Make no mistake, Jye McNeil is a man built for the big occasion.
The understated country boy doesn’t boast the elite record of McDonald, perform with the flair of Zahra or the generate the headlines of Melham.
But if he feels the pressure of riding in one of the world’s great races, you’d never know it.
He delivered one of the great tactical steers to win the Melbourne Cup at his first attempt in 2020 when partnering Twilight Payment to an all-the-way win in front of an empty Flemington grandstand.
In a COVID-affected year that saw the race run behind closed doors, he flew under the radar on the Irish raider, who got under the guard of many form analysts and punters at $26.
His ride in this year’s race, Valiant King, has come under much more scrutiny and is set to line up as one of the top seeds in betting, albeit he probably hasn’t generated as much pre-race chat as many other horses in the race.
It doesn’t bother McNeil one bit.
“When I was on Twilight Payment, he was a bit of an outsider and it was my first ride in the Cup so I didn’t really know what to expect,” McNeil said.
“Now I know a lot more, I know how hard this race is to win and there probably is a little bit more pressure than my previous rides in the race.”
“But it’s all about how you handle that pressure and I feel like I can handle it pretty well.”
“It’s more excitement than nerves for me. I can’t wait to get on his back and get in the zone.”
“He’s in it with a good chance. For how good his run was in the Caulfield Cup, maybe he is flying under the radar for some people.”
“From that draw, and where I was placed at the 600m, he was last on the fence with a fair bit of dead wood in front of me. To finish on the heels of the winner, and now the Melbourne Cup favourite, was enormous.”
“I was sitting up too because I was about to clip its heels.”
“I’ve got to make a good plan, execute it and hopefully he can take care of the rest.”
When it comes to executing a plan to perfection on grand final day, few have done it like McNeil in that 2020 Cup.
The ride and the daring tactics came courtesy of his association with the late Deane Lester, who lobbied hard for McNeil to get the ride and gave him the confidence to go to the front in a race rarely won by leaders.
Lester’s death in 2023 took its toll on McNeil and, while he now seeks the guidance and feedback of Lester’s friend and colleague Mark Hunter, he still often asks himself what Lester’s advice would be.
“It’s hard for me to think what he (Lester) would say because his knowledge was so unique and so valuable,” he said.
“I think he probably would’ve told me to keep it simple with this horse.”
“He’s pretty easy and versatile so I’m not going to try to overcomplicate it too much.”
Previously trained by Joseph O’Brien, Valiant King arrived in Australia in 2023 before joining Chris Waller’s stable.
He finished midfield in last year’s Cup but has returned in superior form this spring, winning the G3 Bart Cummings in dominant fashion before surging late from last to run third in the Caulfield Cup.
With 51kg, scope for further improvement third-up and a favourable draw in barrier 10, McNeil is understandably bullish about his chances.
“Ozzie (Kheir, owner) rang me the next day (after the Bart Cummings win) and asked if I wanted to stick with him,” he said.
“The initial booking was for the Moonee Valley Gold Cup and the Melbourne Cup and I knew then that 51kg was on the radar.”
“He ran in the Caulfield Cup instead and riding him at 52kg there had me well placed to make the 51kg comfortably.”
“I’ve been working hard the last month on my weight – I’m there (51kg) now – but I wanted to make sure I got there in the right mind frame and condition.”
“I’ve been really excited ever since the Caulfield Cup to be honest. I think his form this campaign has spoken for itself.”
“The blinkers have definitely helped him but I don’t really feel that blinkers can improve a horse as much as he has improved so I think there has been a fair bit of work that has gone on behind the scenes by the Chris Waller camp to get him in the form that he’s in now.”
