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Melbourne Cup.

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The Race that stop a Nation is just round the corner. November 04 2008 will see Australia take a break from whatever they are doing and turn on their TV and radio to listen the Race commentary.

A bit sad that last year longshot winner Efficient was withdrawn from this year race due to injury.


Efficient out of Melbourne Cup
By Adam Hamilton
October 29, 2008 LAST year's Emirates Melbourne Cup winner, Efficient, is out of next week's race.

Owner Lloyd Williams this morning confirmed the five-year-old, a $12 shot for next Tuesday’s $5.5 million race, had injured the fetlock joint in his offside front leg.

“He worked yesterday and seemed fine, but we got him out of his box this morning there was heat in joint. I notified everyone straight away he was scratched,” he said.

“We’ll know when the vets go right over it, but at this stage he’ll need three months of doing nothing. That means it will be 12 months before he can race again.

“I’ve spent 40-something years in this game and to some extent you get to grin and bear it, but I am feeling very sorry for myself right now.

“The person I’m devastated for is his strapper, Angie Hill, who has spent the past 51 weeks doing everything for this horse and treating better than anyone would understand.”

Efficient’s scratching has badly hurt Australia’s chances of repelling a nine-horse international raid on Tuesday’s Cup.

Williams still has two Cup runners – last week’s Cox Plate runner Zipping and C’est La Guerre, who finished sixth in the Cox Plate.

Betting shops around Australia immediately suspended betting on the Cup after Efficient’s scratching. Fresh markets will be released after lunch.
 

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It's spot the Aussie: Cummings
By Adam Hamilton
October 29, 2008 FOR Cups King Bart Cummings it's the last straw.

Growing grumpier by the year as more raiders target our greatest race, Cummings summed up his frustration with the quip: "Spot the Aussie."

A record nine internationals could contest Tuesday's $5.5 million Emirates Melbourne Cup. The record is eight runners in the 2002 Cup won by Media Puzzle.

There are fears that this year's foreign contingent is capable of dominating the race, just as Japanese horses Delta Blues and Pop Rock did at Flemington in 2006.

Form purist Lloyd Williams can see our Cup heading for Europe.

Although Williams won't discount the locals, who include his trio of Efficient, Zipping and C'est La Guerre, he is particularly taken with Irish star Septimus.

But bookmakers aren't as impressed, saying imports are traditionally overrated and this year is no different.

While leading Sydney trainer Gai Waterhouse argued that the foreign horses added to the presence of the race, Cummings raised the bar for the internationals, calling for a cap on their numbers.

"The Japanese have got a good idea (for the Japan Cup). They choose the best Group 1 winners and invite them from around the world and have four or five runners only," Cummings said.

Cummings argued loyal Australian owners were paying the price.

"You can't win the Cup unless you're in it and it is getting harder for the Australians who support the industry throughout the year to get their lower-weighted horses into the race," he said.

Three Cummings-trained stayers - outsiders Viewed, Moatize and Dandaad - are among the 39 horses still in contention for a Cup start.

TAB Sportsbet's Melbourne Cup market highlights the international dominance.

The raiders hold six of the first 10 spots in betting: Septimus $4.50 fav, Mad Rush $6.50, All The Good $12, Profound Beauty $15, Bauer $18 and Honolulu $21.

The other three imports are Yellowstone $51, Alessandro Volta $61 and Varevees $61.

Bookmakers welcome the foreigners, having dismissed them over the years as "the scratchings".

"This is a severe case of deja vu with Septimus," said Mark Morrissey of Col Tidy's betting organisation.

"How many times are people going to fall in to these European stayers with their big weights in a Melbourne Cup?" Morrissey said.

"We are currently standing Septimus for just under $1 million and I'm not worried.

"I have virtually built my house from these northern hemisphere stayers in the past. The horses he beat in the Irish St Leger would not win a Hanging Rock maiden. The handicapper realises it. How else can you win a Group 1 race and not cop a penalty?"

Since Vintage Crop's win in 1993, 63 imports have started in the Cup. Only two have won - Media Puzzle (2002) and Delta Blues (2006). Five have finished second and four third.

Double Trigger, Oscar Schindler, Mamool and Yeats were much-hyped raiders who flopped.

"I will always keep coming back to local horses," Betstar's Michael Eskander said.

"I am absolutely certain Septimus will struggle in the Cup. He does not deserve the hype. Traditionally, European horses with big weights don't win."

