Melbourne Cup Thread 2012

[Rhinestone Cowboy]

The Melbourne Cup weights released last week resulted in a hardening of the price of Luca Cumani’s favourite Mount Athos.
However there still appears to be some 25-1 floating about near the name of Galileo’s Choice and Dermot Weld’s horse looks to tick a lot of the appropriate boxes for the race that stops a nation, not least of which is Weld’s name next to it.
The trainer learned before anyone that the last thing you need for Flemington is a dour-staying plodder. A Group 3 winner at both ten and twelve furlongs, Galileo’s Choice also goes on any kind of ground.
It’s a long way away, but you never know. A hat-trick might be in the offing come November.

[flatman]

Colm O'Donoghue has been snapped up by the connections of Jakkalberry to ride the six-year-old in both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.
Marco Botti's charge won the American St Leger at Arlington on his last start under O'Donoghue and his Australian owners were keen to keep the partnership with Jakkalberry, who has arrived Down Under, intact.

Darren Dance, representing Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock, said: "He's had to cancel some rides in Japan to come here because there are a lot of clashes around the Caulfield Cup.

"It's Champions Day and there's a big day in Japan.

"But I said to him that if he couldn't ride at Caulfield he couldn't ride in the Melbourne Cup and he said he'd definitely be right to ride in both because he wanted to ride in the Melbourne Cup.

"He rode him in the American St Leger and we were pretty happy with the way he rode him.

"Jakkalberry travelled like he'd gone five kilometres, not 40 hours halfway round the world.

"He got off the plane and he was bouncing, he drank 35 litres of water en route, which was way above any of the others, and he looked really bright yesterday afternoon and he looked bright again this morning when I went down and had a look at him."

[Lester]

Aussie jim

What is the standout attribute you look for in a Melbourne Cup horse?

The breeding has to be right for the horse to have the ability to stay. They need a turn of foot to win the race because of the style of racing here. Most importantly, they need to relax in the early and middle stages of the race.

Which races offer the best guide to finding the Cup winner?

The Caulfield Cup remains the best guide to finding the winner but, with the growing international presence, races such as the Irish St Leger and Prix Kergorlay in France are good guides. Those two races fit in well with the program to get to Australia for the Melbourne Cup.

Does a Melbourne Cup runner need to have run at 3200m before the Cup?

They don't need to have run over the distance but they have to have the potential to stay the trip. The preparation is more important, especially with the internationals, to have them fit and ready on Melbourne Cup day.

If you had to choose between a good trainer and good jockey, which one would you take?

You need a good trainer rather a good jockey. Look at the men who have come to Australia who have won the Melbourne Cup - Dermot Weld, Katsuhiko Sumii, Alain de Royer-Dupre and Mikel Delzangles. They are all great planners and expert horsemen. There are plenty of talented jockeys, but not that many good trainers.

What is your early Cup tip?

I was very impressed by Americain in the Caulfield Cup. He looked fantastic at Werribee and gets a 4.5 kilogram weight turnaround on Dunaden from last year's

Melbourne Cup.

[mayo]

1st 7 home Irish bred