Maher: Excuses for Gold Trip

Trainer Ciaron Maher says there were genuine excuses for Gold Trip after he couldn’t defend his Melbourne Cup crown on Tuesday.

The 2022 winner, who ran in the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate this spring, was sent out a $6.50 second favourite for the race but couldn’t perform to his price.

Ridden by champion hoop James McDonald, Gold Trip finished 17th, beaten 23.3 lengths by winner Without A Fight, who was ridden by Mark Zahra.

Zahra guided Gold Trip to victory in last year’s Melbourne Cup.

“I think he was too close,” Maher said of Gold Trip.

“The race was run at a pretty hectic tempo. I just felt he was a little bit close to the speed. 

“He normally likes to find himself, ball up and them come with a run.

“Then he got into a bit of a buffeting duel, which he doesn’t seem to enjoy that either.

“So he has some excuses.”

McDonald said: “He travelled into lovely just the effort told late.”

Meanwhile, talented galloper Right You Are is recovering well after failing to finish in this year’s Melbourne Cup.

The seven-year-old gelding was pulled up in the home straight and immediately attended to by RV’s vet team.

Right You Are walked back to the horse stalls, where he was given plenty of water with Maher and RV’s vets confirming the horse was fine.

“He had a bit of heat stress,” Maher said.

“He has had a couple of showers now and he’s starting to come back to himself.”

WATCH: The 2023 Melbourne Cup