Foreign stayers a boost to prestige of Melbourne Cup
Vow And Declare’s Australian trainer Danny O’Brien has thrown his support behind the internationalisation of the Melbourne Cup.
Vow And Declare’s Australian trainer Danny O’Brien has thrown his support behind the internationalisation of the Melbourne Cup, saying the global stature of the race is to be applauded and will add prestige to a homegrown “David and Goliath” triumph at Flemington today.
“It is what it is now,” O’Brien said while getting a drenching during the street parade in Melbourne on Monday. “I’ve got no problem with the internationals. None at all. Every international comes a long way to compete. You’ve got to respect that. It’s not an easy thing to do. They come here of their own volition.
“If one of the Australian horses wins, I’m sure a lot of people are going to be very, very happy that we’re starting to mix it with them again when it comes to staying races. It’s a bit like the Australian Open tennis. When we haven’t won one for so long, when someone does get there, it means even more because you’ve beaten the best in the world. Everyone gets behind it.
“We’re hoping Vow And Declare can do it here. We think he’s got a terrific chance. He’s in great shape but we also understand the David-and-Goliath magnitude of the task.”
Vow And Declare was born in the Hunter Valley. The four-year-old chestnut has only Australian connections. O’Brien, who hails from Kyabram in Victoria, has overseen his Cup preparations from start to finish. Victorian Craig Williams is the jockey on his 16th Cup ride, in pursuit of his first win.
You could excuse O’Brien for wanting the overseas raiders to nick off, for wanting a return to the good old days of the Cup being all-Australian, but he took a different tack despite only three starters, Vow And Declare, Youngstar and for all intents and purposes, Surprise Baby, being regarded as locals in the 24-strong field.
O’Brien agreed with the idea that you would not turn Roger Federer back at the airport to temper the internationalisation of the Australian Open. Nor would you prevent Lewis Hamilton from contesting the Australian Grand Prix. For an Australian sporting event to be globally revered is to be seen as a compliment. And a challenge.
Dissent over the number of foreign entrants was again widespread before Tuesday’s 159th running of the race. The complication in recent years has become the fixation of Australian breeders and trainers on sprinting, a more lucrative market in Australia, where staying races have become few and far between, and the fact that the northern hemisphere industry was centred on endurance horses.
Initially, Vow And Declare was a clumsy young thing with four legs that seemingly wanted to go in four directions. He was bought for a song, in the vicinity of $50,000, by east coast-based owners. Strictly speaking, only Vow And Declare and Youngstar should be listed as Australian horses. Surprise Baby was born in New Zealand and Steel Prince raced in Ireland before moving to Australia.
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