Lloyd Williams sets sights on Bart Cummings’ record after Almandin wins the owner’s fifth Melbourne Cup
LLOYD Williams, the most successful owner in Melbourne Cup history, is chasing the legendary Bart Cummings’ 12 wins in the nation’s greatest race. WATCH THE FINISH
SuperRacing
Don't miss out on the headlines from SuperRacing. Followed categories will be added to My News.
LLOYD Williams, the most successful owner in Melbourne Cup history, is chasing the legendary Bart Cummings’ 12 wins in the nation’s greatest race.
The remark might have been in jest but it is a reflection of Williams’s magnificent obsession with the famous Flemington two-miler.
Williams celebrated his fifth Melbourne Cup win when his stayer Almandin wore down Heartbreak City in a thrilling straight-long duel before 97,479 race fans.
MELBOURNE CUP: WHERE YOUR HORSE FINISHED
THE CUP’S MOST TOUCHING MOMENT
“I was raised in a family of publicans and punters and this race has always been a part of my life,’’ Williams said. “I remember my dear, old friend, TJ Smith, won my first Melbourne Cup for me in 1981 with Just A Dash — and I was totally hooked.
“My major problem now is that I’m 76 and it is possible to catch Bart?
“George Hanlon once told me if I keep buying young horses I will have something to look forward to in life. So, that is my hope, to get to 12 Melbourne Cup alongside Bart. I hope we are all here when I am 98 talking about my 12th Cup.’’
Williams admits he only cares about one race, the Melbourne Cup, and he now has five three-handled loving cups on the mantelpiece after his wins with Just A Dash, What A Nuisance (1985), Efficient (2007) and Green Moon (2012).
Almandin ($11), brilliantly ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, edged past Heartbreak City ($19) to score by a long head in 3m 20.58s with more than four lengths to favourite Hartnell ($5.50) third. In other Cup news:
# The other Williams-owned Cup runners finished well back with Bondi Beach 13th, Assign 19th and Gallante 20th.
# Robert Hickmott trained his second Melbourne Cup winner after scoring with Green Moon.
# McEvoy also celebrated his second Cup triumph after riding Brew to success in 2000.
# Joao Moreira, rider of Heartbreak City, vowed to return to go one better: “It is a matter of time, I will be back and I will win this.’’
# Hartnell’s trainer John O’Shea described his stayer’s effort as “super”.
# Katelyn Mallyon failed in her bid to become the second female jockey after Michelle Payne to win the Cup when her mount Assign ran down the track.
# Rose Of Virginia ran last, crossing the line 99 lengths behind the second-last horse, Curren Mirotic.
Williams, a born and bred Melburnian, was once on the Victoria Racing Club board and was one of the driving forces in internationalising the Melbourne Cup.
“Back in 1990 the Melbourne Cup was struggling, we had no free-to-air television coverage and we had to pay Channel 10 to televise the race,’’ Williams recalled.
“The decision was made to try and get the internationals to come down for this race and in 1993 Vintage Crop won for Ireland — and the race changed forever.
“The Melbourne Cup has always been our race, it is known as the race that stops a nation, but it’s now a race that stops the world.’’
Despite Williams success in the Melbourne Cup, even he doesn’t believe he has the secret to winning the great race.
“You need a lot of luck, this is not an exact science,’’ he said. “I have brought some very bad horses over the years. I bought 40-odd between 1986-89 and didn’t have much success.
“We have made plenty of mistakes over the years but we have also learned more about the European horses. We are still making mistakes but you learn every day.’’
Moreira, rider of Heartbreak City, thought he was going to win the race when the Irish stayer strode past Hartnell.
“Fantastic run, unfortunately we did not win the race,’’ Moreira said. “Turning for home I thought he was going to win when I went by Hartnell easily.
“But then I looked to my outside and I saw Kerrin has his horse full of himself as well. We went for a battle and my horse tried his very best, gave 120 per cent, but I wasn’t able to succeed.
“Running second is not the best but I can’t be disappointed with the horse. I can’t find too many excuses with the run. But it is a matter of time and I will be back and I will win this.’’
Hartnell followed his Cox Plate second with a gallant third to give Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin yet another placing in the Melbourne Cup.
Trainer John O’Shea was left wondering what might have been after Hartnell’s brave third.
“I don’t know how Moreira did it from (barrier) 23 but he just kept us three-deep and parked him,’’ O’Shea said. “Hartnell went super, he just had to get one-off. It was no fault of James (McDonald), he just couldn’t get any closer.’’
The final word to Williams, who was trackside for the Melbourne Cup for the first time since watching the Cummings-trained Saintly in 1996, and revealed he was wearing the same grey suit and top hat he wore 20 years ago.
“I wish I had come to the track before now, the atmosphere on Cup Day is amazing,’’ Williams said. “I think I will be back next year. I’m very superstitious and after Almandin’s win I’ll be wearing the same suit again.’’
BIG BETS ON CUP WINNER ALMANDIN
$5,000 @ $14 (on October 29)
$2,000 e/w @ $17/$5 (on October 30)
$2,000 @ $10 (on October 17)
$200 @ $101 (on September 24)
$3,000 @ $11 (Tuesday)
$2,000 @ $12 (Tuesday)
$2,000 @ $11 TWICE (Tuesday)
BIG BETS ON THE CUP
$25,000 x $20,000 e/w on Hartnell (NSW TAB tote)
$28,000 x $20,000 e/w on Hartnell (VIC TAB tote)
$15,000 x $30,000 e/w on Hartnell (VIC TAB tote)
$10,000 x $20,000 e/w on Hartnell (VIC TAB tote)
$10,000 x $20,000 e/w on Hartnell (NSW TAB tote)
$4,000 on Qewy TWICE (VIC TAB tote)
$24,000 @ $6 on Hartnell
$16,000 @ $6 on Hartnell
$9,200 @ $8 on Jameka
$6,500 @ $31 on Grand Marshal
$6,000 at $9 Oceanographer
$5,000 e/w @ $21/$6 on Qewy
$5,000 @ $26 Who Shot Thebarman
$5,000 @ $10 on Bondi Beach
$5,000 @ $6 on Hartnell
$4,000 @ $35 on Secret Number
$4,000 at $16 Wicklow Brave
$4,000 @ $8.50 on Jameka
$3,000 @ $17 on Heartbreak City
Originally published as Lloyd Williams sets sights on Bart Cummings’ record after Almandin wins the owner’s fifth Melbourne Cup
Prognosis positive for raider’s Cox Plate shot
Intelligence from clashes with last year’s winner Romantic Warrior is being put to good use in Japanese visitor Prognosis’s quest for Cox Plate glory this month.
McColm secures top hoop for Far Too Easy in Kosciuszko
A leading jockey from Melbourne has jumped at the chance to ride The Kosciuszko third favourite Far Too Easy.