By Shayne Hope, AAP
Caulfield Cup-winning jockey Harry Coffey has declared his triumph one for the battlers after steering the Cranbourne-trained Duke De Sessa to victory in the world’s richest 2400m turf handicap.
Coffey, who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at six-weeks-old, celebrated his 29th birthday on Saturday with a stunning win aboard the Ciaron Maher import.
Coffey unleashed Duke De Sessa with 400m left to run, making his bold move when leader Deny Knowledge began to weaken.
The six-year-old gelding led by as much as four lengths in the straight and held off a late challenge from pre-race favourite Buckaroo, trained by Chris Waller, to win by one and a quarter lengths.
Waller also prepared third-placegetter Land Legend, with Godolphin’s Zardozi fourth.
It was Coffey’s first Caulfield Cup win and the biggest victory of his career.
“I just couldn’t believe it that he (Duke De Sessa) kept running and the Caulfield Cup was going to have Harry Coffey’s name next to it,” Coffey told Seven.
“It’s just phenomenal.
“It’s not supposed to happen to people like myself.
“I’m considered a battler and people like to laugh about how I’m a battler and a country boy, but not many Caulfield Cups get won by country boys.
“I couldn’t pull the horse up, to be honest.
“I just let him roll and me and him just had a little moment … I actually can’t tell you the love and the happiness for how well this horse ran today.”
It was Cranbourne-based Maher’s second Caulfield Cup victory, eight years after his star mare Jameka won, and came little more than an hour after the master trainer tasted success in The Everest with Bella Nipotina.
Maher said Duke De Sessa appreciated the soft 6 track at Caulfield, and paid tribute to Coffey for wasting to make his light 52kg handicap.
“The horse had the right form going in,” Maher told Seven.
“He had four 2000 metre runs, and going to the mile and a half, and he loves a bit of cut in the track, it worked out.
“How good Harry Coffey? I was talking to him after the horse’s last run.
“He said he likes losing weight when he’s got a chance.
“Fair play to him; he rode him confidently and he rode him well, and it was a pretty easy watch.
“He’s a lovely horse he had a lot of ability.
“He was just a bit aggressive as a colt.
“He was gelded and he’s just come back a nicer horse.
“The team has done a great job.
“He’s got a bit of cut in the track his last couple of runs which really helped him, and today for his grand final, spot on.”
There was drama before the race when Warmonger broke through the barrier gates and took off.
The incident delayed the start, though no harm was done.
