Meta description: Beaten jockeys pointed to a crawl-slow tempo after the 2026 Melbourne Cup at Flemington, with riders from Vauban to Knight's Choice left frustrated on Tuesday.
Category: Sport
X post: The 2026 Melbourne Cup was run at a crawl, and the beaten jockeys did not hide their frustration. From barrier woes to wide runs, here is how each rider explained their defeat.
Image caption: Jockeys return to scale after the Melbourne Cup at Flemington. Photo: NZ Herald
The slowest run Melbourne Cup in memory left a trail of frustrated jockeys at Flemington on Tuesday, with beaten riders almost unanimous that the crawl-slow tempo decided the 2026 edition of Australia's great race. According to the NZ Herald's post-race rider comments, nearly every jockey outside the placings pointed to the same culprit: a race run at little more than trackwork speed until the sprint home.
A stop-start race that suited no one behind the leader
The pattern was set early. Zac Lloyd, who finished ninth on Hopewell Rock, summed up the frustration of riders trapped behind a dawdling pace.
They went ridiculously slow bar the leader and I was just a fraction on the bridle throughout. When they quickened they left him flat-footed but I thought he went well up the straight.
Harry Coffey, sixth on Shockletz, offered a similar account of a race that never found its rhythm.
It was a bit of a stop-start event for the first bit. It was a sprint home, which probably didn't suit her. But she was brave and did a good job.
James McDonald, the New Zealand-born champion aboard Trustyourinstinct in 11th, said the tempo made it impossible for a horse who needs to build momentum to ever get into the contest.
In a very slowly run race, he is a little bit one dimensional and we have to flow back. He was going to be there but we just couldn't get into the race at all.
Barrier draws and bad luck compound the tempo problem
Craig Williams, seventh on the Irish raider James J Braddock, delivered one of the more detailed post-mortems. Trained by Joseph O'Brien, the lightly raced 3-year-old found himself at a disadvantage from the gate and could not claw back the lost ground.
The barrier was a big disadvantage to him today, but he was prepared really well by Joseph and his team to come out here. He is only a 3-year-old, lightly raced. He came out and wanted to go left under pressure. He struggled to stay on the back of those main horses and lost ground. Then in the straight he balanced up and closed off really well. He's a horse with exceptional talent but he just didn't get it quite right from the barrier today.
Mark Zahra, who won the Cup in 2022 and 2023, finished 10th on Middle Earth and conceded the winner was simply in a different class on the day.
He was a bit keen in parts. He was travelling okay in the straight but the winner just going a lot better and took my runs. He whacked away all right in the end.
Racing.com's full jockey comment wrap captured the emotional range across the field, from the winner's disbelief to the rueful reflections of those left in his wake.
Pride amid defeat: Knight's Choice returns from the wilderness
The most heartfelt assessment came from Robbie Dolan, who steered 2024 winner Knight's Choice into 12th after the gelding's long battle with injury and illness.
Very proud of him. Amazing little horse. Just getting him back here for the Melbourne Cup after a long time of injuries and sicknesses is amazing. He ran a cracker with five kilos on some of those horses. Really proud of him.
Dolan's pride in a horse written off by so many captures what still draws New Zealand and Australian racing fans to the first Tuesday in November. The Cup remains a race where a comeback story carries as much weight as the result itself.
Young horses and honest efforts
Several riders found genuine encouragement in defeat. Rachel King, eighth on So You Are, backed her mount to improve sharply with experience.
Super run. He put himself in a good spot. Very inexperienced horse at the moment and he has plenty more to come and plenty of improvement.
Tommy Berry, 13th on Soul Of Spain, praised a horse beaten more by honesty than a lack of ability.
Began well. Found a nice spot early but he was just a bit too honest in the run and he felt the pinch late. Very honest in defeat.
Damian Lane, 19th on Wine Dark Sea, saw a future in a horse still learning the caper.
Little bit immature mentally for these big occasions. Nice horse for the future but just needs to iron out a few quirks.
Distance doubts and tired finishers
For others, the two-mile trip simply proved too far. Jabez Johnstone pulled up Mr Monaco in 17th and questioned whether the gelding truly runs 3200 metres.
Wouldn't be disappointed with that at all. He's run a nice race. Strongly believe didn't run two mile.
Jamie Melham reached the same conclusion on Future History, tailed off in 20th.
He tried hard. At the 600 I thought he was a sneaky hope. He just doesn't run the trip out at this level but back to 2000m/2500m is his go.
Jordan Childs rode one-time favourite Vauban into last place and said the Irish stayer's preparation told late.
He had a nice run in transit. Had to use him a little from the gate. He got into a rhythm and just got really tired late. Second-up 3200 probably didn't work.
Dean Yendall, 18th on Strictly Business, found some gallows humour in the maddening pace.
Couldn't really switch her off. Probably needed a parking inspector out there to throw a few tickets out. Just went too steady. She never relaxed and the job was done probably at the 1000 when she was on the bridle and had the winner's back but didn't come on.
Just Horse Racing's post-race reaction noted the victory carried extra significance for the winning stable, whose trainer praised his team and ownership group after the race.
What the beaten riders' comments reveal
Strip away the individual excuses and a single truth remains: in a Cup run at a walking pace, the horses closest to the early speed held all the cards. Beau Mertens, 16th on Kizlyar, did the hard work chasing the tearaway leader and stayed on strongly racing wide, while William Pike on Zakouma simply noted that the field never broke into a genuine gallop.
Declan Bates, 21st on Onesmoothoperator, was blunt about a race that never opened up for him.
We were obviously back. We never really ran into the race at all so a bit disappointing.
For New Zealand racing fans, the Cup again delivered more questions than answers about how the two-mile championship should be run. The 2026 edition will be remembered for the winner's moment of history, but the beaten jockeys made one thing clear: the slowest of tempos, not a lack of talent, decided who had a chance.
FAQ
Who are the beaten jockeys in the Melbourne Cup?
They are the riders of every horse that did not win the Cup, from Craig Williams on James J Braddock in seventh to Jordan Childs on Vauban in last place.
Why did so many jockeys blame the tempo?
Several riders said the race was run far too slowly early, turning the finish into a sprint that favoured horses positioned near the leader and left closers flat-footed.
What did Robbie Dolan say about Knight's Choice?
Dolan said he was proud of the horse for simply making it back to the Cup after a long period of injuries and illness.