Bill Pomare with the Auckland Cup trophy. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
Bill Pomare with the Auckland Cup trophy. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
The two New Zealand trainers in today's Melbourne Cup are coming at the iconic race from very different angles.
Bill Pomare, who co-owns and usually trains Ocean Billy, says just having a horse in the Cup is a huge tick on his bucket list and he can't really believe he is here.
He realises, more than likely, this will be the one and only time he climbs this mountain so it won't matter so much is he can't get to the top of it.
Murray Baker, who co-trains The Chosen One, is in a slightly different position because he can't really remember all the Melbourne Cup runners, which is testament to both his training skills and that he has an awful lot of fine horses taking up space in his memory banks.
"That is how hard it is to win. You need a good horse to get there and then a lot of luck along the way.
"So it's been great to have quite a few horses in there. But I'd kinda prefer to win it.
"I've won Caulfield Cups and Sydney Cups, the 3200m Cups back here but this is the big one.
"And while it was never been easy it has got that much harder since the Europeans started coming."
Both Bill and Murray, the latter training with Andrew Forsman, are thrilled with their horse's conditions heading into today, from what they can tell off the phone as Baker's staff and Pomare's caretaker trainer Chris Waller keep them updated.
"Chris rang me today and said the horse's blood reports came back perfect," said Pomare, sounding like somebody who had just spoken to their favourite rock star.
"He sent me a pic and asked if I was worried the horse was showing a bit of rib but I told him Phar Lap was always showing a bit of rib.
"He was showing some rib when he won the Auckland Cup so that is a good thing.
"If the track is dry, which I think it will be, then he will go a big race and if he can finish in the top 10 (worth A$160,000) he pays for his whole trip.
"So we will get together with all our mates, well as many as we are allowed to have, and watch it and enjoy it," says Pomare.
The Baker/Forsman rep The Chosen One is far more proven at this Melbourne Cup caper, finishing a brave fourth last season and is drawn to get an economical first half of the race, with the blinkers off to stop him getting too fired up.
"He has a bit going for him and we are willing to forgive him for his last start because nothing went right," says Baker of the Caulfield Cup flop.
"We have a top jockey and he finished second in a Sydney Cup over this trip so I think he has a show.
"But it will be good to have a horse in the Cup again, it always is."
Bill Pomare with the Auckland Cup trophy. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
If either stable can pull off the Miracle in Melbourne they would be certain to get a call from the other, which in itself would be a remarkable rarity.
Because while they are men of a similar vintage who would have attended hundreds of the same race meetings over the decades, Pomare and Baker have rarely spoken. Not for any sinister reason, more because of Pomare's shyness.
"I had never really thought of myself in the same league as trainers like Murray so I try not to bother them at the races," he admits.
"But he was actually the first trainer who approached me after Billy won the Auckland Cup.
"I was stoked. He came up and told me it was a really good win and he was a good stayer.
"And look where we are now."
Pomare told the Daily Post last month that he tried to sell Ocean Billy after poor first impressions.
The first time Ocean Billy ran with other horses, he was last by about 150m. Pomare thought he had a slow horse on his hands and took him to the markets.
Unable to sell, Pomare persisted with the horse. That persistence paid off with wins in the Waikato and Auckland cups, and now a shot at the big one in Melbourne.
"To have a horse in the Melbourne Cup is a dream. I've been involved with horses for a long, long time. To suddenly have a horse capable of competing in the Melbourne Cup, there was a lot of excitement."