Waterhouse said it was not easy to bring a horse halfway around the world, then expect it to perform at its best.

Victoria Racing Club chief executive Dale Monteith said connections of internationals were taking a big gamble.

"They pay their own way and it costs them about $100,000 a horse," Monteith said. "The Melbourne Cup has never been an invitation race and it never will be.

"The race is open to all-comers, which is why it is recognised as one of the world's great handicap races. Before Vintage Crop we used to get 200,000 people to Flemington for the carnival, but that's increased to over 400,000 over the past 15 years."
 

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Cumani up to speed
By Matt Stewart
October 29, 2008 Italian trainer Luca Cumani adds as much cosmopolitan flavour to the Melbourne Cup as his horses.

At Sandown racecourse, trackwork is gentle.

Unlike fast and furious Caulfield and Flemington, at Sandown no one is watching the clock, no gatekeeper is booting 800 fast-trained nags off the track by 8am.

The visiting endurance horses are walked, trotted and cantered over half an hour. There are less than 10 and each seems to own the sprawling racecourse.

On Tuesday, the gentle Irish accents of Aidan and Anne-Marie O'Brien and their four cherub-faced kids, and the soft-spoken English of Saeed bin Suroor, suited the serenity of Little Europe.

After Bin Suroor said a few words, and before the whispering O'Briens arrived sans fanfare, Luca Cumani arrived in true Italian style.

Cumani reversed his hire car towards the media pack on the car racing track at a speed that would have won Saturday's Cox Plate.

After elegantly stepping out of the car, Cumani was asked about his Bond-like arrival.

"Well ... I am Italian," he said.

The reporters laughed and everyone was at ease. Cumani is a lethal competitor, but also graceful and courteous.

This is the Newmarket trainer's third attempt at winning the Melbourne Cup.

We liked him in 2006 because he was a happy, hands-up loser. His first words after arriving that year were: "I've got no idea what I'm doing."

Last year we loved him more because he did well, but not too well.

Third time around, you wonder if Cumani's grand entrance in reverse at Sandown might be the prelude to something even more dashing and debonair.

The man who admitted Cup naivety two years ago with "wrong horses" Glistening and Soulacroix (who missed the ballot but ran unplaced on Derby Day) learned very quickly.

His two 2006 runners did not have a prep run in the Caulfield Cup. The Japanese Cup quinella horses, Delta Blues and Pop Rock, did.

Last year Cumani's Purple Moon followed the Japanese Cup trail and ran a luckless sixth in the Caulfield Cup, before beating all but Efficient in the Melbourne Cup.

Cumani's two-year lesson has him perfectly poised.

Mad Rush, like the Japanese in 2006, was an unlucky Caulfield Cup runner; fourth after striking traffic.

Bauer won the Geelong Cup. The last European to win that race was Media Puzzle in 2002. So far that trail to Flemington is running at 100 per cent.

Cumani stood on the car racing track yesterday and told reporters he hoped he had got the mix right, but politely held back from declaring he was sure of it.

"I'll tell you after Tuesday if I've got it right or not," he said.

"The first time we didn't know what we were doing. Obviously it was the first time in these conditions. They were probably not the right horses.

"But last year we had a better horse and had learned from the previous year, and hope we've learned a bit more from last year."

Cumani said his horses could not be in better shape, adding Mad Rush might be a tad better than Purple Moon. He said he might have to be.

"I think this year is a stronger field from last year. The locals seem to be pretty much the same as last year, but the Europeans are strong," he said.

Cumani scratched Mad Rush from Breakfast With The Stars at Flemington because he thought the experience might be futile.

"He didn't need to go, didn't need to be subjected to the stress of going there, the traffic. I think he's right where I want him," he said.

Bauer, too, is in perfect order.

"It's difficult to say that he's bridged the gap on Mad Rush, who is rated higher than Bauer. But Bauer is a hell of a trier. That's if he gets in. If he gets in, he should run a hell of a race," he said.

Cumani declared O'Brien's Septimus the horse to beat, but was not unbeatable.

He rated Septimus a better prospect than Yeats, who ran seventh for O'Brien two years ago.

"As we all know, it's never a case of just turning up to win, but he's definitely the best stayer in Europe by a long way. So he's the horse who deserves to be favourite," Cumani said.
 

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O'Brien says we're not gang-ho
By Matt Stewart
October 29, 2008 LEGENDARY Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien dismissed talk his three raiders would gang up on their rivals in Tuesday's Emirates Melbourne Cup.

