AUSTRALIAN flat racing has taken a few knocks in recent months, with raiders from Japan, Ireland and Britain plundering some of the country’s major races. But there is no race as major as the Melbourne Cup, which stayed at home this year, courtesy of Vow And Declare, a 116-rated performer who got in off a light weight.

He owed his win in no small part to a fine ride from Craig Williams, who got his mount across from a wide draw to a prominent position in a race in which there was very little pace. Vow And Declare looked held for much of the straight but rallied gamely to edge out Master Of Reality (demoted to fourth), Prince of Arran and Il Paradiso.

Just what a speed test it was is reflected in the finishing speeds, which came in at between 109% and 114% for the principals, where something around 101.5% is par.

In that context, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Il Paradiso and the New Zealand-trained fifth Surprise Baby did remarkably well to make up ground from behind, the former possibly unlucky not to get there as he was short of room at the death.

Il Paradiso had run Stradivarius and Dee Ex Bee pretty close in the Lonsdale Cup at York, and it now seems as if he did not do himself full justice when fifth in the St Leger at Doncaster. He looks an exciting prospect for Cup races and possibly a return to Melbourne in 2020.