By Emma Berry
In just his second season with a training licence, 24-year-old Joseph O'Brien managed to achieve something that even his high-flying father Aidan hasn't managed yet by saddling Rekindling (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}) to win the 157th running of the A$6.2 million G1 Emirates Melbourne Cup.
In fact, O'Brien senior, Britain and Ireland's champion trainer, was only denied the addition of Australia's most famous race to his CV when Rekindling, with three kilos in hand, ran down his challenger Johannes Vermeer (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the dying strides of the race to cross the line almost half a length to the good.
Though racing as a 4-year-old in Australia, the British-bred Rekindling became the first 3-year-old winner of the Melbourne Cup since Skipton in 1941. In so doing he gave owner Lloyd Williams a sixth victory in the race and second in a row following the triumph last year of Almandin (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), who this time finished twelfth.
“I'm a proud Melburnian and the Melbourne Cup means everything to me. I'm 77 now and I've been watching the race for the last 70 years. It's become an obsession,” said Williams, who, with son Nick and a variety of partners was responsible for six of the 23 runners in the race, including the runner-up.
He added, “Joseph's a star, an absolute star. I've been telling people that his dad needs to watch out.”
More than 90,000 racegoers at Flemington witnessed a momentous day for Ireland, which was completed when Max Dynamite (Fr) (Great Journey {JPN}), who was second in the race two years ago and was making only his fifth start since then, finished three lengths back from the leading duo in third under Zac Purton.
Big Duke (Ire) (Raven's Pass) came home best of the local challengers for Victoria's champion trainer Darren Weir and Australian Bloodstock to take fourth, while the first Scottish-trained runner in the Cup, Nakeeta (GB) (Sixties Icon {GB}), gave Iain Jardine and owners Alex and Janet Card a great shout when rattling home to finish fifth.
After being bear-hugged by Lloyd and Nick Williams in the winner's enclosure, Joseph O'Brien said, “It hasn't really sunk in yet. I spoke to my dad on the phone and he was over the moon. His horse ran a cracker and he was delighted.”
He continued, “I'm so delighted for the lads who came down with the horse and all the lads at home, they've done a great job. Corey [Brown] gave him a great ride, we got a lovely draw and the race worked out really well. It's not often in a big race that it works out so well.”
The trainer, who was also represented by US Army Ranger (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who finished 18th, added “I'm so grateful to Lloyd and Nick–they were the ones who encouraged me to bring him down here. They've sent me some lovely horses and we have some lovely 2-year-olds at home.”
The winner of a mile maiden at two for David Wachman, Rekindling started this season after switching to O'Brien's stable with an early April victory in the G3 Ballysax S.–a race also won by his late sire High Chaparral–before running fourth in the G2 Dante S. and down the field when 16th in the Derby. He recaptured his winning form by taking on his elders for the first time and getting the better of Wicklow Brave (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}) in the G2 Curragh Cup. A runner-up finish to Order Of St George (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G3 Irish St Leger Trial in mid-August set him up for a fourth-place in the G1 St Leger, his final start before shipping to Australia.
O'Brien said, “It's [Rekindling's] tenth run and he's only three but he's a tough horse and you don't have to do much with him, he gets himself ready. I'm so delighted to have him.”
Drawn well in stall four, Rekindling jumped smartly to gain a rail slot just behind the main leading pack when Cismontane (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}) went forward to claim the early lead just ahead of Gallante (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) and G1 Caulfield Cup winner Boom Time (Aus) (Flying Spur {Aus}) as the field passed the post first time. With race favourite Marmelo (GB) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}) also close to the pace, the French raider Tiberian (Fr) (Tiberius Caesar {FR}), pulling double under Olivier Peslier, made an eye-catching move along the back straight to come from almost last to challenge for the lead off the home turn with the improving Marmelo. Ben Melham had the leading pair covered, however, and urged his mount Johannes Vermeer to take up the running 300 metres from home as Max Dynamite also moved into a prominent position up the rail.
Starting to pull well clear of the chasing pack, the leading duo was soon under threat from the fast-finishing Rekindling who had been eased off the rail from the turn by Corey Brown to challenge wide and late down the straight, finally gaining the advantage in the shadow of the post.
It was a second win in the Melbourne Cup for Brown, who last struck in 2009 aboard Shocking (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}). He said, “I chased the ride about six weeks ago. Joseph O'Brien, the O'Brien team and team Williams, what they've done, I really can't believe it. It's so special. I'm lost for words, I just can't believe I've done it again, it's unreal.”
