By Mike Dillon
MELBOURNE - The signs were all there. Bart Cummings has finally mellowed. Has it been the 72 years or the 11 Melbourne Cups?
Those were definitely tears the Melbourne Cup master was wiping away during the press conference after former Western Australian brumby Rogan Josh made Cummings' year by tearing off yesterday's $A3 million Melbourne Cup.
Then even quicker than the biggest Melbourne Cup crowd in 51 years disposed of the champagne, Cummings had rallied his senses.
But it didn't last. Cummings revealed of himself what 10 previous Melbourne Cups have failed to do. It's taken 72 years, but Cummings was reflective.
Asked if 11 Cups, the last of them with a horse that 12 months ago would have struggled to win an argument, made him think that he just might be a very special human being, Cummings said: "I notice a lot, but I'm always looking ahead, not back..
"You can change the future, but you can't change the past. There are still things I want to achieve in life.
"This has made me feel fantastic though, the best I've felt in a long time. It's great to be recognised when you work to achieve something, that's the great thing about this industry."
No one can believe even Cummings could develop Rogan Josh from a moderate to a Melbourne Cup horse he hadn't even heard of nine months ago.
Then Cummings dropped what no-one else had known. He found Rogan Josh had been suffering from ulcers when he took him over earlier this year.
Recent American studies have shown 98 per cent of racehorses suffer from ulcers.
"This is only new, but when you think about it, why wouldn't horses get them. A lot of humans do and horses go through at least as much stress."
A new ulcer treatment in the form of a paste was the Cinderella factor for Rogan Josh.
The only stress showing yesterday was from the opposition trying to cope with Rogan Josh's phenomenal stamina. When he won Saturday's Mackinnon Stakes he looked to have a heart of metal. Yesterday it was stone.
Cummings attributes the horse's toughness to the fact he didn't race until he was four years old. "By then the joints are all set. They're sound and pain free."
John Marshall has copped huge criticism for some of his rides in Melbourne in the past, particularly in Melbourne Cups, but knew what he had under him yesterday when he sent Rogan Josh forward quickly to sit outside the leaders.
"I didn't press the button on him until I knew it was impossible for the backmakers to catch me. I waited for the clock tower and I knew I had it won."
While Cummings is a racing hero you would not have found any bookies cheering Rogan Josh home, with a flood of late money bringing him into second favourite and meaning the result was a shocker for many bookmakers.
Racing: Tearful Bart claims 11th Cup
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