But O'Brien all but promised a strong, European-style speed in the race.

"In an ideal world we'd like a strong, even tempo," O'Brien said. "Because all of ours want the trip, there's no point sitting back on them."

Racing Victoria's chief steward Terry Bailey said he would make it clear to O'Brien's three Irish Cup jockeys that their tactics would be watched closely in the Cup.

Bailey will study tapes of the O'Brien trio's racing styles this week and ensure none is sent out merely as a pacemaker for favourite Septimus.

O'Brien, fined $10,000 last month in England over team riding, said his three Cup raiders - Septimus, Honolulu and Alessandro Volta - were in it to win.

"Each one of those horses is running and doing their best, and I'd be over the moon if any of them won," he said.

"I can make a case for either one of them. I can make a case that Alessandro Volta is very well handicapped, make a case for Honolulu being fairly treated, and so is Septimus.

"But it's a handicap, they're all exposed, and every time they run, they run to their full potential. There's nothing hidden in there."

O'Brien, who arrived on Monday for his third crack at the Cup, said he believed Septimus was beatable, adding he would not be surprised if he was beaten by a stablemate.

Lloyd Williams, owner of last year's Melbourne Cup winner Efficient, has said "it's just a matter of Septimus turning up".

"Every horse is beatable, you know, this is horse racing," O'Brien said. "He's in good form and obviously a very impressive winner last time, but I don't think any horse is unbeatable."

O'Brien said his trio would be positive from the gates and would ensure a strong gallop; one O'Brien said should help most runners.

He said the stable had erred tactically in the past two Melbourne Cups. He said Yeats (seventh in 2006) and Mahler (third last year) had been ridden too conservatively.

"All three of ours want level, even pace. They all need the full distance of the trip (to be most effective)," he said.

"I'll be saying (to the jockeys) we won't be taking any of them back, if you know what I mean. We'll be letting them roll down the hill in the straight . . . and the tempo will hopefully keep increasing.

"And listen, then if they get beat, they get beat. At least then we can feel that we've given them the best chance of winning."

O'Brien said he would be happy if others took up the pace.

"All three of ours wouldn't mind leading, but I'd be very happy if someone else made the running," he said.

"In front it's a little bit harder on them mentally and not every horse is a natural leader. Some like to be behind.

"By doing that (leading), you're leaving yourself a little bit exposed and setting the race up for closers - but it's fair.

"Usually there are less hard-luck stories in a race if pace is strong and even."

Tuesday the O'Brien team had a leisurely workout at Sandown.

They will have their next strong hit-out on Friday, ridden by their race jockeys.
 

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Septimus fails to sizzle
By Brendan Cormick
October 28, 2008 MELBOURNE Cup favourite Septimus defeated stablemates Alessandro Volta and Honolulu at Sandown in their first serious gallop since arriving in Australia.

Breaking from their routine of hacking along in Indian file, the trio shaped up hours ahead of trainer Aidan O'Brien's arrival. Septimus finished over the top of pacemaker Alessandro Volta to win by a long neck.

Honolulu was about a length back, getting the upper hand late after stretching out to run their last 400m in a tick over 26 seconds.

But don't be surprised if the bookies let punters on for more. Given the way they were pushed out, they should have gone quicker. Some found the work unconvincing and were surprised by how hard Septimus blew afterwards. Seasoned trackwatcher Les O'Briem considered whether he might be a better racehorse than he is a trackworker.

"It was a nice piece of work and exactly what Aidan wanted. Everything went great and the horses came out of it fine," an upbeat travelling foreman Andrew Murphy said.

"It was a good, strong gallop more or less over a mile. The whole way they were gradually building up."

Murphy said Septimus was a genuine racehorse and his work was considered normal for the Irish St Leger winner, rated the world's best stayer by the international panel of handicappers.

"That is exactly what he'd be doing at home at this stage before a race. He's a good, solid worker," Murphy said.

Septimus has been the medium of plunges at various stages of betting on the Cup. He was hammered leading up to his Irish St Leger victory in early September at $12. Now $4.50, he was backed to win $2 million in a single wager placed with a Darwin bookmaking firm last week.

The longest-priced of his Cup trio at $67, Alessandro Volta is the baby of the group but Murphy insists he is a worthy candidate. He finished third in the Irish Derby in June, relegated to fourth for causing interference.

"Alessandro Volta's is no back door. He is a really good three-year-old (by northern hemisphere time) and he brought them along at a nice, strong gallop," Murphy said.

