Fastest Horse Didn't Win The Cup

Sun Herald

Sunday November 9, 2008

By TOM REILLY

WHEN does the horse with the fastest time in a race come second?

At the 2008 Melbourne Cup.

Connections of runner-up Bauer were stunned to learn their horse actually travelled the 3200 metres at Flemington in a quicker time than winner Viewed - only to lose the race by the flare of a nostril.

The two horses flashed past the post together on Tuesday and were only separated after stewards studied a high-resolution image which showed Bart Cummings's runner just millimetres ahead on the line.

But the official timings told a different story. Microchips, inserted into the saddlecloths on all runners, showed Bauer travelled the course in 3:20.40, with Viewed 100th of a second behind him.

The times recorded are accurate, with the microchips sending a signal to a cable placed under the track at 200-metre intervals.

"The difference came about because the timing devices are in the saddles, whereas the judges decide who has won the race by which horse's head crosses the line first. Sadly our guy is a bit smaller," said Simon O'Donnell, one of Bauer's owners.

While Bauer stands at a diminutive 15 hands 3 inches, which means he is 1.6 metres from the ground to his withers, Viewed is 16 hands.

"They say millimetres can mean millions and I guess what happened to Bauer proves it," added O'Donnell, a former Australian cricketer.

The difference was $2,465,000, with prizemoney of $3.3 million for the winner while second collected $835,000. "But we were all delighted with the way he ran and it was a massive thrill to get so close."

Francesca Cumani, who oversaw Bauer's preparation since the gelding arrived in Australia from England five weeks ago, was philosophical.

The daughter of trainer Luca Cumani joked: "I guess if we come back next year we'll have to bring horses with long necks and big heads." But, she conceded, it was tough that "under one measure he might have been the best horse".

The official time of the race will now be changed to Viewed's in the record books.

© 2008 Sun Herald

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