Not long after the Melbourne Cup had been won and run, trainer Chris Waller was approached for a chat about his runner, Buckaroo.
The horse had pushed Via Sistina in the Cox Plate 10 days earlier, finishing second. But Waller had just watched him run last in the Melbourne Cup after a late decision was made to run him in the big race.
The field stretched out in the Melbourne Cup with Buckaroo finishing last. Credit: Getty Images
Waller held up his hand and politely asked for a moment as he said quietly, “I just want to check on my horses”.
From just outside the stewards’ room he phoned his staff in the stalls where all the Cup runners were cooling off and recovering from the run.
As soon as he hung up, he turned to say Buckaroo had pulled up OK after clearly struggling to run the two-miles.
He knew how important that report was given his care for his horses and the decision to run the horse over two miles after his brilliant second at Moonee Valley.
Trainer Chris Waller.Credit: Steven Siewert
Everyone knows how much scrutiny the Cup is now under when it comes to the well-being of the horses who run in the 3200-metre race.
Racing authorities now take stringent steps to scan the horses pre-race to reduce the likelihood of injury, and there has not been a fatality since 2020. But in racing there are never guarantees.
Buckaroo was a $10 chance and was considered alongside favourite Al Riffa the class horse in the race.
Waller’s assessment of how the race panned out was consistent with the eventual report from the Racing Victoria stewards, who said Buckaroo had experienced “exercise induced pulmonary hemorrhage”.
“He didn’t get his breathing right and was too keen,” Waller told this masthead. “Today’s race was a bit slower run and he was too keen.”
It was not Buckaroo’s first run at this distance. He had run ninth when sent out favourite a year earlier with Waller saying afterwards that run the horse had been tired.
Via Sistina and Buckaroo race to the finish line in the Cox Plate.Credit: Getty Images
But his form was good, treading the same path as Waller’s Melbourne Cup winner Verry Elleegant, who thrashed a good field in 2021. And the decision was made to run him.
Waller, however, was honest enough pre-race to admit running him in the Cup was alate call, saying on Monday they had a plan for the race that would give Buckaroo his best chance.
“Everyone is concerned. It’s a long way. It’s an extreme distance, but he’s got the credentials to be able to stay on faster than the rest… We have got to make sure we conserve him early, get the pace of the race right, make sure he is comfortable and make sure he is in the position that he can let go and sprint,” Waller said on Monday.
Unfortunately, that plan did not come to fruition as Buckaroo decided to run as if the finishing line was 2000 metres from the start rather than two miles. It eventually caught up with him as jockey Craig Williams eased him through the line.
“It was a shame we didn’t get to see Buckaroo at his best. We know how good a horse he is but in today’s race he was not far away from the eventual winner, but he was three-wide on the back and basically put himself out of the race when they went slow,” Williams said.
The good news is Buckaroo will now have a rest and is expected to make a full recovery, having already earned connections close to $3.5million in 31 starts.
That was the best news of the race for Waller who had the fourth placed River of Stars as the best finisher of his five runners, with Valiant King – who dipped and nearly tumbled at the 2500-metre mark – finishing equal 16th, More Felons 18th and Land Legend, who led the field into the turn, 22nd.
News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport are sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.
Most Viewed in Sport
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
