Racing: Miniature surprise for two Cup winners

Ron Taylor has waited 39 years to get his hands on a second Melbourne Cup.

Taylor, one of New Zealand's most talented and toughest jockeys through the golden era of the 1960s and 1970s, lifted a Melbourne Cup in 1964, which he won on New Zealand-trained stayer Polo Prince.

But it's the cup he didn't win three years later that sticks in his craw.

Taylor, on Cambridge gelding Red Crest, had the 1967 Flemington race won when he hit the lead at the 300m, only to be run down late by the Bart Cummings-trained Red Handed and champion jockey Roy Higgins.

At a function at plush Cambridge Stud yesterday, Taylor embraced a Melbourne Cup. It wasn't the 2006 version, brought here for a travelling road show by the Victoria Racing Club to promote the Emirates Flemington Carnival. It was even better - a miniature of the 1964 Melbourne Cup he'd longed for.

"They didn't start presenting miniatures of the cup to the winning trainer and jockey until 1972 and ever since then I've wanted one badly, but never thought I'd get one."

The Victoria Racing Club knew Taylor would be at the function and had a replica cast for him. Trevor Knowles also received one for owning and training the 1960 centennial Melbourne Cup winner Hi Jinx and Matamata trainer Lance Noble accepted the miniature on behalf of his uncle, the late John Carter, who trained Polo Prince.

The $80,000 cup brought back memories for the 65-year-old Taylor, who now operates the El Ganador Stud.

He was unlucky to be on a mudder in Red Crest racing on a firm track, but accepts some pilot error.

"I headed the winner in the home straight and then I sat quietly. I still wasn't worried when he drew level, but when I went for my horse, there wasn't a red cent left in the tank.

"I reckon now if I'd shot him clear instead of sitting still, the result probably would have been different. Nine times out of 10 if you sit you'll win. It didn't happen this time and it happened to be in a Melbourne Cup."

Red Crest's legs were so jarred by the Flemington surface he couldn't walk for 10 days.

Yesterday afternoon the cup was escorted by equestrian Mark Todd and Cambridge Mayor Alan Livingston to a civic reception, followed by the unveiling of the Melbourne Cup Wall Of Fame.

The A$5 million ($5.6 million) Melbourne Cup is run on November 7.

"You know," said Taylor wistfully as he put the cup down, "It's not the Melbourne Cup, it's the cup - when you've won it you're never forgotten.

"It's 42 years since I won it and every year you're asked to be on radio ... There is no other race in the world that would do that for you."

* Ethereal proved she had timing when she flashed home late to win the 2001 Melbourne Cup.

She proved it again yesterday when, 30 minutes before the Cambridge Stud function, she foaled a colt to Stravinsky at nearby Pencarrow Stud.


Cup winners

Eleven of the last 57 Melbourne Cup winners have been bred in Cambridge:
Foxami 1949
MacDougal 1959
Galilee 1966
Silver Knight 1971
Van Der Hum 1976
Gurner's Lane 1982
Kensei 1987
Empire Rose 1988
Jezabeel 1997
Brew 2000
Ethereal 2001