‘Terrible to watch’: Caulfield Cup marred by falls
Shayne Hope |
Emotional trainer Gavin Bedggood has shed tears of joy after Kingswood’s $6 million Caulfield Cup (2400m) victory in a race marred by a tragic fall in the home straight.
Yulong-owned mare Ohope Wins was euthanised on the track on Saturday as a result of an injury sustained when brought down by the fallen Half Yours.
Half Yours, who won the Melbourne and Caulfield cups double last year, escaped with only “superficial” lacerations, while jockeys Mark Zahra and Jye McNeil avoided serious injuries.
Racing Victoria confirmed both riders were taken to hospital for further observation.
Half Yours co-trainer Tony McEvoy said the incident was “terrible to watch”.
“The horse, he’s got a couple of lacerations. He seems bright, he seems composed in himself,” McEvoy said in a short statement posted on X.
“He’s got a laceration under his arm, he’s got a laceration on a hind leg.
“They look superficial. He’s just with the vets now but he came back to scale.”
Kingswood was the widest runner into the straight but avoided the falls and surged home.
The seven-year-old grey took the lead from Enfjaar with 100m left to run and won by half-a-length from Ciaron Maher-trained Saint George.
Enfjaar, one of three UK raiders in the field, held on for third and pre-race favourite Cosmic Crusader was fourth.
It was a first triumph as a trainer in a major for Bedggood, who paid tribute to his family and staff.
“I”m just rapt for my team at home. They all turn up every day and they work really hard,” Bedggood said.
“I’m a hard task master. I’m anal and like things done a particular way.
“They put up with me and I don’t get the results that I’m getting without good people behind me.”
Kingswood overcame a wide draw in barrier 17 to complete the upset, paying $26 on the TAB.
“We were pretty much posted three-wide all the way and everyone wanted to question the horse’s credentials at a mile-and-a-half,” Bedggood said.
“We couldn’t condemn him on his (previous) run here. It was on a heavy nine and you had to put a line through it.
“It’s great to be vindicated.”
Ballarat-based Irish jockey John Allen timed his run on Kingswood to perfection, adding the triumph to his 2021 Cox Plate win aboard State Of Rest.
“When a bit of a wave came around him at the 1200, I was happy to leave that go and tack them into the race,” Allen said.
“I knew he’d show a good turn of foot if he travelled well into the home straight and he cantered up to them and put them away.”
Earlier, Saintly Dancer was a dominant winner of the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) under jockey Blake Shinn.
Icelady was second across the line, giving trainer Ciaron Maher a quinella, while Regal Ambition was third.
The official attendance of 30,051 is the largest in a decade for Caulfield Cup day.
AAP