"It was exactly what was wanted. These are three good horses."

O'Brien arrived in Melbourne on Monday night from the Breeders' Cup meeting at Santa Anita in the US and will watch his team this morning for the first time in more than a fortnight.
 

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Aussie Cup ranks grow thinner
By Tim Habel
October 27, 2008 THE already thin Australian defence of the Melbourne Cup has lost another warrior with a tendon injury sidelining Dolphin Jo.

Preparing for a third successive Cup start, a routine veterinary check on Friday revealed a slight tear in the suspensory ligament in the near foreleg.

"We're a bit devastated," Stawell trainer Terry O'Sullivan said. "I had no inkling. We galloped him on Thursday and he was as good as gold."

Dolphin Jo ran 15th in the 2006 Melbourne Cup and fifth last year.

O'Sullivan regularly takes Dolphin Jo to Ballarat vet Brian Anderson for a check-up.

"We took him down after he won the Winning Edge and nothing was wrong with him," O'Sullivan said. "He must have done it in the Caulfield Cup, maybe when he knuckled out of the gates.

"We live to fight another day but it was looking good for him this year. There was always going to be good speed with all the internationals and that's to our advantage."

Stablemate Poised To Win has been cleared of tendon damage.

"I've never been so happy to be wrong," O'Sullivan said. "I thought he'd done a tendon but he must have wrenched a joint and that gave him filling in the back of the knee."

Poised To Win will be nominated for the Group I Emirates Stakes on Saturday week.

LAST year's Cox Plate winner El Segundo has made an early start to his autumn preparation with his return to Colin Little's Caulfield stable.

El Segundo suffered a leg injury in the lead-up to the Carlyon Stakes in January. He had stem cell surgery followed by a lengthy rehabilitation.

"We've done everything we can with him. He's had two lots of two months exercising in a water walker," Little said. "He doesn't look like an old horse. He's bright and happy and strong."
 

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HEAVYWEIGHT jockey Steven Arnold rode a winning double at Geelong yesterday, but forgive him for still spending some time reflecting and sulking.

Just hours before heading to Geelong - where he won on the Lloyd Williams-owned pair Outcrop and Hume - Arnold was told his dream of winning Tuesday's $5.5 million Emirates Melbourne Cup was over.

His mount, $12 chance and defending champion Efficient, had been scratched from the race because of a fetlock injury.

Losing the ride on a genuine Melbourne Cup hope would be a bitter pill for any jockey to swallow, but for Arnold it was even worse.

It was the second successive year it has happened to him.

Just over a year ago Arnold was the regular rider of Efficient, but swapped to stablemate Gallic as his Cup ride.

Imagine how he felt when Gallic missed the Cup through injury and Efficient, ridden by Michael Rodd, won our greatest race?

"Yeah, I don't know what I'm doing wrong," Arnold said.

"It's obviously disappointing again, as you say, after getting off him again last year.

"I wasn't going to get off him this year, but he's gone amiss.

"It's a big disappointment for me personally, but more so Lloyd and the team behind him."

Arnold was growing in confidence that Efficient could repel the intimidating international raiders on Tuesday.

"He had to be a better horse (than last year), but he was physically stronger and more mature and we were pretty excited about him," he said.

"His strength is his staying ability, and we really only get to see that once a year in Australian racing where he gets to that distance he really likes.

"He's got a great staying ability and he just gets stronger and stronger the further he goes."

Arnold conceded the changing face of the Melbourne Cup, most notably the growing influence of the international horses, did not help his cause getting rides.

"Obviously I'm a heavyweight, and with more and more European horses coming, there are less and less opportunities for a heavyweight like me to pick up Cup rides," Arnold said.

"I thought I'd missed my opportunity last year (when Efficient won), but it looked like I might have another sniff this year and now it's gone again.

"There are more people to worry about than me, but it is still very disappointing."
 

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Things not all good for Cup hopes
By staff writers
October 30, 2008 LEADING Melbourne Cup chance All The Good looks likely to join a growing casualty list for this year's race that stops a nation, and David Hayes has been dealt a blow as well.

The Caulfield Cup winner is in serious doubt for Tuesday's $5.5 million event after he was found to have strained a fetlock joint.

The Godolphin star is suffering the same injury that forced last year's winner Efficient out of the race.

All The Good's trainer Saeed Bin Suroor said on Thursday that the six-year-old was "stiff" in his right foreleg.

