Melbourne Cup jockey cap to honour late Col McKenna

A Melbourne Cup jockey will wear a special cap to honour the late, great racehorse owner and breeder Col McKenna.

Interpretation will carry Col McKenna’s colours on jockey. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images

There will be extra emotion on Melbourne Cup day next Tuesday, with Interpretation now to carry a special royal blue and lime green cap in honour of the galloper’s late, great co-owner Col McKenna.

McKenna’s royal blue and lime green silks have been worn by star horses like 2016 Caulfield Cup winner Jameka.

McKenna, the respected businessman and renowned horse breeder and owner, passed away last Sunday after a brief health battle.

Ciaron Maher-trained Interpretation, set to line up for his third Melbourne Cup tilt, usually races in Ozzie Kheir’s colours but Kheir said there would be a new cap worn in the Cup to honour McKenna.

• McKenna’s wife reveals emotional final journey for racing giant

“As an ownership group we thought it would be a fitting gesture to an amazing person that has given so much to so many people within and outside of racing,” Kheir said.

“Unfortunately I didn’t get to spend as much time with Col as others within the (ownership) group, but all my interactions with him were always fun and interesting and I had massive respect for him as a person.

“With Ciaron Maher training Interpretation, and with Col in the ownership group, it would be an amazing result if this horse was able to salute on Tuesday and hopefully bring some joy to Col’s family and loved ones.”

Interpretation is a $17 shot as the seven-year-old gelding lines up for his third Melbourne Cup tilt, but faces another inspection by vets on Friday after he was not passed fit to race on Thursday.

Interpretation's jockey Teo Nugent will sport the cap colours of the late Col McKenna in Tuesday's Melbourne Cup.

Interpretation, who was a fast finishing runner-up behind dominant Geelong Cup winner and Melbourne Cup fancy Onesmoothoperator, will be ridden by Teo Nugent in the Melbourne Cup.

Meanwhile, Jamie Kah won’t be carrying any extra pressure or burden of expectation as she rides Another Wil in honour of McKenna at Flemington on Saturday.

In the months before his death, Col McKenna told Racenet that he felt Another Wil was his next good horse and the sky was the limit with the exciting Ciaron Maher-trained gelding.

Kah and Another Wil have had a fruitful association and the star jockey links with Another Wil on Saturday where he is the $3 second pick for the Group 2 The Damien Oliver (1400m) at Flemington.

• ‘I’ll remember him forever’: Kah pays tribute to Colin McKenna

Janice McKenna, speaking to Racenet earlier this week, said she had reassured Kah there was no extra pressure to win for Col.

“I was talking to Jamie and she said, ‘Oh Janice, I have to win this race’,” Janice McKenna said.

“I said, ‘Sweetheart, if you don’t win, Col won’t be disappointed.

“Col just loved Jamie so much, he could talk to her about anything.

“It was a bit like how Col and Gai Waterhouse would speak every other morning.

“Col was the one person that Gai knew that she could ring at 4.30am in the morning.

“Gai sent me a beautiful message the other day and that meant a lot.”

McKenna, 74, passed away after being diagnosed with a brain tumour only two weeks earlier, sparking an outpouring of grief from the racing community where he was a much-loved figure.

Kah has described Colin and Janice McKenna as “the most incredible two people” and said she will forever try to make them proud.

Originally published as Melbourne Cup jockey cap to honour late Col McKenna