Ciaron Maher has won Australia’s biggest races but running second in the Geelong Cup, to help Ashrun qualify for the Melbourne Cup, was as rewarding as any.
Ashrun was sidelined for more than a 1000 days with a tendon injury, which Melbourne Cup and Cox Plate-winner Maher doubted could be rehabilitated, but three starts back the import moved to the verge of a second run on the first Tuesday in November at Flemington.
Ashrun, to be ridden by triple Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy, needed to run top three on Wednesday to all but confirm a place in the $8m Group 1 on November 7.
Watch the Melbourne Cup, 3pm on Tuesday November 7, LIVE on Kayo Sports. Join now and start streaming instantly >
With the Geelong Cup result, second behind Phillip Stokes-trained Amade, Ashrun moved to 25th in the Melbourne Cup order of entry – one spot outside a guaranteed start in the race.
“Rapt, to think where he’s come from,” Maher beamed.
“Thrilled, we came here to win and we thought he was a genuine winning chance, which he was, we needed to run top three.
“It’s his third run in three years, fourth-up into the (Melbourne) Cup.”
Australian Bloodstock director Jamie Lovett was trackside at Geelong on Wednesday, thrilled to get a third potential Cup runner with reigning champion Gold Trip and French import Lastotchka safely inside the top 24.
Ashrun, then trained by Andreas Wohler, finished 10th in the 2020 Melbourne Cup after a luckless fourth in the Geelong Cup.
He buttered up and qualified by winning the Hotham Stakes on Derby Day.
A three-day back-up into the Cup flattened the French galloper.
Maher, who trained Ashrun after the 2020 spring, doubted he would ever race again following the tendon injury.
A slow and steady rebuild and progress prompted talks of a possible career in jumps racing before Ashrun re-emerged as a Cups hopeful.
“It took us three years to get it right… (more than) 1000 days,” Maher said.
“Lee Evison (rehab specialist) did a great job, the owners, everyone, it’s a great welfare story.
“Looking at the tendon I thought, same as (stablemate) Right You Are, (this horse will never race again), Lee did a good job, my brother Dec is a freak at them (rehab program).
“It’s pretty exciting to have a horse like that and the owners, paying up for a horse like that for three years without a start.”
Jockey Mark Zahra gave Maher a strong endorsement after the Geelong Cup result.
“Hopefully he pulls up really well and he can take his spot (in the Melbourne Cup) because he will definitely improve again,” Maher said.
“Mark gave him a good wrap, he said two miles (3200m) is right up his alley, he went to sleep, does whatever you want.”
Meanwhile, Amade is “doubtful” to proceed towards the Cup with Stokes circling the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington on November 11 as a more viable option.
Amade was 40th in the Cup entry order heading into the race on Wednesday morning.
Unplaced favourite First Immortal, who was vetted before the race, appeared to get every chance, settled second in the run but petered out in the straight to run seventh.
The above article was originally published at Punters.com.au and is republished with permission.
MELBOURNE CUP ENTRY LIST
The likely field is taking shape for November 7’s Melbourne Cup with last year’s runner-up Emissary not paying up, while 2021 place-getter Spanish Mission has been retired after being scratched from the Geelong Cup.
Below is the order of entry as of Wednesday October 25 at 8am – meaning it does not consider the Geelong Cup result.
Ballot order – Horse – Trainer – Weight
1= WITHOUT A FIGHT (IRE) Anthony & Sam Freedman 56.5kg
1= ABSURDE (FR) Willie Mullins 53kg
1= LUNAR FLARE Grahame Begg 51.5kg
1= FUTURE HISTORY (GB) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 50kg
5 GOLD TRIP (FR) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 58.5kg
6 ALENQUER (FR) Michael Moroney 56.5kg
7 EL BODEGON (IRE) Chris Waller 55.5kg
8 BREAKUP (JPN) Tatsuya Yoshioka 55kg
9 VAUBAN (FR) Willie Mullins 55kg
10 KNIGHTS ORDER (IRE) Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 54kg
11 FRANCESCO GUARDI (IRE) Chris Waller 54kg
12 SOULCOMBE (GB) Chris Waller 53.5kg
13 VOW AND DECLARE Danny O’Brien 53kg
14 RIGHT YOU ARE Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 53kg
15 MAGICAL LAGOON (IRE) Chris Waller 51kg
16 VIRTUOUS CIRCLE (NZ) Liam Howley 51kg
17 LASTOTCHKA (FR) Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) 51kg
18 FAME Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman 51kg
19 HIGH EMOCEAN (NZ) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 50kg
20 SHERAZ (FR) Chris Waller 51.5kg
21 DAQIANSWEET JUNIOR (NZ) Phillip Stokes 51.5kg
22 VALIANT KING (GB) Joseph O’Brien 50kg
23 CLEVELAND (IRE) Kris Lees 51.5kg
24 OKITA SOUSHI (IRE) Joseph O’Brien 51.5kg
25 MILITARY MISSION (IRE) Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 51kg
26 KING FRANKEL (IRE) Annabel Neasham 51kg
27 SERPENTINE (IRE) Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 51kg
28 MORE FELONS (IRE) Chris Waller 50.5kg
29 TRUE MARVEL (FR) Matthew Smith 50kg
30 LADIES MAN (NZ) Allan Sharrock 50kg
31 ATHABASCAN (FR) John O’Shea 50kg
32 UNITED NATIONS (IRE) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 50kg
33 FANCY MAN (IRE) Annabel Neasham 50kg
34 HASTA LA WAR Sue Murphy 50kg
35 FIRST IMMORTAL Mark & Levi Kavanagh 50kg
36 KALAPOUR (IRE) Kris Lees 50kg
37 INTERPRETATION (IRE) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 50kg
38 RAGING BULL Mark Minervini 50kg
39 FERAGO Patrick F Ryan Jnr 50kg
40 AMADE (IRE) Phillip Stokes 50kg
NOT PASSED FIRST ELIMINATION CLAUSE
41 ASHRUN (FR) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 51.5kg
42= CARINI (FR) Danny O’Brien 50kg
42= DENY KNOWLEDGE (IRE) Michael Kent 50kg
42= GREGOLIMO (FR) Michael Moroney 50kg
42= MOSTLY CLOUDY (IRE) Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young 50kg
42= THE MAP Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray 50kg
42= MEDATSU (NZ) Chris Waller 49kg
CURRENT MELBOURNE CUP RIDES CONFIRMED
Ryan Moore to ride Vauban for Willie Mullins
Kohei Matsuyama to ride Breakup for Tatsuya Yoshioka
Zac Purton to ride Absurde for Willie Mullins
Hollie Doyle to ride Future History for Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
Kerrin McEvoy to ride Okita Soushi for Joseph O’Brien
Jordan Childs to ride Knights Order for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
Craig Williams to ride Lastotchka for Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr
Joao Moreira to ride Soulcombe for Chris Waller
MELBOURNE CUP ODDS (As of October 25 5pm via Pointsbet)
Vauban $5
Gold Trip $6
Without A Fight $6
Soulcombe $8
Lunar Flare $10
Breakup $13
Absurde $13
Valiant King $13
Francesco Guardi $17
Lastotchka $17
Vow And Declare $26
Right You Are $26
First Immortal $26
Okita Soushi $26
Others from $34