Vets will monitor the horse in the lead up to the race.

The news was worse for the David Hayes camp with stayer Zagreb a definite omission.

Hayes is now left with only Largo Lad as a possible final acceptor, but he must win Saturday's Saab Quality at Flemington to qualify.

Hayes advised Racing Victoria stewards that Zagreb had not been able to shake a hoof injury.

Zagreb had been under a cloud since last week with a hoof injury.
 

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This the odds offer by australia bookmakers for all the entries for the Melbourne Cup race. Final race card had not been confirmed

ALESSANDRO VOLTA 51.00 13.50
ALL THE GOOD 21.00 6.00
BARBARICUS 35.00 9.50
BAUER 16.00 4.75
BAUGHURST 126.00 32.25
BOOK OF KELLS 301.00 76.00
BOUNDLESS 71.00 18.50
CAPECOVER 301.00 76.00
CEST LA GUERRE 16.00 4.75
CHIEFCOMINGFIRST 301.00 76.00
DANDAAD 301.00 76.00
GALLOPIN 26.00 7.25
GET UP JUDE 301.00 76.00
GLISTENING 301.00 76.00
GUYNO 126.00 32.25
HONOLULU 21.00 6.00
ICE CHARIOT 51.00 13.50
LARGO LAD 81.00 21.00
LITTORIO 16.00 4.75
MAD RUSH 5.50 2.12
MAGIC INSTINCT 301.00 76.00
MASTER OREILLY 26.00 7.25
MOATIZE 81.00 21.00
NEWPORT 61.00 16.00
NOM DU JEU 10.00 3.25
PRIZE LADY 101.00 26.00
PROFOUND BEAUTY 12.00 3.75
RED LORD 101.00 26.00
RED RULER 35.00 9.50
RIVA SAN 126.00 32.25
SADDLERS STORY 301.00 76.00
SEPTIMUS 4.20 1.80
VAREVEES 61.00 16.00
VIEWED 21.00 6.00
YELLOWSTONE 61.00 16.00
ZARITA 71.00 18.50
ZIPPING 16.00 4.75
 

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Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Prebble looking forward to riding C'est La Guerre

MURRAY BELL
Prev. Story |Next Story

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Brett Prebble

Brett Prebble has received a huge compliment from leading Australian owner Lloyd Williams, who has booked Hong Kong's number two jockey to ride C'est La Guerre in next Tuesday's A$5 million Emirates Melbourne Cup.
C'est La Guerre won the Group One New Zealand Derby in March by four lengths and was so impressive that he immediately came under the radar of the Williams organisation, the incumbent Melbourne Cup trophy holders courtesy of Efficient.

C'est La Guerre looked a dubious investment after his first couple of Melbourne starts, but astute trainer John Sadler has turned it all around for the four-year-old in recent weeks, and the gelding's late-closing sixth in last Saturday's Cox Plate (2,040m) was an excellent Melbourne Cup trial.

Prebble received the green light from the Hong Kong Jockey Club yesterday, with the licensing committee agreeing to let the two-time Melbourne premier jockey return to his home city for Australia's richest race. Although no one expected the committee to stand in Prebble's way for such a rich and prestigious event, it's never a given when it means a jockey will miss a Hong Kong race meeting - the race at Happy Valley on Tuesday evening.

"It's always a big thrill for an Australian jockey to ride in a Melbourne Cup but I wouldn't be going just for any ride - C'est La Guerre looks like he has a very good chance," Prebble said.

"It was a super run in the Cox Plate. The pace was not ideal for him... he much prefers a genuine tempo and being able to get his run going. He had to sit on the back of them, but he lengthened and quickened very well. It was the run of the race, I thought."

Williams will also be represented by last year's Cup hero Efficient, to be ridden by Stephen Arnold, and Cox Plate runner-up Zipping, to be handled by Danny Nikolic.

Zipping has contested each of the last two Melbourne Cups, finishing fourth on both occasions.

Prebble's own Cup record is not in keeping with his premiership standards. He's yet to ride a horse into single-digit placings but it's a statistic he is keen to do something positive about.
 

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Injury robs Efficient of Melbourne Cup bidArticle from: Font size: Decrease Increase Email article: Email Print article: Print Submit comment: Submit comment By Ray Thomas

October 30, 2008 12:00am

ANGIE Hill has spent a year nursing, pampering and tending to the every whim of champion stayer Efficient with one goal in mind - a second successive Melbourne Cup.

