Sensing something was wrong, jockey Shanae O’Meara eased Honorellay up over the final 150m of the BM58 Handicap over 1000m on Tuesday to cross the line in last place.
A post-race veterinary examination revealed a laceration to the gelding’s back heel, likely to have come after crossing eventual runner-up Highway To Success passing the 800m mark.
It was a disappointing end to Melbourne Cup day, considering the Jim Lake-trained gelding had been in considerable form heading into the meeting and was coming home strong on the final straight on Tuesday.
The six-year-old had a first and two seconds to his name to start his latest preparation.
“It was just bad luck, I reckon he had enough to win,” Lake said.
“But that is the racing game.”
In the end it was another country trainer who reaped the spoils in the final race, with Benalla’s Russell Osborne celebrating the win with seven-year-old mare Beautiful Bee.
It was a return of ‘Last Race Russ’, a moniker coined for Osborne last year for his knack of pulling out winners in the last race.
The victory was Beautiful Bee's first since September 2020 and eighth of her career.
Gwenda Johnstone’s Very Shamus finished seventh, more than four lengths back from Beautiful Bee.
Race five saw a late charge from the Rob Blacker-trained Set Us Free win out in the BM58 Handicap over 1600m, with Mick Cornish and Donna Gaskin’s Cape Mount and Bolden Beau finishing seventh and ninth respectively.
Mornington’s Andrew Bobbin also left a winner, with Hendrika the runaway winner in the BM58 Handicap over 1400m, a race in which Johnstone’s Bon Shadow was a late scratching.
Heading into the straight a length ahead of Toojay, Hendrika left all in her wake to finish four lengths ahead of second.
Echuca Racing Club’s next meeting is set for New Year’s Eve, with its Family Day Out set to see a return of crowds.
- Michael Cornish and Donna Gaskin’s Full Ahead has drawn barrier five for tomorrow’s $150,000 Very Special Kids Pin and Win Trophy over 2000m at Flemington.
Craig Newitt will take the reins aboard Full Ahead, who starts at $67 for the win and $17 for the place.
Bolden Beau will also be back in action for the Cornish-Gaskin stable on Sunday, racing at Ararat in the $35,000 BM58 over 1600m.
Rhys Archard’s Reggae Roc will head to Benalla on Sunday, with an eye on his first win since July.
The seven-year-old comes off two threes and a fourth in his last three starts in October, and will line up in the 0-58 Handicap over 1612m.