Melbourne Cup 2016: Finishing order and TAB dividends

The Herald Sun’s Michael Manley laos gives his verdict on the performance of each runner in the Flemington two-miler, which was won the Lloyd Williams-owned Almandin.

1. (17) ALMANDIN

Kerrin McEvoy: “Gee, he travelled well. How lucky am I?, the elation’s unreal. He’s been well prepared by (owner) Lloyd (Williams), he knows what to do with these staying races. It’s just a dream, it’s great to be a part of it again. I’d like to thank Lloyd and (trainer) Rob Hickmott for giving me the chance.”

Last 400m: 23.84 seconds

MANLEY SAYS: Superb ride from McEvoy. He settled well back and always kept an eye on Joao Moreira on Heartbreak City, who was always a length or two in front of him. He didn’t panic when Moreira began his run with 900m to go though and let him go. In the winning move on the point of the turn he managed to get to the outside, while Moreira was held up, and then had a bumping duel with Jameka.

2. (13) HEARTBREAK CITY

Joao Moreira: “It was a fantastic run, unfortunately we didn’t win the race. Turning for home, I thought I was going to win as I went past Hartnell easily, but when I looked on my outside, Kerrin McEvoy had his horse full of himself as well and we went for a battle. My horse is much smaller than his and he gave 120 per cent of himself but at the end, I wasn’t able to succeed. I’ll be back and I’ll win this.”

Last 400m: 23.87 seconds

MANLEY SAYS: Moreira was only inches away from winning a Melbourne Cup and the platitudes accompanying such a win. He settled Heartbreak City worse than midfield and let the horse relax with the hectic tempo. Couldn’t get to the outside on turning and was held up for a brief period, which probably cost him the race. He outrode everyone else and was only beaten by a ride of perfection.

3. (6) HARTNELL

James McDonald: “He ran superb. He got into a nice enough rhythm down the back. He just trucks a little bit hard for that two-mile race but he’s a good galloper and he had a good crack.”

Last 400m: 24.70

MANLEY SAYS: Really good run from a top-class horse. Was also given a perfect ride but just couldn’t sprint with the first two horses in the closing stages finding the 3200m just a little too far. The two which beat him in carried four kilos and two kilos less than him as well. An admirable effort underlying his class.

4. (23) QEWY

Craig Williams: “He was very gallant. The stable summed him up really well when they said he’s just an out-and-out stayer.”

Last 400m: 24.67 seconds

MANLEY SAYS: Quintessentual little trier who Aussie punters have taken to heart. Was always in the top third of the field and never looked a winning chance but put his head down to defeat the clump of horses which were fighting out fourth.

5. (7) WHO SHOT THEBARMAN

Hugh Bowman: “I was delighted with my horse. With a better draw, he may have travelled a bit closer and finished a bit closer, but no excuses, he had a beautiful run.”

Last 400m: 24.50 seconds

MANLEY SAYS: Another top staying effort from this underrated stayer. In another era he’s a Melbourne Cup legend. This former Kiwi has now run in three Melbourne Cups for a third, a fifth and an 11th when flattened. In 2014 he was beaten by two international gallopers and on Tuesday by two internationals and two imported gallopers.

6. (9) ALMOONQITH

Michael Walker: “He ran out of his skin. I was on the back of the first two and I’d had a better run. They just had a better turn of foot.”

Last 400m: 24.75 seconds

MANLEY SAYS: Excellent run and ran to the best of his ability. Tried to follow the quinella into the race but they left him in his wake. Looked likely to finish fourth with 200m to go but wilted on his run.

7. (16) BEAUTIFUL ROMANCE

Damian Lane: “She ran super. She nearly fell on her head out of the barriers. If she could have held a positive spot, she might have been right in it.”

Last 400m: 24.61 seconds

MANLEY SAYS: Almost fell at the start and then had to settle back in the field. Only had three horses behind her with 600m to go. Finished off in determined fashion in a good run.

8. (5) EXOSPHERIC

Damien Oliver: “He ran really well. Moved into it nicely on the turn but probably didn’t have the sprint.”

Last 400m: 24.95 seconds

MANLEY SAYS: Given a nice ride by Damien Oliver. He had him in the optimum spot to run on turning but he didn’t have the sprint to take advantage of it at the end of 3200m. Good effort though.

9. (22) PENTATHLON

Mark Du Plessis: “I just got back a bit far but he was relaxed. I couldn’t cut the corner and had to go around them but I think they (the owners) may have got their money back so it’s good.”

Last 400m: 24.77 seconds

MANLEY SAYS: Always out the back and never a winning chance or for that matter a place chance but finished off nicely from a long way back to secure the $125,000 prizemoney for a top 10 finish.

10. (1) BIG ORANGE

Jamie Spencer: “(The) pace and (his) weight (beat him).”

Last 400m: 25.28 seconds

MANLEY SAYS: Just goes at the same tempo virtually from start to finish. Was always in the leading group but couldn’t cope with the sprint went on. This race was run at a faster tempo than last year, when he finished fifth, and he couldn’t cope in the final stages. Still battled on well.

11. (11) GRAND MARSHAL

Ben Melham: “He ran as good as he can go on that surface. He probably needs it wetter to be more competitive in this grade.”

