McCarthy was exuberant following the win. He pumped his fists in the air as Heberite marched into the winner’s stall,and the Irishman blew kisses to the crowd before dismounting the seven-year-old.
McCarthy had to waste about 2.5 kilograms to get down to ride Heberite at 64 kilograms,but it delivered the 38-year-old a career highlight.
“I can’t believe it,” he said.
“I’ve been working my arse off all week to get my weight down for this fella. Unfortunately,he was out of Steve’s[Pateman] weight category,it was a bit light for him,and absolutely privileged to get the opportunity to step in when he can’t do it.
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“What a performance from the horse. It’s only his second time over the steeples and anybody that’s got anything bad to say about jumps racing,you watch that horse. His second time over steeples and to come out here and win a GA and jumps like that,it was an unbelievable performance.”
Will Gordon,the rider of Vanguard,suffered a fractured shoulder,a punctured lung,a lacerated liver and a concussion after being dislodged,however Lee Horner appeared fine after his fall on Sam Remo.
Cup boilover
The listed Warrnambool Cup couldn’t provide Maher with the Thursday feature double,however,with his hot favourite Grandslam struggling to run out the 2350 metres in heavy,testing conditions.
Instead,it was bottom weight Witchachar Star,trained by Chris Hyland,who burst into the straight and streamed to victory down the outside of the track,giving Nerve Not Verve little chance of making up the ground required to win.
The Cup victory was arguably jockey Beau Mertens’ biggest career win behind his group 2 Alister Clark Stakes victory on Prix De Turn.
Yet to claim a group 1,Mertens has won three group 2s,two group 3s and now 11 listed races,but Thursday’s $300,000 Cup was the second richest from a prizemoney perspective.
While Whitcharchar Star had won three of his four races leading into Thursday,it was only two-and-a-bit months ago the horse was beaten in a 0-58 race at Yarra Valley. But he came off a 2400-metre heavy track win at Sandown just five days earlier.
“It’s crazy,isn’t it?” Mertens said.
“It just goes to show how well Chris can get these tried horses going and especially stayers.”
Mertens followed in the footsteps of his father Peter,who won two Warrnambool Cups as a jockey.
“He was my only ride,it’s my first Warrnambool carnival winner,so what a thrill,” he said.
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