SC, and this is the last I'll say on the matter, Incentivise went to go around her she pulled off the fence and Prebble eased taking a sit. It's clear as day there on the replay. I have no doubt whatsoever that had Persan taken a sit on the back of Incentivise he would've finished the race off better. Not knocking the horse at all, just saying as an owner I'd be questioning her tactics. Now maybe Meech didn't realise there'd be room for Incentivise on her back and by coming off the fence she would've forced him to go around and give her cover anyway. It's quite possible that was her thinking. Judging by the horse having a good blow after the race a sit would've been a much better option.

Sportsbet already paying out on the certain Melbourne Cup win.

Hopefully he comes back a refreshed horse and not completely cooked. He has had a big campaign and a successful one at that and it took a very good horse in Verry Elleegsnt to beat him.

Connections of Melbourne Cup runner-up Incentivise are sweating on the results of a second set of scans after he pulled up lame following his gallant run for second as favourite in Tuesday�s race.

Managing owner Steve Tregea confirmed his home-bred superstar had suffered the injury in his fetlock area and displayed lameness shortly after the gruelling 3200m trip.

�He has inflammation in the near-side fetlock,� Tregea said.

�They scanned it and didn�t see a lot but there was inflammation and fluid there and he was lame so we will see what the second scan shows.

�It is not a CT scan, just a normal scan they use on pregnant mares to see under the skin. It is in the fetlock so they don�t really know what it is, they have iced it and wrapped it up but he was lame on it shortly after the race.

�When you are racing horses, these things are always on the cards. It is disappointing but you just have to cop these things.�

Incentivise was set for an extended spell as it was after a busy winter and spring but his Melbourne Cup setback now has his racing future unclear while they wait for veterinary analysis.

Incentivise has never shown signs of soreness like this after a race and it is the first time he has pulled up lame in his short but incredible career.

�He ducked out on the corner so I would say something has gone wrong there,� Tregea said.

�(Trainer) Peter (Moody) said he wasn�t lame immediately but soon after he was favouring that leg and had inflammation around it.�

Carioca wrote: For me , that's not a good read and I do hope I'm wrong for a number of reasons , he went far beyond his calling today ( according to his breeding page ) and was very gallant in defeat with the impost he had and was left a sitting duck , the next 48 hours will be crucial to what the " filling " and why it has arisen , he's gamer than Ned Kelly but the jock IMO is a little " trigger happy " for my liking , racing needs champs like he , spell well fella for you done your country proud.

WarriSymbol wrote: Carioca wrote: For me , that's not a good read and I do hope I'm wrong for a number of reasons , he went far beyond his calling today ( according to his breeding page ) and was very gallant in defeat with the impost he had and was left a sitting duck , the next 48 hours will be crucial to what the " filling " and why it has arisen , he's gamer than Ned Kelly but the jock IMO is a little " trigger happy " for my liking , racing needs champs like he , spell well fella for you done your country proud.  As he doesn't have a sharp turn of foot, that is the way to ride him. Surge early and hold them off. It has worked and would still work against most horses in the world.

Carioca I was really confident about Verry Elleegant on Tuesday and less confident about this boy because it felt like the Cup was an after thought . He�d come from nowhere and his preparation was like � well try him in this and see what happens� instead of a planned prep leading up to peaking on Tuesday. He actually went better than I thought he would and it�s a shame if it�s stuffed him.

'he was crucified by carpenter but that's my honest opinion'

We all recognise how well hindsight works but when it's all boiled down, we're talking about a horse in its' 1st serious race preparation - he had one start in the initial prep.
No matter how 'big & strong' they appear to be, it's asking a hellova a lot to expect 12 high class efforts in one campaign (March - Nov.) which I'm sure his close connections are now aware of.
If he never races again it'll still have been worthwhile to have won what he did, similar to a Golden Slipper winner, you can sacrifice longevity for initial huge prizemoney & much more in the case of a GS victor.

Moody repeatedly stated to all who'd listen that the CC was his grand final & target race, not forgetting he also said the CC run was the 1st he'd 'felt' & why he'd definitely not be backing up in the Cox Plate.
The signs were there & needed heeding but.....................we're all human & they are but horses.
By contrast, VE has now had 9 runs this year & only 5 this prep. (ref. to above post)

Had he not won the Makybe Diva Stakes at G1 WFA level then his I itial Cups weight isn't 55.5kg. 

I had been dreading this outcome , sesamoid or suspensory , hope it's only talk Sister Dot .

Could it be Incentivise is suffering similar injuries to what Black Caviar was prior to her Royal assault ?

Just watched a very heart warming scenario of Incentivise having a swim at Moody's setup on twitter , the runs pulled it out of him but to see no leg bandages on was a good sign the filling may have subsided and " jarring up " could be the culprit , somebody with far greater tech. nous maybe able to bring it up on Moody's twitter page .