By David Nagel
The first ever $1million Group 1 Sportsbet Melbourne Cup (515m) has lived up to its price-tag with emerging star Yachi Bale scoring an amazing and emotional victory at Sandown Park on Saturday night.
Yachi Bale provided trainers Mark and Lisa Delbridge with their greatest moment in the sport, with their first cup finalist producing a memorable burst down the home straight to capture the rich winner’s purse of $650,000.
The Delbridges will put their share of the prizemoney towards their new home, which has only recently begun to be built.
Yachi Bale, the son of The Meadows track-record holder Allen Deed, was second last past the finishing post the first time, but produced an unbelievable finish to defeat David Geall’s Fernando Mick, with the Jason Thompson-trained Plaintiff coming home in third place.
Fernando Mick and Plaintiff looked set to fight the race out before Yachi Bale peeled off their heels on the home turn and gathered them up in a heartbeat.
Yachi Bale, the youngest dog in the field, ran the slick time of 29.21 to leave the Delbridge family on a high.
“Unbelievable, it’s terrific,” Mark Delbridge said post-race.
“It’s sensational, I don’t know what to say.
“He got checked at the start but then he possied up good through the first corner.
“Even at the 595m boxes I thought he’s strong enough to win.
“He did what he had to do…beautiful.”
The Melbourne Cup win was also a triumph for the all-conquering Wheeler family with Yachi Bale bred and owned by Brendan Wheeler, son of the legendary Paul Wheeler, who passed away in October last year.
Yachi Bale added to the list of cup winners for the Wheeler’s, with Kantarn Bale, Dyna Tron, Dyna Villa and Dyna Double One all saluting in the great race.
Lisa Delbridge was in shock after Yachi bale scored his ninth win from 22 starts.
“Everyone aspires to win a Melbourne Cup and to actually do it is unbelievable,” Lisa said.
“Mark was so confident going into this race.
“I’ve never seen him so confident in my life.
“When he lobbed fourth, I thought he’s a chance of running a place, then at the 600 boxes I started getting excited because I thought he’s coming.
“As soon as he went over the line the waterworks started.”
Lisa paid an emotional tribute to her own father and iconic owner-breeder Paul Wheeler.
“I lost my dad three years ago next month and he’d absolutely love to be here tonight, because he just loved racing,” she said.
“I hope him and Paul are having a few beers up there now.”
The Melbourne Cup was not originally on Yachi Bale’s schedule, with the Delbridge’s planning on setting him for the Group 1 Silver Chief and Group 1 Sale Cup, before Brendan Wheeler intervened.
Yachi Bale will now head to the heats of the Silver Chief at The Meadows on Saturday night, then head to the Sale Cup, which the Delbridges won last year with Jarick Bale.
Meanwhile, the first Group 1 of the meeting was also won with a withering burst with Stagger Out Lee producing an enormous finish to claim the Group 1 Bold Trease (715m).
Trained at Wagga by Jack Strutt, Stagger Out Lee stormed home to snare the $100,000 first prize in an emotional win for the young trainer.
“She’s just an amazing animal,” Strutt said post-race.
“I’m just stoked.
“She has had to do it the hard way with the travel, sometimes nine hours in a car, and I don’t have some of the facilities the bigger trainers have…but she just gets the job done with no fuss.
“It’s hard to fully put into words how special she is to the family.”
Stagger Out Lee scored by almost two lengths on the line over fellow NSW chaser Cawbourne Magic with the Angela Langton-trained Korda back in third.
On a night of memorable highlights, the Sportsbet Showdown Match Race (515m) between Wow She’s Fast and Amron Boy lived up to expectations.
In an epic battle, Wow She’s Fast scored by a neck on the line in 29.14.
Despite her brilliant record, Wow She’s Fast went to the boxes a $2.60 outsider.
And Dookie Devil gave trainer Glenn Dainton a huge thrill by taking out the Group 3 Sir John Dillon Memorial (595m).
Dookie Devil exploded from the boxes before holding off the strong challenge of race-favourite Jarick Bale to score by a length on the line.