Willie Mullins saw all three of his Cup runners finish in the top ten, with Rich Ricci;s Max Dynamite in third and Thomas Hobson (GB) (Halling) sixth, while the Nick Peacock-owned Wicklow Brave (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}) was tenth. He said of 7-year-old Max Dynamite, who was making his second start in the race but has been lightly campaigned of late, “He was travelling well at all stages and I thought if he could just get out he might have just finished off but he didn't quite have the legs for it. Even if he'd had another run, probably trying to beat those two horses might have been beyond him as they both had fantastic form. He thrives when he comes here but at his age it's hard to see him coming back here next year.”
Eleven of the 23 starters in the 2017 Melbourne Cup are trained in Europe, and six of those were among the first seven to cross the line at Flemington.
Pedigree notes
Bred in Somerset by the Pocock family of Stringston Farm, Rekindling is the twelfth foal of the Salse mare Sitara (GB), whose previous progeny include the G3 Chester Vase winner and G1 Irish Derby runner-up Golden Sword (GB), who is also by High Chaparral.
Sitara is a daughter of the Fittocks Stud foundation mare Souk (Ire) (Ahonoora {GB}) and thus a half-sister to Shouk (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}), the dam of dual Oaks victrix Alexandrova (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) and G1 Cheveley Park S. winner Magical Romance (GB) (Barathea {Ire}). The latter, who sold for a then-European record price for a broodmare when fetching 4.6 million gns at Tattersalls in 2006, has produced G2 Zipping Classic runner-up Tall Ship (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) among her seven winning offspring, while Alexandrova is the dam of G2 Dahlia S. winner Somehow (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). Sitara has a yearling colt by Australia (GB) who sold for 525,000gns from Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Sale to the Mayfair Speculators and Coolmore partnership, and a filly foal by Gleneagles (Ire). Click for the free arion.co.nz catalogue-style pedigree.
EMIRATES MELBOURNE CUP-G1, A$6,250,000 (US$4,786,662/€4,138,457/£3,640,401), VRC, 11-07, Open Handicap, 3200mT, 3:21.19, Good.
1–REKINDLING (GB) , 51.5, c, 3, by High Chaparral (Ire)
1st Dam: Sitara (GB), by Salse
2nd Dam: Souk (Ire), by Ahonoora (GB)
3rd Dam: Soumana (FR), by Pharly (FR)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (£60,000 Wlg '14 TATNOV) O-N C Williams, Mr & Mrs L J Williams, A L & B A Green, B N Singer, P Mehrten, J & Mrs F Ingham, M Gudinski, V Sammartino, G T Ryan, Bulla Thoroughbreds (Mgr: M Ruff) & Heffernan Blo; B-The Pocock Family, GB; T-Joseph O'Brien; J-C W Brown; A$3,850,000. Lifetime Record: 10-4-2-0, A$4,120,149. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]2–Johannes Vermeer (Ire) , 54.5, c, 4, Galileo (Ire)–Inca Princess (Ire), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire).
(€300,000 Ylg '14 GOFOCT) O-N C Williams, Mr & Mrs L J Williams, A L & B A Green, B N Singer, P Mehrten, J & Mrs F Ingham, M Gudinski, V Sammartino, G T Ryan, Bulla Thoroughbreds (Mgr: M Ruff) & Heffernan Blo; B-Desert Star Phoenix Jvc, IRE; T-A O'Brien; J-B Melham; A$900,000.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]3–Max Dynamite (FR), 54.0, g, 7, Great Journey (Jpn)–Mascara (Ger), by Monsun (Ger).
(€200,000 3yo '13 ARAOCT) O-Mrs S Ricci; T-W P Mullins; J-Z Purton; A$450,000.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]Margins: 0.4, 2.9, 5.7. Odds: 14/1, 12/1, 19/1.
Also Ran: Big Duke (Ire), Nakeeta (GB), Thomas Hobson (GB), Tiberian (FR), Libran (Ire), Marmelo (GB), Wicklow Brave (GB), Red Cardinal (Ire), Almandin (Ger), Cismontane (NZ), Amelie's Star (Aus), Boom Time (Aus), Wall of Fire (Ire), Single Gaze (Aus), US Army Ranger (Ire), Humidor (NZ), Hartnell (GB), Ventura Storm (Ire), Bondi Beach (Ire), Gallante (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result.
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