Winning Horse: Gold Trip (Fr)
Winning Trainer: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace (Ciaron speaking)
Ciaron Maher: “I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet. Everyone’s had a lot to do with this horse, John Bunting – he’s had this horse in very good order all the way along. He’s a great mate, great bloke and he’s very good at what he does. Dave and my brother, everyone, it’s just huge. Dave and I are lucky enough to stand up here. Most of our staff are here today and friends and family, it’s just fantastic. ”
“Fantastic effort by the whole team. My farrier, John Bunting – he’s quite dicey, this horse, and he’s done a fantastic job.
“To run in three of the big ones and have him present in the Cup like that – fantastic.
“It opened up beautifully and we had a plan going out with Mark. He was very good on him in the Caulfield Cup and we just wanted to wait, wait, wait and we knew he’s got that good turn-of-foot and he was fantastic.
“My mum and dad are here. We’re got a really big team. I want to thank Will Bourne and Jamie from Australian Bloodstock for finding the horse and there’s a lot of good clients in it.
What it means for him: “It’s a dream come true. I’m just thrilled.
Dave Eustace – Relationship with CM: “It’s just a great honour to be working with these horses and working for Ciaron and it’s not lost on me what a privilege it is and as Ciaron touched on most of the staff are here and it’s an amazing team effort. Honestly, the farrier has performed a miracle with this horse. It’s pretty surreal at the moment.”
From Dave Eustace:
“I can’t believe it. I’m obviously a bit overcome. It’s a dream that we all want to (win). It’s the pinnacle for our sport to do it with Ciaron.
“Obviously so grateful to be training with him.
“Full credit to the team of staff. To get five here and this horse who was so unlucky in the Caulfield Cup. We were so gutted when he got beaten. We thought ‘oh he got beaten again!’.
“It’s quite incredible.”
Cup was a more recent goal in life – never imagined he’d win this: “No, absolutely not. Obviously you know the race, that it exists, a bit later in my life, I suppose form English racing.
“But ever since I’ve been here this is the race you want to be contesting and just getting the chance to do that, to win it, is quite extraordinary.”
Dad and brother watching: “They’re at home watching. They actually messaged about an hour ago and said that the coverage had cut out bit I hope it’s come back!’
“I’m sure sure they’ll be very proud if they were here. Amazing.”
Winning Jockey: Mark Zahra
“I can’t (put this into words). I’ll start crying.
“It’s unbelievable. What a day.
“I got to the front a bit soon but he’s a horse that when you want to go for you want to go for. I don’t give him a chance to think about it.
“That last 100 (metres), I was thinking ‘just piss off’ and no one come near me. Elation, just elation across the line.
Has he dreamt of winning the Cup: “I’ve never really thought about it, to be honest.
“Mum used to give us the day off (from school) so I could watch it. It’s just surreal. Absolutely surreal.
“My little ones at home. My wife is here. All the folks back in WA – amazing feeling.
“I just got to travel up and up and I thought ‘gee I‘m traveling so good here’.
“I was just waiting for D Lane (Young Werther) to go and obviously he’s a great jockey and he didn’t go too early and I waited.
“With this horse I’ve always said that when you go you’ve got to go to go because I’ve run a few seconds. I was like ‘right ohhhh!’ and then I was thinking I’ve got a fair way to go here.
Coming back after suspension: “This time last year in Byron Bay I think I was getting told off for drinking too much after Verry Elleegant won. That could have been my ride so redemption day today. It’s just a miracle.
“12 months ago I felt terrible and I was probably drinking my way out of it and Elise (partner) was saying ‘don’t drink too much’, and I was say what else do you want me to do, my horse just won the Melbourne Cup?
“Maybe I could have ridden it but it hasn’t slipped my mind. I think about it all the time that I could have ridden her.
“For it to come today and I”ve got good mates in the horse. For Elise to be here, it’s unbelievable.”
Maher and Eustace: They’re the best trainer of stayers. That’s one thing I had confidence in that they trained it.
“I was actually quite vocal that I didn’t think he’d get the trip and thankfully my good mate Jamie Spencer didn’t have much luck on him. Probably just the perfect lead-up run.
“(Glen) Bossy was ringing me the other day going ‘this is the one’ and I said I’m already on it and he was ringing me last night telling me how to ride it. I said, ‘I’ve got this Bossy, I’ve got this.’
“He picked it straight off the Cox Plate. He was so confident. More confident than me apparently.
“That probably gave me a bit of confidence too.”
Family: “If they haven’t had a heart attack they’d be going absolutely crazy right now.”
How he got here: “I probably have to thank my grandfather (in WA) who was a mad punter. He used to take me and my two brothers to the races and that’s where I got the bug.
“We were friends with the Carberry family and I got to know Pat Carberry well. I wasn’t bad at school but I had trouble paying attention and behaving. I decided to leave in Year 10 and Peter Knuckey said I should come over here and just do three months and I never left.
Tonight: “It’s going to be a good night. Unbelievable.”
