The travelling foreman for champion trainer Aidan O’Brien says the stable will be back for another attempt to win the Melbourne Cup.
O’Brien had his first runners in the Melbourne Cup in 2008 but it has only been in recent years he has made a concerted effort to win Australia’s most famous race.
He came close in 2017 when Johannes Vermeer finished second behind his son Joseph’s horse Rekindling.
The O’Brien-trained Il Paradiso finished best of his three runners on Tuesday when fourth across the line before being elevated to third following a stewards’ protest against second to the post, Master Of Reality.
Joseph O’Brien is the trainer of Master Of Reality. .
Aidan O’Brien’s other runners Magic Wand and Hunting Horne finished 10th and 15th respectively.
T J Comerford, who has overseen the O’Brien runners in Melbourne, said Il Paradiso was unlucky after being slow at the start.
“We expected him to run well and he ran well but he didn’t help himself by missing the break,” Comerford said.
“He made up a lot of ground but it was no fault of anyone and that’s the way he runs.
“Staying is his game and he was only getting going at the end, so it was probably unfortunate.
“It’s one of those things, but we’ll keep trying.”
Comerford said the track surface was against Magic Wand while Hunting Horn failed to stay the 3200 metres.
“The ground wasn’t quick enough for Magic Wand,” Comerford said.
“It was probably, my description good-to-soft, so it wasn’t good ground for us, she wants good-to-firm.
“I think there were better stayers in the race than Hunting Horn and in fairness to him two furlongs down he was there, but it’s probably been a big step up for him.
“He ran OK.”
