As a story it had it all, pride, passion, personality and a brave and much-loved horse with an ultimately appropriate name. It was a tale of highs and lows with a tearjerker ending too, writes James Toney.
It’s a well-known Aussie sporting expression that no-one remembers the horse that came second in the Melbourne Cup – Heartbreak City is the fair dinkum’ exception to that rule.
With racing’s eyes on Flemington for the race that stops a sports crazy nation, trainer Tony Martin still smiles at the memory of his valiant bid for glory.
Heartbreak City – Adam McNamara with winning trainer Tony Martin
The Betfred Ebor (Heritage Handicap) Cl2
York
20/8/16.
©Cranhamphoto.com
It’s three years since jockey Joao Moreira was edged out by Almandin in a thrilling finish to Australia’s most-storied race, the time on the clock the fastest for four decades.
Martin simply shrugged – in binary matters such as these a short head might as well be half a world away – while Irish owner Aidan Shiels was losing his mind to become a viral hit.
“I don’t care,” he roared, his baseball cap at a jaunty angle. “We came here, we finished second. We would have been happy with last!”
Shiels certainly lived up to the name of his syndicate – the Here for the Craic Partnership.
“Whatever happens in my career, I’ll always cherish that day,” recalls Martin.
“It was a little horse that did us so proud and it’s a race we won’t be forgetting.
“It was a great experience and the horse ran a blinder, it will go down as one of my highlights of training horses, even if it was gutting to lose it in those last 50 yards.
“It was a moment of a lifetime, the owners were happy, I was happy, because we were there celebrating one phenomenal performance, even if we didn’t win.
“It’s a race we always used to watch on television, it was always one of the highlights of the year even when we were in our younger years, it meant a lot and you can tell the significance of it.
“Then we were lucky enough to have a horse run in it, you start getting ready for it a long way out – the intention was always to go to Melbourne.
“It’s a race like the National, you never know what’s going to happen or who’s going to win and that makes it so exciting.
“It’s such a prestigious race and the prize pot has got so big, the top trainers have to target it. It’s just a wonderful race in a wonderful place.”
Heartbreak City started his career on the flat in France, winning one race in seven.
He briefly switched to hurdling when he arrived at Martin’s yard, who soon realised he had the staying power for flat racing’s big handicaps.
He duly made history on the Knavesmire by becoming the first horse since the great Sea Pigeon to carry such a big weight to triumph in Europe’s richest Flat handicap.
Then it was a journey half way around the world to set up a bid for glory in Australia’s race.
“We had to do a lot of research, we needed people who had the experience about what you need to get a horse over there and to be able to run in Australia,” adds Martin.
“We had to do quarantine, a couple of weeks in Newmarket and then a couple of weeks in Australia prior to the race, it took a lot and a big team effort to make sure everything was just right and in place for what we needed.
“We had a horse that was a very good traveller and we could see from a long way out that he could fit the bill for Melbourne.”
Moments after crossing the line the talk was about a return mission 12 months later but then came a freak and fatal injury on the gallops six months later.
“This was a very special horse with such a special character, unfortunately bad things only happen to good horses,” recalls Martin.
“I’ve such special memories of him. He was a bit difficult as a youngster, it took him a while to learn how to relax and race properly, conserving his energy.
“When he did learn, he became just a beautiful horse to work with and we were very fortunate to have that and the memories of that race.
“But to not be able to go back the next year was just heart-breaking, we’ll always have to wonder what might have been.”
Dermot Weld was the first Irish trainer to win the Melbourne Cup with Mick Kinane piloting Vintage Crop to victory 26 years ago.
Weld won again with Media Puzzle in 2002 while Joseph O’Brien trained Rekindling to victory two years ago – landing a prize his father Aidan still seeks.
He’s got three contenders this time around – Magic Wand, Hunting Horn and Il Paradiso – and Martin would love to see him claim the €2.7 million prize.
“You want someone you know to win it, just for the emotional attachment,” he said.
“We’ve got a proud Irish tradition in the race, so why not again.
“I actually rang Aidan and had a word with him about it, he’s the master of taking on these challenges all over the world and it would be lovely for him to have a horse that could win.
“Joseph only just chinned him in the year that he won it. Aiden is a top man in the world, I’ve known a long time and I admire everything he does.
“He’s a workaholic but also a really likeable bloke. We go back 35 years to when we were riding as amateurs and I’d love to see him win it, he’s won basically everything else anyway!”
- Horseracing Ireland
