Vow And Declare is the 2019 Melbourne Cup Winner

November 5, 2019

Vow And Declare is the 2019 Melbourne Cup Winner

The Cup is coming home!

The Danny O’Brien-trained Vow And Declare put an end to Australia’s Melbourne Cup drought on Tuesday by becoming the first homegrown horse since Shocking (2009) to win the time-honoured $7 million staying race.

The gelding by Declaration Of War was installed as a $12.00 chance after drawing barrier 21. Running second behind Mer De Glace in the Caulfield Cup last start, punters weren’t afraid of backing the four-year-old, who firmed into $11.00 before the jump.

Jockey Craig Williams had never won a Melbourne Cup before and his ride on Vow And Declare was nothing short of brilliant. With the tempo on the slow slide, the pair chose to sit close to the speed from the gates before rounding the bend box seat third.

It didn’t take long before Vow And Declare’s Caulfield Cup form shone through as he exploded along the rails to reel in the leading Prince Of Arran and Master Of Reality.

It was a memorable day not only for O’Brien and Williams, but also for Australia. Nothing came easy as Vow And Declare copped a slight bump from Master Of Reality over the final 50m, but the horse showed tremendous fight to lunge at the line and win by half a head in a time of 3:24.46.

“It was a privilege to ride him today. We had a difficult barrier draw, Danny’s instructions were to trust him, we know what we can do” Williams said after the race.

“It’s been great to be associated with a great horse like this. I rode him on debut, James Winks rode him on debut in his maiden win 12 months ago, he progressed. Look at him, he knows he won.”

It was a first for Williams and also O’Brien as the Flemington trainer won his first-ever Cup. O’Brien advocated all week how important a win over the internationals would be for Australian racing as his true blue stayer lived up to his end of the bargain.

Vow And Declare, one of only two Australian bred horses in the race, won the 2019 Melbourne Cup in a thrilling finish at Flemington on Tuesday. Photo Credit: Steve Hart.

“It doesn’t get much better I don’t think. It was a race which wasn’t going to plan, but to be fair to Craig he grabbed the bull by the horns when nothing else wanted to go forward” O’Brien told Racing.com.

He ended up in front past the winning post and that’s probably been the winning move. But inside the last 100m, I thought geez you’ve led past the post the first time and three are on you now, I was hoping he’d hang on for a place, to be honest.

The horse is a courageous horse, he’s got great stamina and I’m sure he just found something more to get his head over the line.”

It always looked like Vow And Declare wanted a little more after being chased down by Mer De Glace in the Caulfield Cup. Having won over 3000m in the Group 3 Tatt’s Cup at Eagle Farm back in June, the form more than stacked up for a competitive race.

Williams led from Youngstar down the straight the first time around and although he looked a little keen early, O’Brien always had faith in his horses fitness.

“He’s definitely got a great motor. His recovery is the best we’ve seen and to get full advantage of that you probably need to run 3200m, and we were able to do that today. We got a bit outsprinted in the Caulfield Cup but the stamina won us the race today” O’Brien went on to say.

A protest between fourth and second put a slight delay on the celebrations as it was decided Master Of Reality and jockey Frankie Dettori impeded the run of Il Paradiso. The protest was eventually upheld as it was deemed Master Of Reality squeezed Il Paradiso between Vow And Declare, awarding Prince Of Arran second place and Il Paradiso third.

“I am incredibly proud of the horse. To do what he’s done two years in a row is a remarkable achievement,” Fellowes said of Prince Of Arran’s run.

“Don’t think he’s ever finished outside of the first three which is amazing. God, we were close, gee we were close today. I thought for a very, very brief second we had it. We just hit the front and then… he’s run brilliant.

“We’ve just literally two seconds ago been invited to run in the Japan Cup. There’s also a race in Hong Kong, The Vase, which we’ve got on our mind. I’ve just got to have a little think to see where we go. But to be honest, all roads lead back here next year, that’s where we want to come.”

Nine internationals (since Shocking’s win in 2009) had won the Melbourne Cup prior to Vow And Declare’s victory on Tuesday.

Master Of Reality was declared as the fourth place-getter. Mer De Glace, who was the favourite following the barrier draw finished sixth ahead of Finche, who edged the Japanese stayer for favouritism on Monday afternoon.

Complete 2019 Lexus Melbourne Cup results can be viewed below.

