Americain wins 150th Melbourne Cup
The Australian Group 1 Melbourne Cup celebrated its 150th running at Flemington on a rainy Tuesday. The wet two-mile turf race was run by 18 horses three years or older, with So You Think lined up as the pre-race odds-on 2-1 favourite. The Steven
Arnold-ridden horse failed to follow his race-winning form from the Cox Plate and Mackinnon Stakes into this historic edition of Australia’s most famous race, crossing the finish line 3.3 lengths behind Americain.
“Every Group 1 is a big moment,” said Americain’s jockey Gerald Mosse. “But with a crowd like that my throat was getting a bit tight. I never drink champagne but tonight I might. I won the Arc on Saumarez in 1990 but I'm 43 now and winning today feels even
better than my Arc win."
Mosse timed his run perfectly on the Alain de Royer-Dupre-trained Americain, only the third European-trained horse to win the Melbourne Cup, following in the footsteps of two Dermot Weld-trained horses Vintage Crop and Media Puzzle, who won in 1993 and 2002
respectively.
"Before it looked a difficult challenge to come from France and be competitive in the race, but I was very confident as he is a very good horse,” said de Royer-Dupre. “Gerald gave him a very good ride."
Maluckyday edged out the favourite So You Think in the final yards and finished the Melbourne Cup in second, two-and-three-quarter lengths behind Americain, with So You Think in third and Zipping in fourth. While the winning horse is trained in France, Americain,
son of Dynaformer, is owned by Melbourne-based Gerry Ryan and Kevin Bamford.
"It has been our dream,” said Ryan. “Five years ago we planned this and here we are. We said let's try and find a Melbourne Cup runner, let alone a winner. This is what you dream of ever since you are a kid."
Mosse, a world-class jockey who is no stranger to the top awards in the sport, was motivated by the atmosphere of the 110,000-spectator crowd. Still, it certainly didn’t hurt that his mount entered the race after four consecutive wins, most recently the
Geelong Cup.
"The job is so easy when we have the best horse. I took my time and up the straight I could see the favourite going through, and he had been travelling a bit too keenly all the way, and I knew when I pressed he would answer."
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