Despite Jeune’s reputation for being hard to handle, Harris managed to keep the horse relaxed throughout the race, travelling comfortably midfield. As the field turned for home, Jeune surged forward. Harris found himself in an unexpected position – at the front, far earlier than planned. “My God, what have I done?” he thought, fearing an early move might spell disaster. But Jeune answered all doubts about his stamina with a decisive victory, finishing the race in 3.19.00.
Harris, who had never ridden Jeune until that day, proved that experience and judgement are invaluable. “To think I’d never been on his back before and to jump out and be able to ride him how I wanted to … I think everyone in racing – jockeys, trainers, owners, breeders, strappers … all want to be part of a Melbourne Cup winner and I got my chance on that occasion,” he reflected.
The win was not just a triumph for Harris, but also for David Hayes, who had recently taken over the Lindsay Park operation from his father, Colin Hayes. David’s decision to fit Jeune with pacifiers for the Cup, after a disappointing Cox Plate run, proved to be a masterstroke. Hayes also recognised that Jeune needed a rigorous racing preparation to bring out his best, a strategy that paid
off handsomely.
Jeune’s Melbourne Cup victory was the crowning achievement in a stellar season that included four Group 1 wins and earned him Horse of the Year honours.
But his legacy did not end on the track. In 1996, Jeune was syndicated to stand at Lindsay Park Stud, where he made an immediate impact as a sire. His progeny included several Group winners, most notably the Caulfield Cup-winning Mummify. Jeune’s influence on Australian racing continued through his successful offspring, cementing his status as both a champion racehorse and a prolific sire.