Image courtesy Steve Hart Photographics - Dunaden - a special horse.
I’m a little late with this one, but I’d like to add my tribute to the many already posted for the gallant Dunaden.
Steve Hart was at Flemington to capture this image of two great warriors going head and head to the line in the 2011 Melbourne Cup.
In one of the closest Cup finishes on record, Dunaden nosed out Red Cadeaux - one of three Melbourne Cup seconds for the gallant chestnut gelding.
Tributes came from all corners of the globe when Dunaden died in England last week from complications following a paddock accident.
What a horse was Dunaden! A 1500 pounds yearling, he went on to race 46 times for 10 wins and 19 placings accumulating $10 million in prize money.
He burst onto the Australian stage when he won the Geelong Cup with Craig Williams in the saddle. Craig was terribly disappointed when suspension cost him the Melbourne Cup ride on the import. Christophe Lemaire answered an SOS to make a last minute dash to Melbourne, to partner a horse he had ridden twice previously.
You need to have another look at the replay to remind yourself of the quality of Lemaire’s ride. He was one off the fence with half a dozen behind him at the judge the first time. He tracked into the race four wide with cover from the 800 metres and produced the stallion at exactly the right time.
He and Red Cadeaux made their runs together, with Dunaden refusing to yield. He dug deep to get there by a whisker.
Forty days later and with Craig Williams back on board, Dunaden dropped back to 2400 metres to win the prestigious Gr 1 Hong Kong Vase. His enormous talent was highlighted a year later when he returned to Melbourne to win the Caulfield Cup with 58kgs.
He failed to win again in 10 starts, but was placed three times at Group 1 level. He had four trainers during his celebrated career, with Mikel Delzangles doing the honours for the last three years of his racing life.
He has been described by his owner Sheikh Fahad Al Thani as the horse who got him interested in racing.
Perhaps the greatest tribute came from jockey Christophe Lemaire who tweeted his feelings soon after Dunaden’s passing. He said “You were a dream for a jockey, giving your heart on the course. Thank you for having brought to me one of the greatest moments in my career, by winning the Melbourne Cup”.