UNDER-SIEGE jockey Kerrin McEvoy put a controversial return to Australian racing behind him to claim yesterday's feature on All The Good to give global giant Godolphin its first major win Down Under.
"It means everything to me, especially to win it in the Godolphin blue," McEvoy said.
Asked about the criticism directed at him for sub-standard rides since returning to Australia to take over as stable rider for the powerful Darley operation, McEvoy showed championship qualities.
"It has been character building," he said. "As I've said before, it was a pretty rough start, but I've come good the last couple of weeks."
When All The Good charged up the Caulfield straight and into the history books, a pall fell over the track. The people's horse, Weekend Hussler, started second favourite at $7 in front of the official crowd of 51,328 but wilted to finish 12th.
The gelding, racing at 2400 metres for the first time, pulled up lame in the off foreleg, with a slight case of the thumps and with an allergic skin condition. He will not race again this year.
"We won't be crucifying the horse so that's it for him as far as I am concerned," trainer Ross McDonald's wife, Margaret, said.
"He simply didn't stay. We were certain he would but he doesn't. He has a great run today but I think he's an out-and-out champion up to a mile and not much beyond."
Godolphin was the brainchild of Dubai's ruler, Sheik Mohammed. His horses first landed here a decade ago and the Melbourne Cup was the ultimate goal. The assault on the world kicked off 16 years ago. He has since won 141 group 1 events in 12 countries. The team's spokeswoman, Diana Cooper, has been there from the start.
"It is something we have been looking forward to for many years now," Cooper said yesterday.
Asked about Sheik Mohammed, Cooper said: "He will be over the moon - a very, very happy man. I'm sure he has watched it. I'm not sure if he'll come down for the Melbourne Cup, but this is a great incentive."
Godolphin bought All The Good last year for an undisclosed sum, and the Melbourne Cup was immediately on the agenda.
"He has travelled beautiful since he has been here," Cooper said.
"He has relaxed, he has a beautiful profile, he has the speed switches on and off. He was bought as a horse with the right profile for the race [Melbourne Cup] but there is a long way to go. He stays very well - he will be better again, but there is a lot of opposition. We have got over the first hurdle; it is one step at a time."
Cooper applauded McEvoy for a "magic ride".
"He has done a wonderful job for us in England and done it again for us here, I'm so proud of him," she said.
All The Good started at $41 and had three-quarters of a length to spare over the AJC Australian Derby winner, Nom Du Jeu ($31).
"He still kept coming and made up a ton of ground," his New Zealand trainer, Murray Baker, said. "He will only get better. I think he'll improve."
Rank outsider Barbaricus ($101), which took up the running mid-race and battled on gamely, was third. Barbaricus was prepared by Danny O'Brien, who quinellaed the Caulfield Cup last year with Master O'Reilly and Douro Valley.
Turnbull Stakes winner Littorio was sent out favourite in yesterday's $2.5 million event and was doing his best work late to finish fifth.
"I was a bit disappointed early but after talking to [jockey] Steven King the horse possibly wasn't suited to the pressure early," his trainer, Nigel Blackiston, said.
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