As always, the Cup didn't disappoint, well maybe the result might, but the race, as good as ever.
The good 3 track saw the runners scooting along and with about 800 to go, most of the field was gassed. It was the weakest Cup for the last few years, and what do you apply in weak races? Barrier draw. The quinella drew well and came up along the inside compared to the fave or one of them going wide.
J. Moreira copped a lot of flack from the whingers. Let's take a look at the run.
The above pic is soon after the start, Buckaroo back a little out wide, pretty much in the car park. He drew 20.
The next pic shows where he was mid-race just when he started to make a move around the 800 after being
one off in about as good a position as was possible, given the draw, near the rear of the field.
The next pic is on the turn with Buckaroo (watch the replay), looking absolutely huge and perfectly placed ready to charge into the race and if he was a genuine two mile horse like some of the former winners, would have stormed home to win.
Instead Buckaroo like a class horse, battled away to finish 9th, some 5 lengths back. The eventual winner was back
with singing Robbie Dolan almost in the same place some 10 horses closer to the fence.
Buckaroo is not a genuine Group 1 two miler and isn't even a great 2400m horse. If he was a great 2400m runner he would have won the Caulfield Cup. Better barrier, better jockey (is that possible), maybe track with more give, the old Buckaroo is still not going to win the Cup, swap places with Knight's Choice, he might have run a place.
The question. How could Joao have done better? He could have waited and hoped to pick his way through the field, he could have gone forward at the start and chanced his luck. Listen to the roosters crow after that. Or pretty much do what he did and maybe get a better position (but that didn't happen). He could have tried to not go so wide on the turn but the horse at the time was travelling so well so why risk being held up, look at the pic, there were no gaps. This was a serious race.
Betfair offered odds of slightly more than $2 about Buckaroo not finishing in the first four placings. Given the barrier and the distance, it was one of those near certainties.
Buckaroo will probably be back next year for another throw at the stumps. See if Joao gets the ride.