Craig Williams (James J Braddock, 7th, 6.06L): “The barrier was a big disadvantage to him today, but he was prepared really well by [trainer] Joseph [O’Brien] and his team to come out here. He is only a 3-year-old, lightly raced. You could feel that from the half mile. I had the winner inside of me. Had the third-placed horse in front of me and the fifth-placed horse behind me, so I felt like we were in the right spot for an unusually stop-start run race for the group. He came out and wanted to go left under pressure. He struggled to stay on the back of those main horses and lost ground. Then in the straight he balanced up and closed off really well. He’s a horse with exceptional talent but he just didn’t get it quite right from the barrier today.”
Rachel King (So You Are, 8th, 6.41L): “Super run. He put himself in a good spot. Very inexperienced horse at the moment and he has plenty more to come and plenty of improvement.”
Zac Lloyd (Hopewell Rock, 9th, 6.66L): “Bit of a non-event. They went ridiculously slow bar the leader and I was just a fraction on the bridle throughout. When they quickened they left him flat-footed but I thought he went well up the straight.”
Mark Zahra (Middle Earth, 10th, 7.41L): “He was a bit keen in parts. He was travelling okay in the straight but the winner just going a lot better and took my runs. He whacked away all right in the end.”
James McDonald (Trustyourinstinct, 11th, 7.71L): “He was solid. In a very slowly run race, he is a little bit one dimensional and we have to flow back. He was going to be there but we just couldn’t get into the race at all.”
Robbie Dolan (Knight’s Choice, 12th, 8.01L): “Very proud of him. Amazing little horse. Just getting him back here for the Melbourne Cup after a long time of injuries and sicknesses is amazing. He ran a cracker with five kilos on some of those horses. Really proud of him.”
Tommy Berry (Soul Of Spain, 13th, 9.01L): “Began well. Found a nice spot early but he was just a bit too honest in the run and he felt the pinch late. Very honest in defeat.”
William Pike (Zakouma, 14th, 10.51L): “It was a good sound effort. They just didn’t go any gallop. It was a very steady run race.”
Ray Dawson (Enfjaar, 15th, 13.26L): “Happy early to the first bend. They went way too slow for us and we struggled to get into it.”
Beau Mertens (Kizlyar, 16th, 14.26L): “I thought he did a good job. We had to do the tow-up work behind the tearaway leader but I was trying to build on him and I thought he stayed on strong racing wide.”
Jabez Johnstone (Mr Monaco, 17th, 14.41L): “Wouldn’t be disappointed with that at all. He’s run a nice race. Strongly believe didn’t run two mile.”
Dean Yendall (Strictly Business, 18th, 16.91L): “Couldn’t really switch her off. Probably needed a parking inspector out there to throw a few tickets out. Just went too steady. She never relaxed and the job was done probably at the 1000 [metre mark] when she was on the bridle and had the winner’s back but didn’t come on.”
Damian Lane (Wine Dark Sea, 19th, 19.66L): “I thought he was a little bit keen and wanted to lug out. Just can’t get it wrong in these races, unfortunately. Little bit immature mentally for these big occasions. Nice horse for the future but just needs to iron out a few quirks.”
Jamie Melham (Future History, 20th, 20.91L): “He tried hard. At the 600 [metre mark] I thought he was a sneaky hope. He just doesn’t run the trip out at this level but back to 2000m/2500m is his go.”
Declan Bates (Onesmoothoperator, 21st, 23.41L): “We were obviously back. We never really ran into the race at all so a bit disappointing.”
Wayne Lordan (Goodie Two Shoes, 22nd, 25.66L): “Got a nice position. When they quickened in the straight he levelled out and stayed on.”
Jordan Childs (Vauban, last, 30.16L): “He had a nice run in transit. Had to use him a little from the gate. He got into a rhythm and just got really tired late. Second-up 3200 probably didn’t work.”
– Racenet
