Horse’s death, reigning champion’s fall overshadow finish of the Caulfield Cup

A tragic two-horse fall, which involved the 2025 champion and resulted in the death of another horse, has marred what should have been a fairytale finish to the 150th running of the Caulfield Cup for victorious trainer Gavin Bedggood and Irish jockey John Allen.

While Bedggood and jockey Allen celebrated their first victory in the $6 million group 1 race, they were unaware of the carnage that had unfolded behind them.

The mounting yard was sent into shock as medical staff raced to treat jockeys Mark Zahra and Jye McNeil who were left laying on the course, while galloper Ohope Wins suffering what ultimately proved to be fatal injuries.

Stewards were able to quickly calm worried family and connections of the jockeys, releasing a statement to say both would be taken to hospital but had escaped serious injury.

The second horse involved in the devastating tumble – last year’s winner of the Melbourne Cup and Caulfield Cup double, Half Yours – quickly regained his feet and was gathered in by a clerk of the course.

Worried trainer Tony McEvoy sprinted out onto the track to check up on Zahra in a dramatic finish to the Cup, and then returned to the mounting yard grim faced, but relieved, to be able to tell stressed connections his horse had suffered a laceration but was OK.

A green tarp was erected around the Chris Waller-trained Ohope Wins in the home straight. The mare did not survive.

Waller was not on the course. The champion trainer had stayed in Sydney to prepare his sprinter Joliestar for The Everest.

Stewards immediately opened an inquiry into the cause of the fall, a tragic incident that had blackened the day.

The nervous excitement of Half Yours’ owners as the runners were being loaded into the stalls turned into disbelief two minutes later when their champion fell.

Some in the ownership group were in tears, unsure of Half Yours’ welfare. Their emotions were in contrast to the ecstasy 12 months ago when they won the first leg of Victorian racing’s fabled Cups double.

“To have the excitement and the highs we had last year and [to have] this happen today, we love the horse,” managing part-owner Jason Biasin said minutes after the race.

Half Yours came down moments after Kings Valley, ridden by Jabez Johnstone, ran in as a result of a buffeting duel with Rachel King’s Green Spaces shortly after rounding the turn. Ohope Wins was unable to avoid Half Yours and fell several strides later.

After the race, King said, “[It was] just a messy-run race from where we were”.