The Hickmott family already has its name etched in the history of the Melbourne Cup, with Robert having trained two winners of the historic race, but on Tuesday it was time for other family members to experience what it is like winning on the day.
This time it was his son Josh who experienced the thrill of part-owning a Melbourne Cup Day winner after Party Crasher (NZ) (Ocean Park) claimed the Benchmark 80 (2000m), which was trained by Rob Hickmott’s younger brother Michael.
Josh works as a bloodstock manager for Michael Hickmott.
“It’s been a lucky day for the family,” Josh Hickmott said.
Josh said his first experience of Melbourne Cup Day was in 2012 when his father trained Green Moon to win, while he was also there when his dad was successful with Almandin.
Josh relished the experience of Party Crasher’s win.
“This is on par with anything I’ve had to do in racing. I know it’s Benchmark 80 but it’s such a great ownership group,” Hickmott said.
There were some concerns with the pre-race forecast, as Party Crasher had been to the races 10 times but only raced on seven occasions.
“He’s actually been to the races 10 times and he’s had three races abandoned. Twice in the Queensland Derby – one was because of the weather and the other time he was kicked behind the gates, then at Morphettville the other day the meeting was abandoned due to thunder and lightning,” he said.
Hickmott helped source Party Crasher in New Zealand.
“It’s been a whirlwind ever since. I think his record shows he’s a horse on the up,” Hickmott said.
Hickmott said it was a great ownership group, which includes high-profile owners John O’Neill and Brett Carty, who are also in Buckaroo (Fastnet Rock) and Valiant King (Roaring Lion) in the Melbourne Cup.
Bred by Waikato Stud, Party Crasher was originally purchased out of their Book 1 yearling draft at Karaka by Kurtis Pertab and Cody Cole for $40,000 and subsequently purchased by clients of trainer Michael Hickmott.
Out of the Rock ‘N’ Pop mare Party Popper, the lightly raced four-year-old has won on four occasions from just seven starts and banked over A$190,000 in stakes.