Last 400m: 24.76 seconds

MANLEY SAYS: Always out the back and never a winning chance. Finished off in good fashion but he needs a wet track to be a chance in a Melbourne Cup.

12. (20) OCEANOGRAPHER

Chad Schofield: “He just didn’t back up. I had the first two horses around me in the run but he was very one-paced up the straight.”

Last 400m: 24.94 seconds

MANLEY SAYS: Much better than that and was one of the flops of the race. He was in the right spot on turning but the killer sprint he displayed on Saturday wasn’t to be seen. Pulled up lame.

13. (4) BONDI BEACH

Ryan Moore: “He was a bit disappointing. He never really travelled.”

Last 400m: 24.90 seconds

MANLEY SAYS: A second Melbourne Cup for him and another ordinary run. His form wasn’t flash leading into the race so the query was why was he so well fancied?

14. (19) GREY LION

Glen Boss: “He give me a great ride. He just didn’t run the distance.”

Last 400m: 26.02 seconds

MANLEY SAYS: Glen Boss had him well positioned but he didn’t finish the race off.

15. (12) JAMEKA

Nicholas Hall: “Just didn’t stay the trip this year. She’s still a young mare and probably needs a bit of grounding. I knew at the 600 metres she was out of petrol.”

Last 400m: 26.13 seconds

MANLEY SAYS: Was nicely positioned but a fast-run 3200m was a bridge too far for the mare. She had a bump with Heartbreak City soon after straightening and she was gone soon after.

16. (15) EXCESS KNOWLEDGE

Vlad Duric: “I decided to go forward from the barrier and got across nicely, but you’re running into a stiff head breeze basically for 1100 metres coming down the straight so I think that probably told on him at the finish. He straightened up in front then he was a beaten horse.”

Last 400m: 26.70 seconds

MANLEY SAYS: Worked forward from the start and realistically was given no hope of being in the finish the way he was ridden. All the horses who worked forward finished well back.

17. (2) OUR IVANHOWE

Dwayne Dunn: “Had a super run but the track’s too firm for him.”

Last 400m: 26.01 seconds

MANLEY SAYS: Always midfield was and never looked a winning chance. Also needs a wet track.

18. (14) SIR JOHN HAWKWOOD

Blake Spriggs: “He just really felt the track. We got a bit further back than what we wanted to but we had to ride him quiet to make sure he’d get the trip. From the 1000 he travelled really well, but inside the 600 he started to feel his legs a little bit but I’m very proud of him.”

Last 400m: 26.62 seconds

MANLEY SAYS: Never in it. Always out the back.

19. (18) ASSIGN

Katelyn Mallyon: “He didn’t go too bad. I sort of came in to the race nicely at the half-mile but he’s probably come to the end of his prep.”

Last 400m: 26.98 seconds

MANLEY SAYS: Another who pushed forward early and in the leading handful throughout. Just like them he was beaten a long way out.

20. (10) GALLANTE

Blake Shinn: “He was disappointing. He was gone a long way out.”

Last 400m: 27.04 seconds

MANLEY SAYS: Mid-field throughout and was struggling a long way out.

21. (21) SECRET NUMBER

Stephen Baster: “He ran OK. I thought he felt the ground.”

Last 400m: 27.80 seconds

MANLEY SAYS: Trapped three wide in the first 1000m so Baster pushed on to take up the lead. Kept going and at one stage with 800m to go led by two lengths but was beaten before the turn.

22. (8) WICKLOW BRAVE

Frankie Dettori: “He was flat.”

Last 400m: 28.14 seconds

MANLEY SAYS: Frankie kept him extremely wide in the straight the first time and kept pushing on out three wide looking for a spot just behind the leaders. He finally got it after 1000m but had expended plenty of petrol to get there. No surprise “he was flat” in the straight.

23. (3) CURREN MIROTIC

Tommy Berry: “Had a beautiful run in the race, he didn’t put in today.”

Last 400m: Eased up

MANLEY SAYS: This Japanese stayer was part of the on pace battle and like the others up there was beaten a long way out.

24 and last: (24) ROSE OF VIRGINIA

Ben Thompson: “I had a nice run on the back of Big Orange and then Qewy from the 1800 (metres). Hartnell was there on the outside for me to get on the back of but there must be something (wrong) there. I’m sure it’s the end of her prep.”

Last 400m: Eased up

MANLEY SAYS: Hopefully Ben Thompson will have a better Melbourne Cup experience for his next ride. He was right as she pulled up with a degree of exercise induced pulmonary haemorrhage and was also galloped on.

THE TAB RESULTS

VIC TAB Dividends

17 $11.80, $4.40

13 $6.20

6 $2.80

Quinella: 17-13 $119.80

Exacta: 17-13 $197.60

Trifecta: 17-13-6 $1541.30

First Four: 17-13-6-23 $24,174.40

NSW TAB Dividends

17 $12.30, $4.60

13 $5.70

6 $3.10

Quinella: 17-13 $104.70

Exacta: 17-13 $194.80

Trifecta: 17-13-6 $1,381

First Four: 17-13-6-23 $20,761

QLD TAB Dividends

17 $12.30, $4.80

13 $6.20

6 $3.20

Quinella: 17-13 $119.70

Exacta: 17-13 $228.70

Trifecta: 17-13-6 $1,559

First Four: 17-13-6-23 $23,584