Veteran stayer Vow And Declare will return for another spring carnival after claiming a tough victory in the Group 3 Tatt’s Cup (2200m) at Eagle Farm.
The nine-year-old secured his second Tatt’s Cup win, following his first in 2019. While the iconic Melbourne Cup win in 2019 remains a career highlight, a tilt at the “race that stops a nation” in 2024 appears off the cards.
“Danny [O’Brien, trainer] and the owners will sit down in a few weeks’ time and work out what the plan is, but what has been discussed already is the Melbourne Cup is off the agenda,” said stable manager Matt Harrington.
Harrington confirmed Vow And Declare will return to their 13th Beach base and target other spring features. “There are a number of other suitable races,” he said, mentioning the Zipping Classic at Caulfield, which Vow And Declare won in 2022.
The Tatt’s Cup win further highlighted Vow And Declare’s staying power, according to Harrington. “He set a track record,” Harrington said. “He still has a lot of fuel in the tank.”
Stablemate Young Werther, who pushed Vow And Declare hard in the Tatt’s Cup, is also primed for a spring return. “He tried very hard and left it all out there,” Harrington said of Young Werther. “Last year he ran a super third in the Mackinnon without any luck. He’ll be ready to fire again.”