But the young strapper's dreams were shattered early yesterday morning when owner Lloyd Williams revealed the grey had broken down and was out of Tuesday's big race.

"It's so upsetting," Hill said. "He's such a beautiful horse with a lovely, gentle nature, and always tries to do his best for you."

Williams felt for Efficient's dutiful strapper, who he said was devastated after being informed of the grey stayer's injury.

"Angie has virtually lived with the horse for 51 weeks with the sole purpose of getting the horse to the Melbourne Cup in the best possible shape," Williams said. "She was in tears this morning. I felt very sorry for her."

Efficient, rated the best local hope to repel the international raiders in next Tuesday's race, was found to have suffered a strained fetlock joint in the off-foreleg at trackwork.

"We are not sure when or how it happened," Williams said last night. "When the horse was taken out of his box this morning, the joint was 'up' and it was clear there was a problem.

"It's a shame because he had been training really well and although I'm not saying he would have won the race again, he would have been right there with them."

Efficient's shock withdrawal is the second successive year Williams' stable rider Steven Arnold has lost his Melbourne Cup ride virtually on race eve. He had the choice of Williams' Cup runners last year and chose Gallic over Efficient only for that horse to be withdrawn with injury the morning of the race. Williams still has two runners in next Tuesday's $5.5 million Melbourne Cup with Zipping (Danny Nikolic) and C'est La Guerre (Brett Prebble) but Efficient's withdrawal caused a ripple effect on early Cup betting as the likely field began to take shape including:

 Irish stayer Septimus firming into $4.50 favourite with English stayer Mad Rush $5.50.

 Zipping and C'est La Guerre, at $16, becoming the most favoured among the Australian-trained runners.

 Geelong Cup winner Bauer moving to 24th in order of entry but still not certain of a start.

In other developments Racing Victoria stewards have ordered an independent veterinary examination of English stayer Yellowstone tomorrow to asses his fitness to run on Tuesday.

Efficient's injury has improved the chances of English stayer Bauer securing a start. He could still miss out if results from Saturday's Saab Quality and Mackinnon Stakes go against him.

Trainer Luca Cumani asked race jockey Corey Brown to ride Bauer for the first time in a track gallop with stablemate Mad Rush (Damien Oliver) at Sandown yesterday.

Brown, who left the course immediately after the gallop to catch a plane to Sydney for the Canterbury races yesterday, is desperate for Bauer to secure a Cup start.

"Mad Rush had the drop on me and rolled up on my outside from about the 600m but Bauer stuck with him right to the line," Brown said.

"I was very, very happy with how he worked. Bauer is very relaxed, a lovely European-style stayer but with a good turn of foot. There is a bit of a zest about him. He really gets up into the bridle when you ask him to quicken."
 

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My horses are genuine contenders
Article from: DANNY O'BRIEN - TRAINER

October 31, 2008 12:00am
THURSDAY morning before Derby Day, the start of the most pulsating week in Australian racing, is always busy. Yesterday it was frantic.

Apart from the 60 horses working at Flemington, two of my Melbourne Cup contenders - Master O'Reilly, my Caulfield Cup winner from last year, and Gallopin, the Moonee Valley Cup victor from Saturday - were working at Thirteenth Beach, near my Barwon Heads property.

Ideally, you would love to absorb what's happening at both places. But when you gallop horses on the beach, the schedule is governed by when the tide is out.

Yesterday it was out really early, and you simply can't be in two places at once.

While Paul Koumis and Steve Miller, respectively, worked Master O'Reilly and Gallopin, I was in the trainers' hut at Flemington watching Buffett, my Derby candidate, and Barbaricus, the third of our Cup runners, gallop.

Master O'Reilly and Gallopin went for a 2000m gallop, quickening the final 600m, along the beach. They then spent 30 minutes wading through the water.

Reports from Paul and Steve were most encouraging.

I'm a big believer in utilising the salt water for a horse's rehab. It's no great secret; horses have been going to the beach for 100 years.

But the thinking behind it is much the same as footballers wading waste-deep in salt water post-match.

It helps unlock the lactic acid out of their system, and it is the most natural way to deal with any inflammation from race day.

If you can get a horse's joints cold and free, they are more comfortable.

Mentally, it also gives the horses a break from the day-to-day routine in a stable environment, which is particularly beneficial for stayers, who have long, searching preparations.

After both Master O'Reilly and Gallopin raced on Saturday, it's what I felt both needed before a strong gallop back at Flemington tomorrow.

