Melbourne Cup finishing order: Assessing each runner and what the jockeys said

1ST: 4-VERRY ELLEEGANT (NZ). $18.00, $5.00
Trainer: Chris Waller
JOCKEY: James McDonald: “I was very confident in the mare today. Thoughts went through my mind at the 500 metres when I saw Incentivise getting shoved along but I knew he would fight. There wasn’t a horse that was going to come from behind me, it was just a matter of catching him.”

Got too far back last year but given a peach of a ride by McDonald, who settled the mare midfield and tracked Spanish Mission into the race. You did not want to be on any other horse upon straightening. Dominant winner in the fifth fastest running of the race.

That winning feeling: James McDonald aboard Verry Elleegant.Credit: Getty Images

2ND: 2-INCENTIVISE. $1.45.
Trainer: Peter G Moody
JOCKEY: Brett Prebble: Courageous effort. His first time to this trip and it took a champion to beat him.”

Excellent run by the new star of the Australian turf, who was gallant in defeat. After settling outside the leader, Persan, on a strong speed, he was left in the lead at the top of the straight but was no match for the winner. That he hung on for second while Persan finished 20th spoke volumes to his performance.

3RD: 3-SPANISH MISSION (USA). $3.30.
Trainer: Andrew Balding
JOCKEY: Craig Williams: “Couldn’t have been any more impressed with his gallant performance. I had the option of being one horse in for the entire race but I decided to be on the back of Grand Promenade, I thought it would take me nicely into the race and we did. But when Verry Elleegant came around me, she was towing.”

Given every chance by Craig Williams, the European stayer settled just off the speed but did not have the acceleration to match the weight-for-age class winner. Kept finding in the straight, and ran well enough to suggest he can be a threat again next year.

Verry Elleegant wins the 2021 Melbourne CupCredit:

4TH: 22-FLOATING ARTIST
Trainer: Ciaron Maher and David Eustace
JOCKEY: Teodore Nugent: “We followed Incentivise and he travelled so strong the whole way. I thought at the top of the straight that he gave a lovely kick for me and he’s run a very good fourth. I’m very happy with him.”

Another who benefited from racing on the speed. Given every possible chance, the lightly-raced six-year-old followed Incentivise in the run and was part of the group which broke away in the straight. Just weakened late to finish out of the placings.

5TH: 6-THE CHOSEN ONE (NZ)
Trainer: Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman
JOCKEY: Damian Lane: Really proud of this horse. He’s run a massive race. Trained to the minute and ran his best.”

Fourth last year, the New Zealand stayer again saved his best for his target race only to run into a few better on the day. Finished a long way from the top four.

6TH: 16-GRAND PROMENADE (GB)
Trainer: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
JOCKEY: Kerrin McEvoy: “He’s run a good race. We didn’t have any luck. Got caught wide the trip but he stuck on well.”

Settled three-wide without cover from the wide draw but stuck to his task resolutely in the straight. Probably would have finished closer with a softer run though it may not have made much difference in terms of finishing position.

7TH: 7-DELPHI (IRE)
Trainer: Anthony & Sam Freedman
JOCKEY: Damien Oliver: “He ran well. We had a great run. He feels like more of a mile-and-a-half horse than a two-miler to me.”

Given a beautiful ride by Oliver, the Irish import was on the back of Verry Elleegant rounding the bend but only one-batted in the straight. Probably didn’t stay.

8TH: 9-SELINO (GB)
Trainer: Chris Waller
JOCKEY: Ron Stewart: “Just a little further back than I would have wanted to be. Just couldn’t find the right horse to take me into the race. Overall I thought it was a good staying effort.”

Sydney Cup winner who ran as well as could be hoped after settling well back, passing many tiring horses in the run home. Stayed the trip, just could not run it as fast as others.

9TH: 21-TRALEE ROSE (NZ)
Trainer: Symon Wilde
JOCKEY: Dean Holland: “She had a really nice run. She toughed it out but she’s probably not sharp enough when you need her.”

At first glance a little disappointing given where she settled in the run but considering the injuries she sustained during the race she did very well to finish in the top 10.

