Barwon Heads horse trainer Danny O’Brien running Vow and Declare in Melbourne Cup

Barwon Heads trainer Danny O’Brien will run a former Melbourne Cup winner in the race that stops a nation, and hopes it can join a very exclusive group of horses in the process.

Vow And Declare during trackwork at Flemington Racecourse on October 25, 2022 in Flemington, Australia. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Racing Photos via Getty Images)

Barwon Heads horse trainer Danny O’Brien is hoping he can make history in the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday.

O’Brien will enter ‘Young Werther’ and ‘Vow and Declare’ into the 24-horse event on Tuesday, with bold expectations for the pair of geldings.

He said he expected competitive runs and hoped to lift the cup on Tuesday.

“We’ll run both Vow and Declare, and Young Werther in the Cup,” he said.

“They’ve both had really good preparation leading into the race, Vow and Declare ran well in the Caulfield Cup and Young Werther raced in the Cox Plate on Saturday.

“I’d rather have 10 (horses) in the Cup, it gives you more chances of winning so having two is better for us.

“I think we’re a chance.”

Blake Shinn will ride Vow and Declare in the Melbourne Cup. Picture: Vince Caligiuri

Vow and Declare has a history at the famous event, winning the race in 2019.

No horse has won multiple Melbourne Cups since Makybe Diva triumphed three years in a row between 2003-2005.

Only Think Big (1974/75), Rain Lover (1968/69), Peter Pan (1932 and 1934), and Archer (1861/62) are the only horses to win the famous race twice.

Jockey Blake Shinn will ride Vow and Declare, while Damien Lane will be on the back of Young Werther on Tuesday.

Shinn is coming off a successful Geelong Cup day, winning three races including the main 2400m run last Wednesday.

The horse Shinn rode to victory in the Geelong Cup, Emissary, is set to compete in the Melbourne Cup next week.

O’Brien said he had a strong connection with the two jockeys set to ride on his horses.

“Blake has been in Hong Kong for a little while but he’s come back and ridden a few times with me,” he said.

Blake Shinn riding Vow and Declare (r) during the Breakfast With The Stars Trackwork Session at Flemington Racecourse on October 25, 2022 in Melbourne, Australia. Picture: Vince Caligiuri

“He won the Adelaide Cup with Demerger (in 2005) when he was still an apprentice.

“Damien has been someone that been working with our stable for a long time as well.”

O’Brien said he was hoping to replicate his Geelong Cup form on racing’s biggest day after claiming a win, three seconds and a third across the day.

“We had a great day last week, it was the right weather for it and the track was perfect,” he said.

“We raced well and had a few good results, it would’ve been nice to have a few more wins than seconds and thirds but that’s racing.”

Originally published as Barwon Heads horse trainer Danny O’Brien running Vow and Declare in Melbourne Cup