Our Flemington carnival cranks up at 4am tomorrow, when all the horses that will race on Cup and Oaks Day work.

By the time we get to 8am on Derby Day, we have endured a pressured morning working and assessing the horses for the week that awaits.

Then the attention switches to our four runners on Derby Day, obviously Buffett taking centre stage in the $1.5 million Victoria Derby. We also have Barbaricus (Mackinnon Stakes), Lucky Thunder (Carbine Club) and Valedictum (Salinger).

I was very pleased with Buffett's run last week in the AAMI Vase and, more importantly, it has really brought him to his top for the Derby.

He will get a lovely run from his draw, and gives me the impression he will run the 2500m right out.

For Master O'Reilly, Gallopin and Barbaricus, the Melbourne Cup has been 12 months in the planning. I'm sure I will have a little knot in my stomach between now and Tuesday hoping the last few days don't bring any unforeseen setbacks.

There's no doubt in my mind this is the strongest team of horses that I've taken into a carnival.

Every race in Cup week is a big race. Even victory in an under-card race is to be savoured. Success in a Group 1, especially the Group 1, the Melbourne Cup, lasts forever.

What does the week hold? I'm comfortable that everything that represents the stable will have a competitive chance.

After that it comes down to what happens on the day, what you trust is a fair racing surface and the skill of our jockeys.

With Messrs Oliver, Nikolic, Arnold, Bowman, Duric, Winks and Baster, our horses are in the best hands.

What will be will be, but the horses are well, particularly the Cup trio. They go into the race at their absolute best.

All we can do now is hope their best is good enough.
 

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BACK in England, John Egan is viewed by some as a bit of a lad. That's a colloquialism for someone who enjoys life to the fullest in more ways than one.

Egan has packed plenty into his 40 years and then some.

By his own admission, Egan has had a "colourful career".

He has been splashed across the front of London's News Of The World in an expose on mate Kieran Fallon, had an abrupt end to a riding stint in Hong Kong and some other unwanted domestic headlines.

Egan insists that's all in the past.

He is in town to ride Melbourne Cup contender Yellowstone, owned by Dr Jim Hay - the man Egan credits for turning his career around.

"I think we all have a colourful past. I think mine has been publicised a lot more than others," Egan said.

"I don't have any skeletons in the closest - they are out in the open. We have all made mistakes in life, maybe we take the wrong road and instead of turning right we turn left.

"This is such a bizarre game. If you take your eye off the ball for one minute you can get lost. (But) things are picking up again."

Egan said Dr Hay, a Dubai-based businessman, had ploughed millions into racing and supported him.

"Anyone who has had as colourful a past as me needs the backing of a good man like that," Egan said.

"I don't want to let the man down."

This is not Egan's first Melbourne Cup. He rode Land 'N Stars into fifth place in the 2006 Melbourne Cup, which was won by Delta Blues.

He described it as an experience he will never forget.

"It was always my ambition to ride in the Cup since I came out here as an apprentice and rode for Jim and Greg Lee in Sydney," Egan said.

"Land 'N Stars ran an awesome race, he ran out of his skin, but I have a better horse in Yellowstone - his form speaks for itself."

Egan likes Yellowstone's prospects.

He noted the horse had a 5.5kg swing in the weights for running third behind subsequent Caulfield Cup winner All The Good in a quality handicap at Newbury.

He said Yellowstone would not know himself with only 54kg in the Melbourne Cup.

Egan is tipping there will be no shortage of pace on Tuesday.

"This is not going to be a race for small boys in short pants," he said.

"This race is not beyond this horse to win the Melbourne Cup."

If that 50-1 long shot plays out, John Egan will not mind having his name plastered all over the front page.
 

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THE Godolphin stable is clinging to the slim hope that Caulfield Cup winner All The Good will be fit to run in next Tuesday's Melbourne Cup.

Trainer Saeed bin Suroor said today the lameness discovered yesterday morning had worsened but he was still unable to determine its cause.

He said the horse showed no sign of swelling and there was no heat in any of its joints.

"So far I don't know what the problem is but we will have more X-rays tonight,'' bin Suroor said.

Connections have until tomorrow night to pay the final entry fee for the Cup and the trainer said it was likely they would wait until that time before making a decision.

Even if the horse makes a miracle recovery its chances would still be in doubt after missing vital gallops yesterday and today.

Bin Suroor spent yesterday afternoon inspecting All The Good at the Sandown quarantine centre.

