Melbourne Cup 2020: Twilight Payment makes it seven Cups for owner Lloyd Williams
Melbourne Cup outsider Twilight Payment gave Lloyd Williams a record seventh trophy but his thoughts were with the owners of Anthony Van Dyck, who broke down during the race.
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Lloyd Williams’ elation at snaring a record seventh Melbourne Cup victory with Twilight Payment has been dulled by the death of Anthony Van Dyck.
Williams, 80, took time out from modest celebrations at his Mornington Peninsula property to sympathise with the owners of the English Derby winner, who was catastrophically injured in the home straight.
“I am completely saddened by what happened to Anthony Van Dyck,” Williams said.
“Those boys (owners), the Magniers, (trainer) Aidan O’Brien and the Coolmore operation are great sportspeople.
“I’ve been very close to Aidan for two decades. I feel very, very sad about it.”
Williams watched the race from his home, adding the three-handled cup to those won by Just A Dash (1981), What A Nuisance (’85), Efficient (2007), Green Moon (2012), Almandin (2016) and Rekindling (’17).
“I’m down here avoiding Covid,” Williams said.
“But it’s very special to win this race. The Melbourne Cup has been my life.
“I’ve been living this dream since I was a young boy. I have to pinch myself.
“But I suppose we’ve had some success through planning. Life is about trying to win the Melbourne Cup.
“I’ve had horses for 60 years. I might need a psychiatrist.”
Williams races Twilight Payment with wife Suzie, son Nick and a host of prominent Melbourne businessmen including Gerry Ryan, Michael Gudinski and Phil Mehrten.
Trained in Kilkenny, Ireland, by Joseph O’Brien, Twilight Payment ran 11th in last year’s Cup but, according to Williams, has “been transformed this year.”
“Joseph is only a young man (27), but he’s done a great job with this horse,” Williams said.
“It really is quite remarkable what he has achieved.
“Joseph has done a terrific job and if you look at his form this year, he hasn’t put in a bad run.”
Just as he had in 2017, Joseph O’Brien denied his world-famous father Aidan victory with Tiger Moth finishing second.
Three years ago, Rekindling beat Johannes Vermeer.
Williams also paid tribute to winning rider Jye McNeil.
“He rode a great race,” Williams said.
“The plan was to ride him from the 1000m, put the foot down there and get them (the rest of the field) chasing.
“What an effort from Jye to judge it so perfectly.
“He’s won the Geelong Cup, Bendigo Cup and now the Melbourne Cup in two weeks.
“That’s incredible, really.”
As excited as he was over Twilight Payment’s effort to pick up $4.4 million winners’ cheque for the ownership group, Williams quickly turned to 2021.
“Forty years ago (1981), we planned six months out with TJ (Tommy) Smith with Just A Dash and the plan worked,” Williams said.
“Now, we plan 12 months out and sometimes the plan works.
“You lose a lot along the way. The best horse I’ve had was Efficient, who had problems but still won a Melbourne Cup.
“I suppose the planning starts now for 2021. The Melbourne Cup means everything.”
Williams this year closed down the Macedon Lodge training complex which catapulted Efficient, Green Moon and Almandin to Flemington glory.
Thank you so much for all the tweets. We can’t believe it! Thank you to Lloyd and @NCW717, @markepower and all the lads that have looked after the horses in Australia for the last six weeks and everyone here at home. Days like this are what we dream about. #twilightpayment pic.twitter.com/V0RG4Ki4g6
— Joseph O'Brien (@JosephOBrien2) November 3, 2020
The property developer has since entrusted his Cup dream to a host of trainers, including Joseph O’Brien and Danny O’Brien.
Williams woke to news on Tuesday Adelaide Cup winner King Of Leogrance had been ruled out of the Cup with lameness.
Eight hours later, Williams’ disappointment turned to joy - a joy muted by sadness.
Williams’ second runner Master Of Reality finished 15th.
Kerrin McEvoy, rider of runner-up Tiger Moth, was suspended and fined $50,000 for overuse of the whip.
Tiger Moth finished a long neck from Twilight Payment.
McEvoy pleaded guilty to using the whip 13 times before the 100m, eight more than allowed, and 21 times overall.
McEvoy’s earned $55,000 in riding percentages for his second placing on Tiger Moth but stewards stripped him of all but $5000 of that amount for his offence.
Stewards suspended McEvoy for 13 meetings, starting from midnight on November 5.
McEvoy will miss the final day of the Flemington carnival.
READ MORE RACING:
Melbourne Cup 2020: Winning jockey Jye McNeil’s incredible ride into history
YOUNG O’BRIEN BEATS DAD AGAIN
- Brad Waters
The apprentice might be able to school the master about winning a Melbourne Cup over dinner after Joseph O’Brien again denied his father Aidan victory, this time with Twilight Payment.
Aidan O’Brien has been trying to win the Melbourne Cup for more than a decade but Joseph has won the Melbourne Cup twice in the three years he has had a trainer’s licence.
Joseph’s runner Rekindling narrowly defeated Aidan’s hope Johannes Vermeer in 2017. Prominent Melbourne owner Lloyd Williams wasn’t fussed about that result as both horses carried his navy and white colours three years ago.
This time Joseph’s charge Twilight Payment did it the hard way from the front but pulled out enough late to beat Aidan’s main hope Tiger Moth, but minus the roars of the huge crowds of previous years.
A smattering of applause from track staff was all Jye McNeil received as he brought Melbourne Cup winner Twilight Payment back to scale following Tuesday’s triumph.
Melbourne Cup winners are usually greeted by the cheers of a well-oiled crowd but McNeil had time to let winning the great race at his first attempt sink in as Twilight Payment trotted back to scale alongside the clerk of the course.
But the empty lawns and grandstands didn’t dampen McNeil’s joy at his breakthrough triumph, nor did the fact trainer O’Brien and Williams weren’t on course.
“I’m not worried about the (empty) grandstand at all,” McNeil said.
To be able to get the opportunity from the Williams family to partner Twilight Payment today, not only them, but Joseph O’Brien who has done a fantastic job preparing him.
“It is very overwhelming.”
Joseph O’Brien said his father was just as thrilled for him as if he had won the race himself.
He said the COVID-19 crisis had threatened his plans to bring another Williams-owned team to Melbourne but a huge effort from both his team and Racing Victoria got his horses and staff across the globe.
“When the horses are around the track, they’re all doing their best and dad is delighted for me to have a winner as I’m delighted for him when he wins a race,” O’Brien said.
“It’s very special to be able to compete in these bigger races. This year in particular.
“There was a time when we weren’t sure whether we were going to be able to have runners in the race this year. Very special that we were able to compete in the race.”
Aidan must be wondering what he must do to win the Melbourne Cup. His lightly weighted runner Tiger Moth had every chance but couldn’t get past Twilight Payment in the straight.
He might also be rethinking his strategy after valuable Epsom Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck was euthanised after breaking down badly in the $8 million race.