Guide to Tuesday’s Emirates Melbourne Cup 6.20am SAf Time
> Advance wagering opens on Monday October 31.
> Commingled bets: Win, Place, Exacta and Double pools. No Local Pools.
> Telephone betting and online betting will be available from 05:30 Tuesday November 1.
Horse number, horse, trainer, jockey, barrier, weight, comment:
1 BIG ORANGE (GB) Michael Bell Jamie Spencer 7 57.0kg – Fifth last year with 55.5kg he must carry the additional weight this year and improve four places. The distance is not a problem as he comes off a victory of the 3219m of the Group 2 Goodwood Cup on July 28th. $16 in the market is fair.
2 OUR IVANHOWE (GER) Lee and Anthony Freedman Dwayne Dunn 6 57.0kg – Not disgraced in 2015 Melbourne Cup after a good third in the Caulfield Cup. Not going as well this time around and does not look to be one of the main chances here.
3 CURREN MIROTIC (JPN) Osamu Hirata 18 56.5kg – Second on the Group 1 Tenno Sho Spring over 3200m at Kyoto in May but two uninspiring runs over 2200 since. Has not won in three years.
4 BONDI BEACH (IRE) Aidan O’Brien Ryan Moore 5 56.0kg – Disappointed in last year’s Melbourne Cup after some strong runs in Europe. Returns with equally good form again. Is well in the market, so there is confidence around that he can improve at his second crack at the big one.
5 EXOSPHERIC (GB) Lee and Anthony Freedman Damien Oliver 13 56.0kg – Third in the Caulfield Cup over 2400m, 3 3/4L from Jameka. Oliver and the Freedman’s have won eight Melbourne Cups between them but Exospheric has not run the distance which just may prevent a ninth win.
6 HARTNELL (GB) John O’Shea James McDonald 12 56.0kg – Many believed he was equal or superior to Winx leading into the Cox Plate. That may seem fanciful now but it is impossible to ignore his form this preparation. He was dominant against Jameka in the Turnbull Stakes before Jameka went on to easily win the Caulfield Cup. A deserved favourite who is a big chance of giving Godolphin their first Melbourne Cup.
7 WHO SHOT THEBARMAN (NZ) Chris Waller Hugh Bowman 20 56.0kg – Leading trainer and jockey combination and second to stablemate Grand Marshall (GB) in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup over 2500m. That is the problem now that he is finding it hard to win.
8 WICKLOW BRAVE (GB) Willie Mullins Frankie Dettori 24 56.0kg – European form has been solid for most of this year before impressive Irish St Leger win. That form should stack up well here. Will be no surprise to see him in the thick of things on Tuesday afternoon if he can get a decent run from the draw.
9 ALMOONQITH (USA) David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig Michael Walker 19 54.5kg – Trained specifically for this race and his fourth in the Caulfield Cup had the fastest closing sectionals of the race. He was 13th at the 400m and was 4 1/4L from the winner at the line still closing very quickly. The current odds of $26 and $7.25 need close examination.
10 GALLANTE (IRE) Robert Hickmott Blake Shinn 2 54.5kg – Sydney Cup winner who disappointed in the Moonee Valley Cup last time out. Can obviously stay but recent form doesn’t stack up.
11 GRAND MARSHALL (GB) Chris Waller Ben Melham 9 54.5kg – Finally returned to form with the Moonee Valley Gold Cup win. Has won over the distance, drops in weight for this but he would need to maintain that Valley form and then lift again.
12 JAMEKA (AUS) Ciaron Maher 3 54.5kg – Last year’s Crown Oaks winner who is relishing spring racing once again. Was dominant in the Caulfield Cup after a strong second to Hartnell in the Turnbull Stakes. Has been near the top of the market for a while now and there are no reasons for punters to shy away from her at this point.
13 HEARTBREAK CITY (FR) Tony Martin Joao Moreira 23 54kg – Irish hurdler who won the Ebor Handicap over 2816m at York on August 20th. Will run the distance but is there a turn of foot for Flemington. The market is keeping safe but while he will not be stopping there might be others in front.
14 SIR JOHN HAWKWOOD (IRE) John Thompson Blake Spriggs 14 54.0kg – Impressive winner of The Metropolitan in Sydney before offering little in the Caulfield Cup last time out. Not sure if the Sydney staying form stacks up here. Others look more likely here.
15 EXCESS KNOWLEDGE (GB) Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Vlad Duric 21 54.5kg – Finished fourth in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup over 4L from the winner and does not look likely to improve on that.
16 BEAUTIFUL ROMANCE (GB) Saeed bin Suroor Damien Lane 1 52.5kg – Handy Godolphin mare who has done little wrong in 10 starts in Europe. Distance is a query but looks to have ability and may be worth considering for multiples.
17 ALMANDIN (GER) Robert Hickmott Kerrin McEvoy17 52.0kg – Coming off very good form including winning the Group 3 Bart Cummings over 2500m back on October 2nd , which seems an age away, with 55kg. Drops 3kg, add the Carnival’s in-form jockey Kerrin McEvoy and this might be another William owned winner
18 ASSIGN (IRE) Robert Hickmott Katelyn Mallyon 22 52.0kg – Won the Group 2 Herbert Power a month ago. Hard to see that form stacking up. Barrier 22 could be the straw that broke the camel’s back.
19 GREY LION (IRE) Matt Cumani Glen Boss 16 52.0kg – Had the length of the Geelong straight to pass Qewy and could not manage it and the market says $31.00 as a result.
20 OCEANOGRAPHER (GB) Charlie Appleby Chad Schofield 11 51.0kg – Godolphin runner who was unlucky in the Group 2 Geelong Cup before a barnstorming come-from-behind win in the Lexus Stakes on Derby Day that confirmed his spot in the field. That win saw him move into second favourite. If he backs up well he will be in the thick of things.
21 SECRET NUMBER (GB) Saeed bin Suroor Stephen Baster 10 52kg – Last year he was second in the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes over 2600m at Flemington and has raced just once since to win the listed Doonside Cup over 2012m at Ayr.
22 PENTATHLON (NZ) John Wheeler Mark Du Plessis 4 51.5kg – Placed in the Moonee Valley Cup and has placed over 3200m before in New Zealand but disappointed in the Lexus and looks unlikely to threaten.
23 QEWY (IRE) Charlie Appleby Craig Williams 15 51.5kg – Stamina is not the issue here and the hurdler/galloper will keep on rolling for the entire distance. If he is allowed to do just that the field should not allow him to establish a break as he will not stop and he will not notice the weight. Keep in multiples.
24 ROSE OF VIRGINIA (NZ) Lee and Shannon Hope Ben Thompson 8 51.0kg – Could not go with them when things got going in the Lexus on Saturday. Was second in the 3200m Auckland Cup in March and will need to find that form again to be any chance here.
Selections from the ThoroughbredNEWS News team:
| Glenn Moore | Rob Burnet | Flemington Spy | The News Desk |
| Hartnell | Hartnell | Oceanographer | Almoonqith |
| Curren Mirotic | Almoonqith | Big Orange | Almandin |
| Jameka | Almandin | Beautiful Romance | Qewy |
| Wicklow Brave | Bondi Beach | Hartnell | Hartnell |
