Staying marvel Vow And Declare has wound back the clock to achieve the incredible feat of winning the same race five years apart in a thrilling Group 3 Tattersall’s Cup at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
The 2019 Melbourne Cup winner arrived in Queensland as a three-year-old to win the race after running second in the Derby five years ago and returned on Saturday to hold off the Danny O’Brien stablemate Young Werther in a ding-dong battle up the straight.
With four Melbourne Cup starts under his belt, Vow And Declare is Australia’s true war horse, but he won’t return to the first Tuesday in November again, with connections still keen to race on however.
Rated a $7.50 chance with bookies, Vow And Declare burst through a pack of horses to grab the $200,000 prize.
Part-owner Bob Leitch watched on in awe of the horse, which was once passed in at the sales when he couldn’t reach the $70,000 reserve, and took his earnings towards the $8 million mark.
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“He’s won a Melbourne Cup, so that’s the pinnacle, but it was special today,” Leitch said.
“It has been a long journey, and bloody hell, he is still giving, what a tremendous horse.
“It is fitting, it was the winter carnival in 2019 where it all started for us — Eagle Farm has been really good to us.
Billy Egan returns aboard Vow And Declare after his Group 3 Tattersall’s Cup victory Picture: Grant Peters – Trackside Photography.
“No more Cups for him, we think the distance has got a bit too much for him.
“I think he will keep racing for the time being.”
Incredibly, it was just Vow And Declare’s second win since the 2019 Melbourne Cup, also overcoming a serious tendon injury which almost saw him retired.
“He’s a champion,” jockey Billy Egan declared.
“I’ve ridden him his last eight starts, second in Group 1s, but this is actually my first victory aboard him. I’m absolutely rapt to ride a winner on a Melbourne Cup winner.
“He’s an out-and-out stayer. Since he got up here (Queensland), each run I see him in the mounting yard, his coat has improved and he was screaming out for the 2400m this preparation.”
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Jockey Mark Du Plessis was taken to hospital earlier in the day with severe back pain.
The lightweight jockey collapsed in pain following the running of the Listed Tattersall’s Stakes and was forced to be assisted by paramedics following his fourth-placed performance on Blantons Run.