Just Fine ($23) has taken out the Group 3 Bart Cummings and booked his spot in the 2024 Melbourne Cup after leading all the way for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott.
As the only leader in the 2500m contest, Jordan Childs allowed his gelding to bowl along and run the race to suit himself, ahead of Point King ($5.50), who settled two lengths away.
El Bodegon ($23) and race favourite Berkshire Breeze ($3.70) rounded out the top four and appeared to gain an economical run; however, they ended up being four to five lengths off the leader with 600m to go.
Childs pressed the button on the leader and kicked clear by six lengths rounding the final corner, which left most of the backmarkers with their wheels spinning in the wet conditions as they attempted to chase.
At the 300m mark, Just Fine still held a four-length margin on his rivals, still going strong; however, the chasing pack were starting to eat into the margin, led by Point King and Berkshire Breeze.
Even though the winner was starting to take smaller steps late, the rest of the field were chasing in vein, as Just Fine held on to defeat the fast-finishing Point King and Amade ($34).
2024 Bart Cummings replay – Just Fine
Gai Waterhouse was on course to speak about the victory post-race.
“Often they can peak and then they can lose the plot,” Waterhouse replied when asked about the winning drought.
“You know, they’re not machines, they’re animals and he just trained off.
“Then we just kept tapping away and when I saw him the other day and he raced at Caulfield, I wasn’t happy with him so we just sort of gave him a little bit more work and just did different things.
“I just knew today that you really have to try hard to beat him. So has it just been a matter of building.
“Jordan, that’s Jordan at his best.
“When Jordan gets going on a front runner, he’s very effective.”
Jordan Childs was elated with the win post-race.
“He’s a go-forward horse. He has improved a lot with fitness from the other day and Gai wanted me to ride him to his strengths,” Childs said of Just Fine.
“I just let him be nice and happy and he was travelling so well. I just let him stride within himself.
“He’s got a great set of lungs on him. He’s a free-bowling horse.
“He’s just won his ticket to the Melbourne Cup, so he’ll be there for a long way.
“Hopefully he can get a good penalty and I’ll be able to jump on him on Cup day.”
Just Fine is a $34 chance with horse racing bookmakers in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup futures markets.
Horse racing news