OTI’s General Manager, Shayne Driscoll, counts down his Top 10 Memorable Moments across the 2023/24 Racing Season.
Number 9 – Amade’s unique Adelaide Cup run
A personal favourite of mine, Amade is a horse whose story has many chapters, with highs and lows experienced across a long racing career. He has won Group races for us in America and Australia, but equally, he has cost himself many victories with poor barrier manners (think Geelong Cup 2021, Bendigo Cup 2021, Sydney Cup 2024).
In his 2024 Adelaide Cup adventure, he broke new ground. Breaking a stirrup and dislodging his jockey, Zac Spain, on the way to the barriers was a poor start. Taking time to replace his strap prior to the race, our hopes of victory were increased when he jumped reasonably from the barrier (only 3 lengths behind) to put himself in the Cup field.
Passing the winning post the first time, we were in disbelief to see Spain break his other stirrup, essentially riding the horse bareback for the remaining 2200m of the race. Amazingly, rounding the turn, Amade was travelling better than many of his rivals and still appeared a threat to the eventual winner.
Unsurprisingly, the effort told late, and he tired into 4th position, beaten just 3 lengths. I have no doubt this was just another way for Amade to lose a race that he quite rightly should have won. Fortunately for owners, Amade again greeted the judge later in the season in the Listed Sandown Cup, having taken out the Group 3 Geelong Cup in the spring. The old boy is a marvel.
Incredible scenes as Zac Spain lost his irons aboard Amade in the Adelaide Cup…
— Racing.com (@Racing) March 11, 2024
He rode out the 3200m & still finished fourth 🤯 pic.twitter.com/Ykm8mUs6IC
Read yesterday’s highlight, Number 10 – Femminile Flies Late, here.
Stay tuned for highlight Number 8 tomorrow.