Finish No. Horse Trainer Jockey Margin Bar. Weight Penalty
1 23 VOW AND DECLARE Danny O’Brien Craig Williams 21 52kg
2 12 PRINCE OF ARRAN (GB) Charlie Fellowes Michael Walker 0.2L 8 54kg 1.0kg
3 20 IL PARADISO (USA) Aidan O’Brien Wayne Lordan 0.3L 17 52.5kg
4 3 MASTER OF REALITY (IRE) Joseph O’Brien Frankie Dettori 0.4L 1 55.5kg
5 18 SURPRISE BABY (NZ) Paul Preusker Jordan Childs 0.9L 20 53.5kg 1.0kg
6 2 MER DE GLACE (JPN) Hisashi Shimizu Damian Lane 1.2L 2 56kg 1.0kg
7 11 FINCHE (GB) Chris Waller Kerrin McEvoy 1.4L 4 54kg
8 1 CROSS COUNTER (GB) Charlie Appleby William Buick 1.6L 5 57.5kg
9 21 STEEL PRINCE (IRE) Anthony Freedman Brett Prebble 2.1L 16 52.5kg
10 15 MAGIC WAND (IRE) Aidan O’Brien Ryan Moore 3.6L 24 53.5kg
11 10 TWILIGHT PAYMENT (IRE) Joseph O’Brien Hugh Bowman 3.8L 19 55kg
12 17 SOUND (GER) Michael Moroney James Winks 3.9L 10 53.5kg
13 19 CONSTANTINOPLE (IRE) David & B Hayes & T Dabernig Joao Moreira 4.1L 7 52.5kg
14 4 MIRAGE DANCER (GB) Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young Ben Melham 4.3L 13 55.5kg
15 6 HUNTING HORN (IRE) Aidan O’Brien Seamie Heffernan 4.5L 11 55kg
16 13 RAYMOND TUSK (IRE) Richard Hannon Jamie Spencer 5L 3 54kg
17 22 THE CHOSEN ONE (NZ) Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman Tim Clark 5.2L 18 52kg 0.5kg
18 7 LATROBE (IRE) Joseph O’Brien James McDonald 6.45L 22 55kg
19 5 SOUTHERN FRANCE (IRE) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Mark Zahra 6.55L 14 55.5kg
20 24 YOUNGSTAR Chris Waller Tommy Berry 7.3L 9 52kg
21 16 NEUFBOSC (FR) David & B Hayes & T Dabernig Luke Nolen 8.3L 23 53.5kg
22 14 DOWNDRAFT (IRE) Joseph O’Brien John Allen 8.6L 15 53.5kg
23 8 MUSTAJEER (GB) Kris Lees Damien Oliver 10.85L 6 55kg
24 9 ROSTROPOVICH (IRE) David & B Hayes & T Dabernig Dwayne Dunn 40.85L 12 55kg

Racing fields and data are copyright 2011-2021 © Racing Australia Pty Ltd (RA) (and other parties working with it).
Racing materials, including fields, form and results, is subject to copyright which is owned by RA and other parties working with it. Full copyright notice.

Spring Racing

Military Mission Fires in 2023...

Zipping Classic 2023 Field �...

Zipping Classic 2023 Field & Odds Update: Vow And Declare Defends Title

Danny O’Brien’s 2019 Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare continues to show a...

Overpass Heads 2023 Winterbott...

Overpass Heads 2023 Winterbottom Stakes Field & Betting Markets

Bjron Baker’s The Everest performer Overpass is tipped to return to winning...

Osipenko Leads The Gong 2023 R...

Osipenko Leads The Gong 2023 Race Field & Betting

The Chris Waller-trained Pierro four-year-old Osipenko is firm favourite in...

2023 Railway Stakes Field ...

2023 Railway Stakes Field & Betting Update: Tuvalu Narrow Favourite

The Lindsey Smith-trained top-weight Tuvalu is narrow favourite in the latest...

Horse Racing Today

2024 Coolmore Classic Winner Z...

2024 All-Star Mile Results: Pr...

2024 All-Star Mile Results: Pride Of Jenni Beats Mr Brightside by 2 Lengths

Pride Of Jenni was enormous running her rivals ragged with a blistering...

2024 Pago Pago Stakes Results:...

2024 Pago Pago Stakes Results: McEvoy’s Dublin Down on Golden Slipper Bid

Dublin Down is into Saturday week’s 2024 Golden Slipper field after a gutsy...

Randwick Guineas 2024 Results:...

Randwick Guineas 2024 Results: Celestial Legend Nudges out Militarize on the Line

Celestial Legend put the writing on the wall for a huge year ahead with the...

2024 Canterbury Stakes Results...

2024 Canterbury Stakes Results: Lady Laguna Upsets Think About It, Espiona Third

Top honours in the 2024 Canterbury Stakes results at Royal Randwick went to...

Race Results

2024 Coolmore Classic Winner Zougotcha Dives Late to Salute

2024 All-Star Mile Results: Pride Of Jenni Beats Mr Brightside by 2 Lengths

2024 Pago Pago Stakes Results: McEvoy’s Dublin Down on Golden Slipper Bid

Randwick Guineas 2024 Results: Celestial Legend Nudges out Militarize on the Line

2024 Canterbury Stakes Results: Lady Laguna Upsets Think About It, Espiona Third

Race Previews

2024 Golden Slipper Stakes Field & Barriers: Storm Boy Draws Two

Magic Night Winner Drifting Firms in Golden Slipper 2024 Betting

Zougotcha Heads 2024 Coolmore Classic Field & Odds

2024 All-Star Mile Field & Betting Update: Mr Brightside Odds-On

2024 Adelaide Cup Field & Betting Update: The Map Leads the Way

Fields & Form

2024 Golden Slipper Stakes Field & Barriers: Storm Boy Draws Two

Zougotcha Heads 2024 Coolmore Classic Field & Odds

2024 All-Star Mile Field & Betting Update: Mr Brightside Odds-On

2024 Adelaide Cup Field & Betting Update: The Map Leads the Way

2024 Randwick Guineas Field & Odds Update: Militarize Set to Strike Second-Up