FLEM NOV 02 - AMERICAIN WINS MELBOURNE CUP

By Taron Clarke | Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Flemington, November 2, 2010.
Track - Slow 6. Rail - Out 3m. Penetrometer 4.83.
Melbourne Cup (Group 1) Open Handicap - 3200m.
Time: 3-26.87. 600m Sectional: 36.70. (Carrying 54.5kg).
1 Americain; 2 Maluckyday; 3 So You Think.
Margins: 2.8L x 0.5L

The 150th running of the Emirates Melbourne Cup has gone to the American bred, French trained, Australian owned entire Americain.

Owned by Australian’s Gerry Ryan and Kevin Bamford, the son of Dynaformer was purchased for US$225,000 with the Melbourne Cup their aim earlier this year.

Americain is trained by Frenchman Alain de Royer Dupre at Chantilly and the imposing stallion was ridden by internationally renowned jockey Gerald Mosse.

Mosse has previously ridden the winner of the Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe and a Breeders Cup Juvenile, but his only previous ride in the Melbourne Cup was a rearward finish on Helene Vitality in the 2002 running of the event.

The victory brought up five consecutive victories for Americain, including a last start win in the Geelong Cup at his first Australian run.

Americain was able to repeat the feat of 2002 Melbourne Cup winner Media Puzzle after he completed the double for Dermot Weld and Damien Oliver.

Further international racing looms for Americain with a start in next month’s Hong Kong International Cup over 2400 metres on the agenda.

The raging hot favourite for the event was the Australasian Champion So You Think. On the back on consecutive Cox Plate victories and a stunning win in the Mackinnon stakes on Saturday, punters rallied behind the High Chaparral entire and, with the Cup’s King Bart Cummings trackside, the Dato Tan Chin Nam owned galloper was sent out a 3.00 favourite.

With the late withdrawal of 2008 runner up Bauer after the grey gelding failed a vet’s inspection, 23 gallopers faced the starter at the top of the famous Flemington straight.

Potentially the greatest field in the Melbourne Cup’s history jumped away well and down the running on the first occasion the Gai Waterhouse Once Were Wild led the field under a solid tempo.

The favourite So You Think settled in seventh position, one off the fence, six lengths off the leader down the river side of the track. Arnold settled the stallion in a lovely spot on the back of the speed, but the Cummings galloper was still on the steel and wanted to pull hard.

Gerald Mosse had the French trained Americain midfield, three wide outside of Tolkai Trick and Maluckyday. The Hong Kong based jockey made sure that he had the favourite within his sights and only three lengths separated the two at the 1600 metre pole.

The Cup field strung out over twenty lengths as the leader Once Were Wild established a four length lead over kiwi visitor Harris Tweed and Descarado who were ridden by brothers Brad and Nash Rawiller.

Bounding for home in the 150th running of the Melbourne Cup Once Were Wild and Jim Cassidy steered a deliberate course six horses off the inside fence. This allowed a number of gallopers behind the pair to rail through and save ground.

Jockey Steven Arnold eased the favourite So You Think to the outside of runners at the top of the straight to come with his run.

Americain balanced up in eighth position for Mosse and the Frenchman managed to gain a run to the inside of Frankie Dettori’s mount Holberg.

Tolkai Trick railed through to strike the front at the 400 metres. The favourite So You Think loomed large down the centre of the track and jockey Steven Arnold gave the favourite his head as he reached the 300 metre mark.

As soon as the favourite hit the front, the entire did not give his usual explosive turn of foot as we are so used to seeing and Arnold was forced to draw on his power and poise in order to lift the entire over the final furlong.

Out of the ruck came the fresh horse on the scene, Americain. Ridden to produce a perfectly timed challenge by Gerald Mosse the French trained galloper chimed in to join the favourite at the famous Flemington clocktower.

Maluckyday for jockey Luke Nolen had dived through back to the inside to run to a narrow third over Harris Tweed.

But Americain found another gear as he hit the front and, after a beautiful ride, Mosse gave the stallion a couple of slaps with the whip and the American bred galloper bounded clear of the favourite So You Think.

In what was an impressive final one hundred metres the international runner raced clear to run into the history books as the first French trained and ridden horse to win the nation’s greatest race.

Americain surged clear of his rivals and jockey Gerald Mosse blew the 110,000 strong crowd a big kiss as the pair careered away to score their history making victory.

Americain defeated Lexus Stakes winner Maluckyday by two and three quarter lengths with the favourite So You Think battling into third a further half length away.

The win summed up truly wonderful training performance by Alain de Royer Dupre and his staff.

Coupled with a ten out of ten ride by Gerald Mosse, the horse was simply too strong for the cup field as the pair powered away to race into the record books.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Alain de Royer Dupre: “Before it looks a difficult challenge to come from France and to be competitive in the race like this great race but I was very confident because he is a very good horse.

“I was very, very confident before the race and Gerald (Mosse) rode a very good race.

“People who look after the horse … they do a very good job. The result of a team……we work well together.

“I think European interest in the Melbourne Cup will improve now.

“Many years ago I was thinking that I wanted to bring a horse down for the Melbourne Cup … always decided to delay, but we want and we win.

“The horse had two weeks in Newmarket, three weeks in quarantine but he didn’'t lose weight. He's a great horse … a nice horse.

