CHAMPION trainer Bart Cummings ended an 18-year drought and landed the quinella in the process of his seventh Caulfield Cup win today.
Viewed, $13, stormed home along the fence to win by more than two lengths from stablemate, Roman Emperor, $15, in the $2.5 million Group One. Vigor, $15, was a game third.
Viewed became only the third horse to win the Caulfield Cup following a Melbourne Cup victory the previous year. The last to achieve the feat was Rising Fast who won his second successive Caulfield Cup in 1955 after landing the double in 1954.Cummings praised the ride of Brad Rawiller on the six-year-old, which got back to 16th from a bad barrier. “It was a great ride. He followed the rail around and saved many lengths,” Cummings said.
Asked if Viewed could provide his 13th Melbourne Cup winner, Cummings replied: “You never know. It’s a hard game.” He does not expect a big penalty for the Flemington two-miler. The horse carried 53kg last year and already has 57kg this time.
“He had a lucky run because he stuck to the fence. He might get a half a kilo, at the worst he might get a kilo,” the Cups King said.
Cummings won his first Caulfield Cup with Galilee in 1966. He won on protest with Big Philou in 1969, then with Leilani in 1974, Ming Dynasty in 1977 and 1980 and Let's Elope in 1991.
The international invaders both flopped. Godolphin’s Kirklees ran seventh with the Luca Cumani-trained Cima De Triomphe finished 13th.
After being caught wide the $8 favorite, Predatory Pricer, dropped out to finish 12th while the Kiwi mare, Daffodil, ran on well for fourth just in front of Fuimicino.
Chris Munce, who rode Daffodil, was fined $3,000 for breaching the whip rules. Two others were also fined for whip infringements in the Cup - Brad Rawiller $500 (on the winner) and Corey Brown $250 (on the third horse).
Munce pleaded guilty to hitting Daffodil in a forehand manner 16 times prior to the 100m, eight of them consecutively. He was fined $1,500 on each of two charges.
Rawiller, who hit Viewed on five consecutive occasions in a forehand manner before the 100m, was fined $500 for what was a first offence, while Brown was fined $250 for a second offence for hitting Vigor twice on two consecutive occasions before the 100m.
WHAT THE JOCKEYS HAD TO SAY AFTER THE CAULFIELD CUP
Brad Rawiller (Viewed) 1st
I hadn’t spent a penny. I knew the horse was going to be strong to the line so I was pretty confident on the turn. When you get a run like that you virtually save ten lengths in 100 metres, so it was a good result. And thankfully the horse did the job.
Hugh Bowman (Roman Emperor) 2nd
No excuses. I had a good run. He was always going to be improved by the run. The toppy will get a penalty and we won’t.
Corey Brown (Vigor) 3rd
Took my time easing across. At the Winning Post I got to three wide and didn’t think I was going to get in but was able to get in and travelled three back, one off. Got excited on straightening thought I was the winner. But the first two were just too good for him. He was very honest. He run very well with a light weight but just wasn’t good enough on the day.
Chris Munce (Daffodil) 4th
On the corner she was going to put herself right into it and win the race. I reckon possibly a bit of condition gave out over the last furlong. But other than that I was happy with her run and she has to be a genuine Melbourne Cup contender on that effort.
Dwayne Dunn (Fiumicino) 5th
He went super. Fourth up today, he probably lacked a little bit of fitness. He gave a real good kick off the bend and gave everyone a bit of excitement for a little while. He just ran out of gas but he ran a super race.
Vlad Duric (Master O’Reilly) 6th
He really didn’t draw a gate today to be right in the finish. At the half mile Predatory Pricer gave him a bit of a squeeze and he lost his spot. He’s a much better horse back at Flemington. So good run towards the Melbourne Cup.
Kerrin McEvoy (Kirklees) 7th
Bit ordinary. Don’t know what they are going to do with him. He didn’t begin as well as what I would have liked so we ended a.bit worse than midfield on the back of Cima De Triomphe. When the pace increased he didn’t zip into the race like I thought he might. His run was okay without being one of his best.
Michelle Payne (Allez Wonder) 8th
She didn’t finish it off because she was closer than I expected.. Maybe if she could have been ridden quieter she would have finished off better but it seemed like the right thing to do at the time.
Mark Zahra (Zavite) 9th
Okay. Just very one paced. Never quickened up at all but he will push on to the Melbourne Cup and probably see him again bowl along. You know he will stay.
Craig Newitt (Harris Tweed) 10th
I thought he ran pretty good. He was a bit one paced when the speed came into it and lost a couple of lengths but made it up in the straight. Think he was probably looking for two miles.
Glen Boss (Ready To Lift) 11th
Every chance, followed the winner but not up to this class.
Steven King (Predatory Pricer) 12th
He just over raced. I was hoping to slot in somewhere but he just pulled himself into the ground. He is probably a better mile and a quarter horse.
Damien Oliver (Cima De Triomphe) 13th
Disappointing. No excuses.
Glyn Schofield (Red Lord) 14th
As soon as the business end of the race started they just left him behind and he couldn’t follow the speed.
Steven Arnold (C’Est La Guerre) 15th
He was a little bit disappointing in the run home. Travelled a bit keen down the side. Last furlong was very disappointing.
Nick Hall (Sarrera) 16th
Just needed it a little bit wetter.
Luke Nolen (Light Vision) 17th
Just really one paced. Not like him at all today.
Danny Nikolic (Red Ruler) 18th
Awful. Terrible.