The Melbourne Cup field at famous Flemington.Credit: Getty Images

10TH: 19-SHE’S IDEEL
Trainer: Bjorn Baker
JOCKEY: Craig Newitt: “She ran well again.”

Got way too far back in the race to make an impact but picked off a few to collect a cheque for connections.

11TH: 1-TWILIGHT PAYMENT (IRE)
Trainer: Joseph O’Brien
JOCKEY: Jye McNeil: He wasn’t able to get into his usual role and at the halfway point he really struggled.”

Inside draw was a hindrance rather than a help for last year’s winner, who was sluggish out of the gates and did not have room to push forward. Never in it.

12TH: 17-MIAMI BOUND (NZ)
Trainer: Danny O’Brien
JOCKEY: Patrick Moloney: “She wouldn’t go in the first 1000 metres. If she had’ve jumped and travelled she might have run top eight. She whacked away and got the ones that were tiring.”

Looked like she would run a long last but she stuck to her task doggedly to pass the stragglers.

13TH: 23-GREAT HOUSE
Trainer: Chris Waller
JOCKEY: Michael Dee: “Had a good run. I could feel he was coming under pressure about the 600 or 700 [metre mark]. He was gone by then but he tried really hard all the way to the line. Expected a little bit better but he tried hard today.”

Hotham winner who found it hard to back up after Saturday’s run.

14TH: 24-SIR LUCAN (IRE)
Trainer: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
JOCKEY: Glen Boss: “He’s a juvenile. I had no power from the 1000-metre mark.”

Another backmarker who had too much work to do.

15TH: 5-EXPLOSIVE JACK (NZ)
Trainer: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
JOCKEY: John Allen: “He was disappointing. He whacked away, but he’s missing a bit of scrap.”

The multiple-Derby winner has been found wanting in the major Cups. Not up to the top line stayers.

16TH: 14-MASTER OF WINE (GER)
Trainer: Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
JOCKEY: Fred Kersley: “Nice.”

Unlucky in that he kept running into dead ends but he was gapped.

17TH: 15-PONDUS (GB)
Trainer: Robert Hickmott
JOCKEY: Rachel King: “Just raced a bit dour and couldn’t sprint off that speed.”

Had a cushy run and got into the clear at the right time but not up to this class.

18TH: 13-CARIF
Trainer: Peter & Paul Snowden
JOCKEY: Blaike McDougall: “It was a good effort. Got in a nice position. He travelled well. Just the class factor when they quickened up, he was under pressure.”

Kept going backwards when the pace came on and finished near the tail.

19TH: 11-KNIGHTS ORDER (IRE)
Trainer: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
JOCKEY: Daniel Stackhouse: “He’s just not going anywhere at the moment.”

Entitled to finish closer given how the race was run but ran as you would expect a $101 chance to.

20TH: 12-PERSAN
Trainer: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
JOCKEY: Luke Currie: “I didn’t think he would lead but he was sort of out at the 600.”

One of the disappointments of the race. After getting too far back last year and running on for fifth, the five-year-old set the speed but punctured rounding the turn and was one of the first beaten.

21ST: 18-PORT GUILLAUME (FRA)
Trainer: Ben & JD Hayes
JOCKEY: Harry Coffey: “He didn’t run out a strong 3200 metres in a strong pressure race.”

Had poor form coming into the race and ran accordingly after settling just worse of midfield.

22ND: 10-JOHNNY GET ANGRY (NZ)
Trainer: Denis Pagan
JOCKEY: Lachlan King: “He’ll go out for a spell and then assess the options after he comes back.”

There was no feelgood story this year for Denis Pagan’s 2020 VRC Derby winner, who settled at the rear and passed just the one runner in the straight. Outclassed.

23RD: 8-OCEAN BILLY (NZ)
Trainer: Chris Waller
JOCKEY: Damien Thornton: “Disappointing.”

Was specked at big odds but gave punters little to cheer about. Settled midfield and apart from a brief spurt 800 metres out kept giving ground to finish in another post code.

SCRATCHED: 20-FUTURE SCORE (IRE)

How they passed the finishing post.Credit: Channel Ten