Oz Inquiry A Load Of Cobbers

Nov 9 2008 Joe Punter

IT WAS fair stinkum for Irish wizard Aidan O'Brien after the Melbourne Cup as he was pounded by the Aussie media and local trainers over the old chestnut of team tactics.

Wee Aidan (below) was subjected to a lengthy inquiry that would have done justice to the Spanish Inquisition.

And the press branded the tactics employed by jocks Johnny Murtagh, Colm O'Donoghue and Wayne Lordan "worthy of winning a place in Australian racing's Hall of Shame".

O'Brien's three runners - Septimus (18th), Alessandro Volta (20th) and Honolulu (21st) - finished right out with the washing in the 22-runner field.

They were all charging along at the front for the early part of the race and set a time for the first mile that was five seconds faster than last year before fading totally when push came to shove.

Aye, tactics a kamikaze pilot would have been happy with!

It's well known the Aussies have a track record over the years of vilifying any overseas challenge for their beloved cup that "stops a nation".

But what the hell was the O'Brien inquiry all about?

If they had told the Ballydoyle trainer there was no point returning while he continued to employ such a suicidal plan I would have understood that.

But they didn't so it's right back to square one.