Godolphin finally gets its hands on an elusive Melbourne Cup

TWO decades and more than a billion dollars had been wasted in the pursuit of Melbourne Cup glory by a racing icon — until now.

THEY say good things come to those who wait.

Well, after two decades of playing the waiting game, high-profile stable Godolphin finally got its hands on the prize it craved most.

Racing has long been loved for giving average punters the chance to strike it big. But this year’s Melbourne Cup was anything but a win for the plucky underdog.

When Cross Counter surged past the line ahead of Marmelo (second) and A Prince of Arran (third), it marked a historic win for one of Australian racing’s most iconic figures, even if he’s never sighted at Flemington on the first Tuesday of November.

Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the backer behind Godolphin, the biggest thoroughbred racing operation on the planet. But despite its size and prestige, no Godolphin-bred horse had ever won the Melbourne Cup. Until now.

The Sheikh has tried for 20 years to dominate the race that stops the nation. Until today, he’d left each year disappointed.

Last year it was reported his efforts to win the Cup, combined with other racing operations Down Under, had set him back $1.1 billion. That’s a fair dent in the bank balance for most folk, but it doesn’t seem so bad when you find out the Sheikh is reportedly worth nearly $25 billion.

Twenty years of failure had previously seen the Sheikh branded the Melbourne Cup’s biggest loser.

ASTRONOMICAL AMOUNTS THAT WERE SPENT

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is finally a big winner.

Last year Fairfax Media reported Godolphin recorded a Spring Carnival loss of more than $91 million when it had five runners in the Melbourne Cup. In 2015, the Dubai-based stable initially nominated 10 horses to try and earn a place in the final field of 24 for the Cup, which saw the racing operation cough up $55.7 million.

After composing himself following wild celebrations at the end of the race, Cross Counter trainer Charlie Appleby paid tribute to the man behind the historic win, which saw the three-year-old gelding become the first English runner to claim the Melbourne Cup.

“This is everybody’s dream. It’s sinking in now. This is all down to Sheikh Mohammed,” Appleby told Channel 7 after the race.

“He’s the one that’s given us the encouragement to take the chances in what we do and we have campaigned over here the last three years now and have been competitive but we have always learnt each trip what horse we felt was going to be needed on the big day.

“This is all to do with Sheik Mohammad and Godolphin, they are all family.

“First and foremost this is for His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and Godolphin. This is a race for years we’ve been trying to win and I’m just in the fortunate position to be able to come here with the right horse.”

Winners are grinners.

Later, Appleby said: “For me it’s obviously very special to be here, but for the team, it’s just fantastic. I’ve spoken to His Highness and he’s over the moon about this result. It’s a challenge that’s been a long road.

“I can’t thank everyone enough. It’s a day I will never forget. It’s been a very memorable day.”

Victoria Racing Club chairwoman Amanda Elliot also congratulated the victorious Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates.

“This year’s winner, Cross Counter, is one of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s,” she said at the post-race ceremony.

“There is no one who has put more horses into this race and this is his wonderful first win. I hope he’s watching. We send him our best. And many, many congratulations.”

This is what it feels like to win a #MelbourneCup #TeamGodolphin 🏇 pic.twitter.com/aVxe3iFIzg

— Godolphin (@godolphin) November 6, 2018

The $4 million first place prizemoney awarded to the Cup winner will likely mean far less to the Sheik than the bragging rights he’s claimed.

Godolphin first entered the Melbourne Cup in 1998 with Faithful Son and has more than 900 runners a year in Australia alone. Before today, the mega stable had come away with just three second places and two thirds in the Cup.

Last year, Godolphin’s only runner Hartnell was a $26 outsider and finished 20th.

But this time it was different. Ridden to perfection by jockey Kerrin McEvoy, who won his third Melbourne Cup, Cross Counter made up for 20 years of misery.

“What a thrill, to do it for Sheikh Mohammed and Charlie Appleby. Obviously Godolphin has been a huge supporter of mine. Well done to Charlie and this little horse,” McEvoy said.

“Full credit to Charlie Appleby and the team and it’s a huge thrill to win Sheikh Mohammed’s first Melbourne Cup.”

Sheik it baby.