“I don't know why he was out of form earlier this year, but he don’t need too much training. In America the ground was too firm and maybe the training too strong for him.

“It's a dream to be here with so many people and a very splendid atmosphere.”

Jockey Gerald Mosse: “It's the first time in my life and I hope it won't be the last one, but I definitely enjoyed that moment. It's something very special, I really appreciate to be here.

“Especially I want to thank the owner to give me the confidence to stick on the horse that I used to win few in France. To be here today is a great honour.

“Even before Geelong I know the horse because I win few races in France and he show me each time that he's coming stronger and stronger.

“I enjoy riding him and he's easy to ride.

“He moved good. When we win it's always good, but definitely I cannot explain the way I feel, but it's very strong.

“It's between so exciting and crying at the same time. It's never happened too often in my life when I feel all the crowd. They're making so much noise. I enjoyed that moment.

“I have to share that with the crowd. It's hard sometimes to talk.”

BEATEN JOCKEY COMMENTS:
2nd – Luke Nolen (Maluckyday): “We had a lovely run in the race. He hit a flat spot turning for home but that's not unusual for him and he quickly picked up again. You'll probably see him winning the race next year.”

3rd – Steven Arnold (So You Think): “Travelled a bit strong in the middle stages when the pace was a bit stop-start. Still thought I had it at the top of the straight and I wouldn't take anything away from him.”

4th – Nicholas Hall (Zipping): “It was a massive run. I'm looking forward to watching the replay to see how it looked.”

5th – Brad Rawiller (Harris Tweed) “He ran fantastic. It wasn't our plan to race where we did, but that's how it unfolded.”

6th – Frankie Dettori (Holberg): “He ran well but would have been better on a dry track.”

7th – Damien Oliver (Manighar): “Ran a great race. Followed Americain into the race, but couldn't go with him. Next year he'll be a lot stronger.”

8th – James Winks (Precedence): “The pace was a bit stop-start which didn't suit. Next year for him.”

9th – Glen Boss (Illustrious Blue): “Had every opportunity. Probably had the best run in the race.”

10th – Darren Beadman (Mr Medici): “Had a nice run. He chimed in like he was going to do something but he didn't stay the distance.”

11th – Jim Cassidy (Once Were Wild): “Ran well and tried hard.”

12th – Shinji Fujita (Tokai Trick): “Enjoyed a good run but the surface was not good for him.”

13th – Corey Brown (Shoot Out):“He didn't stay the trip.”

14th – Craig Williams (Monaco Consul): “Failed to respond to my riding from the 700 metre mark and pulled up a little distressed.”

15th – Vlad Duric (Master O'Reilly):“Got shuffled back and he felt a bit flat.”

16th – Kerrin McEvoy (Campanologist): “Travelled nicely behind the winner, but he would have been better on top of the ground.”

17th – Pat Smullen (Profound Beauty): “I told the trainer Dermot Weld that she got too far back and just never fired.”

18th – Michael Rodd (Shocking): “He never got into it. I think he pulled up sore.”

19th – Mark Du Plessis (Red Ruler): “Failed to stay the trip.”

20th – Steven King (Buccellati): “Actually travelled into the race well, but he didn't stay.”

21st – Brett Prebble (Linton): “Hung out badly all the way. I thought I might have had to pull him up in the straight the way he was going.”

22nd – Michael Walker (Zavite): “He had every chance, but didn't pull up too flash.”

Failed to Finish – Nash Rawiller (Descarado): “Was travelling like a winner until the point of the home turn when it felt like something got onto his back (legs). I thought he was going to collapse near the line so I pulled him up.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Americain): 14.00 into 13.00.
Favourite (So You Think): 3.10 into 3.00. Finished third.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Bauer (IRE) was a late withdrawal at 8.45am on veterinary advice.

Near the 2000m Precedence (NZ) which was being restrained off the heels of Monaco Consul (NZ) shifted out and made contact with Zipping forcing that horse wider on the track.

Near the 400m on the first occasion Master O’Reilly (NZ) got its head up when being checked to avoid the heels of Precedence (NZ) which was taken out by Monaco Consul (NZ) which was laying in however shifted out slightly.

C Brown (Shoot Out) was issued with a severe reprimand for permitting his mount to shift in passing the 200m on the first occasion tightening the running of Americain (USA), Maluckyday (NZ) and Tokai Trick (JAP) which made contact with the running rail and got unbalanced.

In arriving at this decision the Stewards were satisfied that C Brown had made sufficient effort to relieve the pressure to runners to his inside.

So You Think (NZ) pulled hard throughout.

Holberg (UAE) raced wide without cover throughout.

G Mosse (Americain (USA)) was fined the sum of $300 for his celebratory gesture prior to the winning post.

A post race veterinary examination of Monaco Consul (NZ) revealed no abnormalities.

A post race veterinary examination of Shocking revealed the horse to be lame in off-fore leg and had also cast its off-fore plate during the race. Trainer Mr M Kavanagh was advised a veterinary certificate of fitness is required prior to Shocking racing again.

B Prebble rider of Linton advised that gelding did not handle the track conditions today.

N Rawiller (Descarado (NZ)) eased his mount down over the concluding stages and subsequently failed to finish as he thought there was something amiss with it. A post race veterinary examination of Descarado (NZ) failed to reveal any obvious abnormalities.

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