Yucatan jockey explains why favourite fell short in Melbourne Cup

YUCATAN was the punters’ pick for the Melbourne Cup but never looked a chance, finishing 11th. But that wasn’t a surprise to jockey James McDonald. READ WHAT EVERY JOCKEY SAID

WHEN the rain started to fall, James McDonald knew.

Melbourne Cup favourite Yucatan had been highly touted, but the remnants of a morning of torrential rain at Flemington hampered the raider, quashing owner Lloyd Williams’ hopes of a Cup three-peat to finish 11th.

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE WHAT EVERY JOCKEY SAID AFTER THE RACE

“Absolutely (I was concerned when the rain came in the morning),” McDonald said.

FINAL ORDER: WHERE EVERY HORSE FINISHED

TRAGEDY: IRISH STALLION DIES DURING CUP

CRAZY WEATHER: RACEGOERS GET WET AND WILD

“Same with the connections, as well.”

He said he had been pleased with how the five-year-old was travelling early but that he had been brought undone by the “sticky” surface.

Vets later reported that Yucatan had pulled up lame following the race.

“I was very happy (in the race),” McDonald said.

“He travelled well but as soon as they quickened up, he just couldn’t quicken up as well.

“He travelled well, just in that sticky ground he just couldn’t quicken up like he did at Caulfield. I thought he was always a good track horse, and that was the case.”

The Melbourne Cup field early in the race.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien’s travelling foreman TJ Comerford later said that every time the horse had run on a soft ground like that on show at Flemington today, he had produced a similar result.

McDonald, who watched last year’s Melbourne Cup from the sidelines as he served an 18-month ban, admitted being part of the proceedings was a far better way to take in the race.

“Absolutely,” he said.

“It’s good to be there.”

Cross Counter (red cap) ridden by Kerrin McEvoy gets the better of Marmelo in the final stages. Picture: Jason Edwards

RUNNER-UP MARMELO AN ‘UNBELIEVABLE HORSE’

MARMELO is “adored” and almost jagged a Melbourne Cup after last year’s flop.

But trainer Hughie Morrison knew he would have to be lucky to hold on.

The British raider led in the closing stages, with jockey Hugh Bowman within reach of a Melbourne Cup to add to the fourth Cox Plate he collected a fortnight ago.

Morrison had kept the six-year-old fresh for this year’s campaign, having finished ninth in last year’s feature despite high hopes, but said he knew when his horse led at the clock tower, he knew Cross Counter would leave Marmelo in its wake.

“He’s an unbelievable horse,” he said of the runner-up.

“We adore him. He’s done everything we could have expected.”

Morrison said Bowman had given his mount “a lovely ride”, but one he knew would end in defeat as Kerrin McEvoy’s red helmet appeared from the corner of his eye.

“I said if we hit the front there (near the tower), somebody will probably run us down,” he said.

“And they duly did. I realised 100m out, because I saw the red cap coming. It was hardly a flicker, really.”

Bowman was philosophical, saying his mount had “ran his race”.

Hugh Bowman returns to the mounting yard after finishing second on Marmelo. Pic: AAP

“(I’m) disappointed but proud of the horse,” he said.

“Congratulations to Hughie for bringing him over in such good order.”

Morrison said Marmelo was owned by “a small owner-breeder” who had watched on from England.

“To run a race like that is fantastic,” he said.

“What an achievement to get a second in a Melbourne Cup.”

The English trainer and his crew leave Melbourne today, he said, meaning any celebrations would have to be kept in check.

He had earlier hoped for rain — which came in buckets early in the day — but said his charge would have performed regardless.

“He came there to win the race and just got run down by obviously a very good horse which, weight for age is an interesting scenario,” he said.

“We’re probably less mature than he is.

“I was pleased it rained. I think he would have still been right up there if it hadn’t rained. I just hope he’s all right in the morning.”

Third placegetter A Prince Of Arran gave trainer Charlie Fellowes — who had earlier in the day given his horse little chance in the race — a sense of hope as they took the final turn, but jockey Michael Walker said the six-year-old would be primed for a tilt at next year’s race.

