It can be tough to accept when you take a thoroughbred to the other side of the globe and he is beaten a matter of inches, but when it happens two years in a row, all the sympathy in the world seems inadequate.
This is the sceanrio endured by Luca Cumani yesterday when his Bauer was so very narrowly beaten by Viewed in the Emirates Melbourne Cup at Flemington, Australia.
Cumani, who trains in Newmarket, came within half a length of victory in the two-mile feature with Purple Moon 12 months ago and he was in with a chance of scoring a first British-trained win as Bauer flew home in the final furlong.
However, the five-year-old just could not get his head in front of Viewed, who was presenting trainer Bart Cummings with his 12th Melbourne Cup success and 250th Group 1 overall. Bauer officially lost out by a nose, the narrowest margin in Cup history, with C'est La Guerre a further two lengths away in third.
"He's run a great race and we're very pleased," said Cumani. "We are getting closer and although it is frustrating to be beaten so narrowly, on the other hand he has run a great race. He had a good run home and we are very proud of him.
"He could come back next year, but we will see as it is a long way off. We will keep trying to win this race, though."
Septimus, Aidan O'Brien's Irish St Leger winner, was among the leading contenders and was smartly away under Johnny Murtagh. He was at the head of affairs early on before stablemates Honolulu and Alessandro Volta came through to take over pacemaking duties. The trio set a strong gallop and pulled clear at one point, with Septimus leading into the Flemington straight.
However, Blake Shinn had made stealthy progress aboard Viewed and produced his mount over two furlongs out to put daylight between himself and the field before repelling the late thrust of Bauer. "You always think positive. You do your best. If you've got the horse with the right material, I'm never a pessimist. I don't believe in it," said Cummings, whose most recent victory in the race came in 1999 with Rogan Josh.
Shinn admitted he thought he was going to lose out to Bauer in the final strides. "His horse probably peaked the last 100 metres and my horse, to his credit, stuck his head out where it counted. It's unbelievable," he said.
"The straight seemed to last forever. I thought I'd won on the line. I wasn't sure, I didn't want to go off and celebrate too early after the line."
Winning owner Dato Tan Chin Nam was enjoying his fourth success in the race following the victories of Think Big, a back-to-back winner in 1974 and 1975, and Saintly in 1996.
Of the other European raiders, Dermot Weld's Profound Beauty fared best in finishing fifth under Glen Boss.
Cumani also sent out Mad Rush to finish seventh under Damien Oliver. Of him, the trainer said: "He appeared to not quite stay in such a fast-run race and was possibly slightly inconvenienced by the ground."
The French runner, Varevees, was 14th while Septimus eventually faded into 18th with Alessandro Volta 20th and Honolulu last of the 21 finishers.
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