“I’ve been off the drink for eight years, but I’m back on it tonight.”
That was part-owner John O’Neill’s exclamation after Point Of Law provided the ownership group that numbers among them Rupert Legh and former AFL champion Chris Judd with victory in the Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on Tuesday.
It was O’Neill’s second Cup win having been associated with Verry Elleegant during the COVID restricted year of 2021, but there have been also three second placings along the way.
One was with Marmelo in 2018 when Cross Counter ran down the European-trained galloper late in the race.
O’Neill had flashbacks to that race when watching Point Of Law on Tuesday when Ethan Brown produced a ride that was very similar.
“I could see him weaving through on the fence,” O’Neill said.
“A number of years ago, Hugh Bowman rode a horse for us called Marmelo and it did exactly the same thing.
“We were up the top screaming our heads off because we thought we were home, until Cross Counter came down the outside and beat us.
“This time I didn’t do any yelling until about 10 metres from the line.”
Point Of Law was purchased out of the UK by Ciaron Maher’s Head Of Bloodstock Will Bourne.
The Northern Hemisphere-bred three-year-old was raced by His Majesty The King before Bourne struck a deal to purchase the colt.
“Will Bourne travels all around the world trying to buy these horses and Ciaron spent a lot of time over in Europe and had his Mum with him and built a relationship with The King,” O’Neill said.
“We thought The King was going to race this horse with us, but I don’t think legally he was able to do that.
“While he has missed out, I’m sure he will be very happy, and at the end of the day, we have a great relationship with Ciaron.”
O’Neill said he was happy for Bourne who spends considerable time overseas sourcing international stayers.
“He works so hard trying to buy these horses and it’s not easy,” O’Neill said.
“From a Melbourne Cup perspective, there are so many rules and regulations, vetting procedures that you have to go through, and you have to be buying horses that are almost perfect.
“We lost Saint George last week because of the CT scans, but it’s great for the race, it’s a safe race and it provides a wonderful spectacle.
“We feel very privileged to race with Ciaron and I’m really excited for Ethan Brown.
“He’s a great supporter of ours personally, rides all of our horses when he can.
“He had a really bad injury and for him to come back and win the Cup is incredible.”
O’Neill has been racing horses long enough to know to trust his trainer.
When asked if he thought the Cup campaign of Point Of Law was over after colt went two laps of Werribee having taken control of his rider, O’Neill said Maher was not too stressed by the incident.
“The horse seems to have this enormous aerobic capacity,” O’Neill said.
“We’ve been lucky to have been here a lot. It’s hard to win this race, and we’re going to celebrate like we never have before.
“I’ve been off the drink for eight years, but I’m back on it tonight.”
