On The Watch

The 2017 Melbourne Cup goes the way of the Irish after a slow mid-race pace

In a Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) that resulted in a final time almost five seconds outside the race record, one has to wonder what has happened to Australia’s great race where the first 12 horses to cross the line were bred in Europe.

The ambition to make our famous race an international event has seen the complexion of the Cup transform it far from the days when it was a contest between Australia and New Zealand’s best stayers.

The modern day Australasian stayers now rarely seem to be able to compete with the stamina of the international horses, with seven of the last eight winners being bred in Europe.

So Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup went the way of the Irish with a trio of Irish-trained stayers filling the placings, success going to the Joseph O’Brien-trained three-year-old (by Northern Hemisphere time) Rekindling (High Chaparral) who staged a strong staying effort to score at only his tenth race start.

Aided by a good barrier and a perfect ride by Corey Brown, Rekindling finished best to defeat the Aidan O’Brien-trained Johannes Vermeer (Galileo) by a long neck with the Willie Mullins-trained Max Dynamite (Great Journey) two and a half lengths further back in third.

Time for the race was 3:21.19, which was 4.89 seconds slower than Kingston Rule’s (Secretariat) race and the Flemington track record of 3:16.30, set in 1990.

While the overall time was slow, an analysis of times of this year’s Melbourne Cup showed that it actually contained three definite sections of contrasting pace.

A contest for early positions resulted in the first 800 metres (from the barrier) being clocked in a smart 48.86 (12.21 200m rate).

Then after Cismontane (High Chaparral) settled into his front-running role, as most expected, the tempo decreased noticeably with the next 1400 metres (from the 2400 metres point to the 1000 metres) being clocked in a pedestrian 1:32.91 (13.27 200m rate).

The pace then picked up when the field reached the 1000 metre point, as a result that final section was run in a solid 59.42 (11.88 200m rate).

After being back in 11th place on the rails at that stage, Corey Brown then skilfully steered Rekindling between runners to be just behind the leading group on straightening. He went to second at the 200 metres and finished too well under his light weight (51.5kg) to win well.

Rekindling was timed to run the fastest closing sectional times of the race with his last 1000 metres being a quick 58.87 – with his last 800 metres in 47.09, last 600 metres in 35.63, last 400 metres in 24,05, with his final 200 metres in 12.20.

The runner-up Johannes Vermeer ran his final 1000 metres in 59.50, the third-placed Max Dynamite 59.56 while his Willie Mullins-trained stablemate Thomas Hobson (Halling) ran 59.27, the second quickest final 1000 metre time of the race in coming from 22nd at that point to finish sixth.

Saturday’s feature, the Victoria Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) went to the David Payne-trained young stayer Ace High (High Chaparral) who showed potential for further Group One victories with a tough performance after things went against him mid-race.

After going a bit keenly in stages due to the moderate early tempo, Ace High was shuffled back to eighth at the 1000 metres before improving, but trapped wide from the 800 metres.

Ace High made the home turn wide out, but he moved up strongly, took the lead on passing the 200 metres and then drew away to win impressively by two lengths.

The overall time for the 2500 metre journey was a moderate 2:37.55 (12.60 200m rate), which was 4.55 seconds outside of the track record of 2:33.00 but the feature of Ace High’s win was his smart closing times, despite being trapped wide.

Ace High ran his last 1000 metres in 59.55, last 800 metres in 46.43, last 600 metres in a very smart 34.67, last 400 metres in 23.59 with his final 200 metres in 12.05.

While the best closing times were returned by the maiden Wolfe Tone (Mettre En Jeu) who ran on well from last to finish seventh, beaten just under four lengths, in a most noteworthy effort at only his fourth start.

Wolfe Tone was timed to run his last 1000 metres in 59.11, last 800 metres in 46.16, last 600 metres in 34.44, last 400 metres in 23.42 with his last 200 metres in 11.19.

In the Coolmore Stud Stakes (registered as Ascot Vale Stakes) (Gr 1, 1200m), Merchant Navy (Fastnet Rock) took his record to five wins from six starts with an impressive effort in coming from 18th in a field of 20 to grab victory by a head from the speedy filly Invincible Star (I Am Invincible).

Racing in blinkers for the first time, Merchant Navy ran the 1200 metre journey in 1:09.10, clocking fast closing sectionals of 54.92 (last 1000m), 44.39 (last 800m), 33.48 (last 600m) 22.91 (last 400m) with his last 200 metres in 12.89.

The runner-up Invincible Star ran a bold race in the lead with an impressive 200 metre breakdown (from the 1000m point) of 10.30, 10.82 (400m in 21.12), 10.94 (600m in 32.06), 11.16 (800m in 43.22) with her last 200 metres in 12.21, giving her a final 1000 metres in a fast 55.43.

Co-trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott are enjoying a great run of success and Invincible Star has clearly demonstrated that she is a three-year-old filly capable of being most competitive in Group One class.

The stable produced a really smart two-year-old filly in the opening race on Cup Day with Setsuna (Choisir) taking her record to two wins and a second in winning the Ottawa Stakes (Gr 3, 1000m).

She showed great pace to lead and held on to win by just over a length, with an impressive 200 metre breakdown (from to 800 metres) of 10.68, 10.79 (400m in 21.47), 11.08 (600m in 32.55) with her final 200 metres in 11.92 to give her a fast last 800 metres in 44.47.

Setsuna is now to be spelled with the Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) her mission in the autumn.

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