Cover image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Written by Richard Edmunds
The field has been finalised for Tuesday’s Lexus Melbourne Cup at Flemington, with Great House (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) securing the last spot by winning Saturday’s G3 Lexus Hotham S.
Heading into Saturday’s 2500-metre race, Great House was precariously positioned in 24th place in the order of entry for the Melbourne Cup. He held the bottom spot in the 24-horse field for Australasia's most famous race, but faced a real risk of being leapfrogged with the “win and you’re in” conditions of the Hotham.
Great House (Ire) | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
The only way for Great House to keep his Melbourne Cup destiny in his own hands was to win the Hotham himself, and he was up to the task.
Ridden by James McDonald, Great House charged home from off the pace and finished over the top of a gallant Mankayan (Ire) (Intello {Ger}) to score by 0.75l.
“He had to tough it out there,” McDonald said. “It was a genuine tempo and he got the first half beautifully relaxed, chimed into it and I actually thought that he was going to win a bit easier. There was a tough horse inside me (Mankayan), but he got the job done.”
Trained by Chris Waller for owners Highclere Australia, Great House has now had 15 starts for five wins, five placings and just under $700,000 in stakes.
Great House (light blue silks and navy cap) | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Saturday’s assignment was a drop in class for the 5-year-old gelding, whose previous two starts were Group 1 fifth placings in the Metropolitan H. and Caulfield Cup.
Waller’s stable representative Jo Taylor was relieved to put all Melbourne Cup uncertainty to bed with victory in Saturday’s Hotham.
“When you’re on the borderline, you could take the gamble and save yourself for the Cup, but then get knocked out,” Taylor said. “Today we certainly made sure that we’re in it.
“When you’re on the borderline, you could take the gamble and save yourself for the Cup, but then get knocked out. Today we certainly made sure that we’re in it.” - Jo Taylor
“With 50 kilos, it is obviously a nice light weight to go into a race like that. But now we have the quest to find a rider to ride at that light weight. I’m sure Chris has pencilled in a few.
“Great House came through the Caulfield Cup really well, and on Tuesday his work here at Flemington was the work of the morning from my horses. He reproduced that today with a very good ride from James.
“He’s been a nice sound horse and he’s been honest. Every time we’ve raised the bar, he seems to have stepped up to the plate, so why not keep doing that?”
James McDonald and Great House (Ire) returning to scale | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
A winner and placed in his first two starts in Ireland in June of 2020, Great House was bought by Highclere for £175,000 (AU$319,000) in last year’s Tattersalls Online August Sale. He has made a good impression with four victories in the 14 months since then, with Saturday’s Hotham his second success at stakes level. He also won the G3 Newcastle Cup on September 17.