Racing Victoria stewards praise ‘common sense’ whip use in 2023 Melbourne Cup

Racing Victoria’s chief steward Rob Montgomery was a happy man after Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup.

Chairman of Stewards Rob Montgomery. Picture: Vince Caligiuri / Getty Images

Racing Victoria’s chief steward Rob Montgomery was a happy man after Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup.

The race was run on a good (4) track, which was upgraded immediately after the Cup, while temperatures nudging 30 degrees made the $8 million event a true endurance test.

Montgomery praised the Melbourne Cup riders for their conduct in what can sometimes be a rough race for jockeys.

“It was really good,” he said.

“There was plenty of pace, clean riding and the riders used common sense with the whip.

“It was outstanding, I thought.”

Only the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Right You Are failed to finish while several runners were eased down by their riders when out of contention.

Jockey John Allen gets out of the saddle on Right You Are at the conclusion the 2023 Melbourne Cup. Picture: David Caird

Subsequent vets’ examinations, conducted once horses had cooled down, revealed three runners had pulled up lame.

Last year’s winner Gold Trip, who finished 17th, was lame in the right foreleg.

Alenquer (21st) pulled up with an issue in his left foreleg and Right You Are was found to be sore behind.

A vets’ examination of beaten $5.50 favourite Vauban revealed no abnormal findings.

Earlier, stewards suspended jockey Craig Newitt for 10 meetings for overuse of the whip on third-placed Platinum Wolf in the Subzero Handicap.

Newitt was also fined $500.

A three-year-old going places!

WARMONGER gets the photo and the prize in the TAB Trophy over 1800m.

📽 @10SportAU | #MelbourneCuppic.twitter.com/0JiAh6z2CN

— Victoria Racing Club (@FlemingtonVRC) November 7, 2023

Star jockey Damian Lane suffered the same fate for striking the winner Warmonger 10 times, five more than allowed, before the 100m of the Listed TAB Trophy.

Lane will be able to ride on Oaks Day but will miss Saturday’s Champions Day meeting.

Stewards also fined Lane $2000 of his $5250 winning percentage.

Melbourne Cup-winning rider Mark Zahra was fined $500 for breaking whip rules on Aztec State, who ran third in the TAB Trophy.

Originally published as Racing Victoria stewards praise ‘common sense’ whip use in 2023 Melbourne Cup