TOP RUN: Wanganui-owned galloper Who Shot Thebarman's run in the Caulfield Cup at the weekend has put a smile on his owners' faces leading up to his main mission, the Melbourne Cup on November 3.PHOTO/FILE
TOP RUN: Wanganui-owned galloper Who Shot Thebarman's run in the Caulfield Cup at the weekend has put a smile on his owners' faces leading up to his main mission, the Melbourne Cup on November 3.PHOTO/FILE
WANGANUI-owned galloper Who Shot Thebarman has proved he is right up there with the best with his fast-finishing seventh in the A$3.5 million Caulfield Cup in Melborune last weekend.
Owned by farming brothers Dan, Humphrey, Michael and Shaun O'Leary, the 6-year-old finished the 2400-metre race just 5.2 lengths from fellowKiwi Mongolian Khan, impressing his expat trainer Chris Waller.
Michael and Shaun were on hand at Caulfield to watch the race live and were both amazed at the run Who Shot Thebarman showed over the final few hundred metres.
"That was a huge run. To be out so wide and rush home from about 15th to seventh and just 5.2L off the winner was an outstanding achievement," Michael O'Leary said yesterday.
"Chris (Waller) and Blake (jockey Blake Shinn) said there were a couple of issues. He didn't make the home turn that well and took a few strides before he really flattened out for the run to the line. But Blake did say he was very happy with the way he finished off, especially from a Melbourne Cup point of view."
Who Shot Thebarman drew one from the outside in the Caulfield Cup and while draws are not generally regarded as important with the Melbourne Cup run over two miles (3200m), the O'Learys were hoping for a midfield alley on the first Tuesday of November. Owners get the chance to nominate who they want to draw their respective marbles for the Melbourne Cup and youngest brother Shaun is likely to do the honours again this year after pulling out 13 last season when the horse ran third.
"Shaun will probably do it again as long as he tucks his shirt in this time," O'Leary said.
"Looking at Who Shot Thebarman at the weekend I reckon he's put on about 30kg from last season and he has grown into a man physically and mentally. His run in the Melbourne Cup last year and his run at Caulfield on Saturday just shows he's right up there with the best of them."
