The latest golden ticket into the Melbourne Cup 2024 field on the first Tuesday of November has been secured by the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Just Fine who narrowly held on in an impressive all-the-way The Bart Cummings victory at Flemington on Turnbull Stakes Day.
This time last spring the former Queen Elizabeth II owned European expat was in Sydney winning The Metropolitan at Randwick.
In his first win since, the now seven-year-old son of Sea The Stars broke a year-long drought to reenter the winner’s stall this time at Headquarters taking out the all-important Group 3 $500,000 The Bart Cummings (2500m).
The Bart Cummings winner is exempt from ballot in the iconic Group 1 $8.56 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) back at the track on November 5.
Almandin (2016) was the last horse to complete The Bart Cummings – Melbourne Cup double.
Just Fine was enormous when ridden boldly by Jordan Childs to lead from barrier to box in the event which was delayed due to the lightning strikes around Melbourne on Saturday.
“Jordan (Childs), that’s Jordan at his best,” winning co-trainer Gai Waterhouse said post-race.
“When Jordan gets going on a front runner, he’s very effective.”
In an improved run on his last start 10th in Caulfield’s Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m), the dour stayer relished the extra distance having his first run over further than 2000m since his Metrop success last year.
“Often they can peak and then they can lose the plot,” Waterhouse said
“You know, they’re not machines, they’re animals and he just trained off.
“Then we just kept tapping away and when I saw him the other day and he raced at Caulfield, I wasn’t happy with him so we just sort of gave him a little bit more work and just did different things.
“I just knew today that you really have to try hard to beat him. So has it just been a matter of building
“Getting his fitness level right there. And he’s got lovely cruising speed.”
After setting the speed throughout, Just Fine raced into the clear once on the straight with 350m left to travel boasting a four-length margin on his rivals.
He started to paddle 100m out from the line really needing the winning post which came just in time as he was able to hold off the fast-finishing Point King ($5.50) to win by a reduced margin of just a neck in a notably upset at $21.
In a brave third to complete the trifecta was Phillip Stokes‘ evergreen 11-year-old Amade ($41) who continues to show a zest for racing ahead of a likely Ladbrokes Geelong Cup title defence on October 23.
Childs is hopeful that Melbourne Cup handicappers will penalise Just Fine so he can be there for the ride on Cup Day.
“He’s got a great set of lungs on him. He’s a free-bowling horse. He’s just won his ticket to the Melbourne Cup, so he’ll be there for a long way,” he said.
“Hopefully he can get a good penalty and I’ll be able to jump on him on Cup Day.”
The Bart Cummings results were an enormous thrill for the multitude of owners involved in the MyRacehorse No. 1 syndication.
They will next get to cheer on their galloper in the world’s richest handicap race.
“They’re going to have a lot of fun running in him in our biggest race,” Waterhouse said.
“What a wonderful thing. It happens nowhere in the world, I can tell you, where people from all different walks of life can have a share in a horse for not much money and be able to come here on the first Tuesday in November and maybe win a multi-million dollar race.”
Last start Lexus Archer winner Point King looks spot on for his shot at the Melbourne Cup too after nearly getting there again.
Current all-in 2024 Melbourne Cup odds at Ladbrokes.com.au have Just Fine into $34 and Point King at a shorter $13.
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2024 The Bart Cummings Results & Finishing Order
| Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Penalty | Starting Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | JUST FINE (IRE) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Jordan Childs | 3 | 57kg | $21 | |||
| 2 | 6 | POINT KING (IRE) | Anthony & Sam Freedman | Ben Melham | 0.2L | 7 | 55.5kg | $5.50 | ||
| 3 | 5 | AMADE (IRE) | Phillip Stokes | Daniel Stackhouse | 0.26L | 1 | 55.5kg | $41 | ||
| 4 | 16 | BERKSHIRE BREEZE (IRE) | Ciaron Maher | Michael Dee | 1.76L | 2 | 54kg | $3.70F | ||
| 5 | 15 | MISSION OF LOVE | John Symons & Sheila Laxon | Patrick Moloney | 2.16L | 4 | 54kg | $31 | ||
| 6 | 12 | INTERPRETATION (IRE) | Ciaron Maher | Teo Nugent | 2.31L | 10 | 54kg | $61 | ||
| 7 | 10 | POSITIVITY (NZ) | Andrew Forsman | Harry Coffey | 2.37L | 13 | 54.5kg | $14 | ||
| 8 | 8 | HORRIFYING (NZ) | Lindsey Smith | Luke Currie | 3.37L | 5 | 54.5kg (cd 55kg) | $14 | ||
| 9 | 14 | SAINT GEORGE (GB) | Ciaron Maher | Declan Bates | 4.37L | 12 | 54kg (cd 54.5kg) | $6.50 | ||
| 10 | 13 | MANZOICE | Chris Waller | Joao Moreira | 4.72L | 9 | 54kg (cd 54.5kg) | $6.50 | ||
| 11 | 7 | EL BODEGON (IRE) | Chris Waller | Beau Mertens | 5.12L | 6 | 54.5kg | $20 | ||
| 12 | 9 | MOSTLY CLOUDY (IRE) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Craig Newitt | 6.12L | 11 | 54.5kg | $10 | ||
| 13 | 11 | SIR LUCAN (IRE) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | John Allen | 6.47L | 8 | 54.5kg (cd 55kg) | $41 | ||
| 19e | QUANTUM CAT (USA) | Chris Waller | 0 | |||||||
| 20e | WHISKY ON THE HILL (GB) | Michael Moroney & Glen Thompson | 0 | |||||||
| 18e | MATUSALEM | Chris Waller | 0 | |||||||
| 17e | DASHING DUCHESS (NZ) | Symon Wilde | 0 | |||||||
| 3 | MAHRAJAAN (USA) | Shaune Ritchie & Colm Murray | Damian Lane | 0 | ||||||
| 4 | POST IMPRESSIONIST (IRE) | Anthony & Sam Freedman | Jye McNeil | 0 | ||||||
| 1 | VOW AND DECLARE | Danny O’Brien | Billy Egan | 0 |
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