“All heart, the horse,” he said.

“I tell you, I’ve got a top chance for next year and I believe if he didn’t win on Saturday, he would have won today.”

The Cliffsofmoher jockey Ryan Moore congratulates winning trainer Charlie Appleby. Picture: David Caird

WHAT EVERY CUP JOCKEY SAID

1st — Cross Counter (Kerrin McEvoy): “It’s a huge thrill to win this race, as I said in the press yesterday, to repay a bit of faith that he showed in me. So huge thanks to my team. My lovely wife and family. Kathy does a great job. I love you so much. And obviously got a huge team around me personally as well. I would like to thanks each and every one of them. Yeah, I’m over the moon. Unbelievable feeling.”

2nd — Marmelo (Hugh Bowman): “Ran his race. Disappointed but proud of the horse.”

3rd — A Prince Of Arran (Michael Walker): “He’s all heart, the horse. I couldn’t have asked for a better run. At least I’ve got a top chance for next year and I believe if he didn’t run Saturday he would have won today.”

4th — Finche (Zac Purton): “Excellent run. I think if it was a firmer track he might have gone closer.”

5th — Rostropovich (Wayne Lordan): “Ran very well. Very pleased in him, so (it was a) good day.”

6th — Youngstar (Craig Williams): “I was delighted with her performance. The only female in the field, she had a lot of girl power today. We had a great run throughout and all I can say is I wouldn’t change anything bar the result. It will just season her up and make her harder for when she comes back.”

7th — Sir Charles Road (Dwayne Dunn): “Super effort. Had a splendid run in transit. Probably just missing the Caulfield Cup, just lacked a little bit of fitness, but great run.”

8th — Best Solution (Pat Cosgrave): “Slow away and just playing catch-up after that. Just too far back.”

9th — Muntahaa (Jim Crowley): ““He didn’t really travel. I thought he would be a bit keener than he was. The ground had maybe got a bit too soft for him as well. When we turned I thought he would be thereabouts but he just poked on one-paced.”

10th — Ventura Storm (Mark Zahra): “He gave it his all. I had a nice run, but he just doesn’t stay two miles.”

11th — Yucatan (James McDonald): “He worked into a nice spot from the gate. He travelled really nicely. I just felt he didn’t stay the two miles.”

12th — Nakeeta (Regan Bayliss): “He gave me a lovely ride throughout. I was still travelling at the 600m to 400m. It was a gallant effort.”

13th — Zacada (Damian Lane): “He ran great. The slow speed worked against him, but he ran really well.”

14th — Chestnut Coat (Yuga Kawada): “He had an ideal run through the race and he tried hard.”

Kerrin McEvoy kisses Cross Counter after the gelding won the Melbourne Cup.

15th — Vengeur Masque (Patrick Moloney): “The soft track saw him out today on 3200m. I don’t know whether he ran out the trip. He had a lovely run, had every opportunity, but in this sort of going it just found him out.”

16th — Magic Circle (Corey Brown): “I was disappointed. I had a great run from the barrier but he never gave me a kick at all.”

17th — Who Shot Thebarman (Ben Melham): “He’s getting on now and he probably didn’t let down to the best of his ability.”

18th — Sound Check (Jordan Childs): “Thought he ran well considering he just got caught wide going out of the first corner and had to do a lot of work, but he was pretty honest to the line.”

19th — Runaway (Stephen Baster): “It was a great thrill winning the Geelong Cup, but the two miles was just too far for him today..”

20th — Ace High (Tye Angland): “He just had to work from a wide gate. He was comfortable but struggled to run the trip.”

21st — Auvray (Tommy Berry): “He just wasn’t good enough. Someone just said to me, ‘Well done, Kerrin.’ So, feels like I did win.”

22nd — Avilius (Glyn Schofield): “We were behind the horse that had the accident which put paid to our chances.”

23rd — Red Cardinal (Damien Oliver): “He raced a little bit keen on the slow pace and when it was time to go, he just didn’t have enough there to finish the race off.”

The Cliffsofmoher: (Ryan Moore): N/A.