‘Couldn’t really run the distance’: What the beaten brigade said after Knight’s Choice’s win in the 2024 Melbourne Cup

Buckaroo started the $6.50 favourite in Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup and while he loomed ominously at the 300m under jockey Joao Moreira, he couldn’t sustain the run.

Joao Moreira and Buckaroo head out to the track for the 2024 Melbourne Cup at Flemington. Picture: Vince Caligiuri / Getty Images

Star international jockey Joao Moreira has conceded Melbourne Cup favourite Buckaroo “couldn’t really run the distance”.

Buckaroo, the $6.50 favourite with Ladbrokes, settled fourth-last in the run the first time past the post, with Moreira unable to land in a more prominent position from barrier 21.

Moreira tried to work into the race from the 800m mark with a sustained gallop from back in the field and had Buckaroo widest of the 23 runners around the home turn.

The Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) winner, who was runner-up in the Caulfield Cup (2400m) last start, loomed ominously at the 300m mark but could not sustain the gallop.

The Chris Waller-trained gelding finished ninth, beaten 3.52 lengths.

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“Didn’t have the best of the runs because he was actually too wide,” Moreira said.

“It was hard to get in. He had to travel a little bit wide.

“He still had cover, but the distance probably just stretched him too much, and the last little bit, he started getting tired.

“So I’d say he couldn’t really run the distance.”

Waller saddled five in the field, including Land Legend (8th), Kovalica (10th), Valiant King (13th) and Manzoice (19th).

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Godolphin mare Zardozi, a $14 chance with Ladbrokes, finished fourth with the 3200m trip a stretch for last year’s VRC Oaks winner.

Third-placed Okita Soushi ($19) led the Ciaron Maher quartet, while Sydney Cup winner Circle Of Fire ($21) rode the hot speed and stuck on boldly for sixth.

“He (Okita Soushi) had the right form coming in, he’s a proper two miler, as is Circle (Of Fire), both solid, solid runs,” Maher said.

“Jamie (Kah) had a bit of a flutter at the 100m, she said, you could see them other horses were coming, but they ran super.”

Kah echoed the sentiment.

“Fantastic run. Couldn’t have asked for anything more from the horse,” Kah said.

“Got me a bit excited at the 200 (metre mark). I thought he was going to hang on, but he’s just a genuine one-pace horse, but couldn’t ask for anything more of him.”

• Read a full wrap of what the Melbourne Cup jockeys said here.

Originally published as ‘Couldn’t really run the distance’: What the beaten brigade said after Knight’s Choice’s win in the 2024 Melbourne Cup