Irish Echo Sport

Irish champion trainer Aidan O’Brien was hauled before the stewards in the aftermath of his three horses’ dismal Melbourne Cup display on Tuesday. But had the race been run in Europe, it might have been Aussie trainer Bart Cummings who would have come in for scrutiny.

O’Brien had already left for the airport when he was hauled back by chief steward Terry Bailey to explain the tactics he had used in the race and the riding instructions he had given his jockeys.

Bailey said that he had not been convinced that the early pace set by the O’Brien trio of Septimus, Alessandro Volta and Honolulu had given them the best chance of winning the race.

After hearing from O’Brien and his three jockeys, Bailey said he had grave doubts about whether Alessandro Volta was given every permissible chance of obtaining the best possible placing in the race, but did not go as far as to charge the Irish trainer or jockey Wayne Lordan.

Bailey harboured the same doubts about Alessandro Volta’s two stablemates, but as Septimus and Honolulu pulled up lame they had ready made excuses.

Cummings, on the other hand, was not even questioned by Bailey about the incredible improvment his charge Viewed had displayed in winning the race. Viewed went into the race with four unplaced runs behind him, including a last placed finish in the Mackinnon Stakes just three days before getting up to win the Melbourne Cup.