s Mer De Glace had been at the top of markets since drawing gate two in Saturday’s barrier draw but by late Monday he was displaced as favourite by Finche, who was backed from A$9.50 (K22.31) into A$8 (K18.79) before sliding to A$8.50 (K19.96) before the race.
– AAP