He emerged several hours later despondent that All The Good had not made any progress from the previous evening when the problem in the horse's off foreleg was first detected.

"The horse is still lame," he said. "But I hope he will be better tomorrow. Sometimes it happens with the horses that they are lame one day and sound the next."

All The Good drifted from an $11 equal third favourite to a $21 chance yesterday with TAB Sportsbet, which tightened Septimus to $4.20 fav, with English stayer Mad Rush a solid $5.50.

Racing Victoria Ltd chief steward Terry Bailey said Dr Paul O'Callaghan would inspect All The Good this morning and again in the afternoon.

Bailey said stewards wanted to have a firm understanding of the situation regarding All The Good and Yellowstone (trained by Jane Chapple-Hyam) before the Cup final declarations tomorrow at 5pm.

He said Yellowstone, who suffered bruising to an area above his hip after becoming cast in his box on Monday night, would also be vetted.

Chapple-Hyam and jockey John Egan said there was no doubt in their mind that Yellowstone would run in the Cup.

Egan said the horse felt fine after walking two laps followed by a leisurely 1400m canter.

"I'm really, really happy with him," Egan said.

Chapple-Hyam said she was keen to take Yellowstone to Flemington tomorrow morning for his final piece of work.

"I want him to have a look at the straight and I think it would be good for John just to get the feel of it. It's just a refresher for him," Chapple-Hyam said.
 

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Melbourne Cup Field
Trainer Jockey
1. 1x11 Septimus (10) A O'Brien (Ire) J Murtagh 58.5kg
2. 6270 Master O'Reilly (6) D O'Brien V Duric 55kg
3. 4161 Honolulu(24) A O'Brien (Ire) C O'Donoghue 54.5kg
4. 7946 C'est La Guerre (5) J Sadler B Prebble 54kg
5. 0232 Nom du Jeu (1) M Baker (NZ) J Lloyd 54kg
6. 5138 Yellowstone (12) J Chapple-Hyam (GB) J Egan 54kg
7. x732 Zipping (16) J Sadler D Nikolic 54kg
8. 2124 Mad Rush (4) L Cumani (GB) D Oliver 53.5kg
9. 3835 Ice Chariot (22) R Maund M Rodd 53kg
10. 8700 Viewed (9) B Cummings B Shinn 53kg
11. 1311 Littorio (52.5) N Blackiston S King 52.5kg
12. 8271 Bauer (13) L Cumani (GB) C Brown 52kg
13. 1540 Boundless (20) S McKee (NZ) G Childs 52kg
14. 2541 Gallopin (21) D O'Brien J Winks 52kg
15. 5955 Guyno (8) L Luciani C Newitt 52kg
16. 2504 Zarita (7) P Hyland Scratched 52kg
17. 0015 Newport (15) P Perry C Symons 51.5kg
18. 2113 Profound Beauty D Weld (Ire) G Boss 51.5kg
19. 2846 Red Lord (14) A Cummings N Hall 51.5kg
20. x698 Varevees (23) R Gibson (Fr) C Williams 51.5kg
21. x860 Prize Lady (18) G Sanders (NZ) M Sweeney 51kg
22. 6460 Alessandro Volta (11) A O'Brien (Ire) W Lordan 50.5kg
23. 3232 Barbaricus (3) D O'Brien S Baster 50.5kg
24. 5621 Moatize (19) B Cummings Ms C Lindop 50kg
 

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Horse Racing

Michael Rodd ready for Chariot race
By Courtney Walsh
November 03, 2008 WHILE Ice Chariot's hopes of a Melbourne Cup upset win were dented at the barrier draw, the engagement of leading jockey Michael Rodd tempers the disadvantage, connections believe.

Owner Kevin O'Brien believes the Toowoomba-trained galloper will be competitive, despite drawing barrier No.22 in the 24-horse field, given Rodd's outstanding form in the saddle.

Rodd, who piloted Efficient to a brilliant victory last year, and who rode Maldivian to his W.S. Cox Plate win at Moonee Valley last week, was impressed with Ice Chariot's turn of foot at the finish of the Mackinnon Stakes on Saturday, with the gelding running home stylishly to dead-heat for fifth.

Ice Chariot, who finished 22nd in the 2006 Cup and missed last year through injury, has matured further this year and passed horses the calibre of Princess Coup and Littorio in an eye-catching trial to O'Brien's delight.

"Michael has been unbelievable," O'Brien said.

"It is wonderful to be able to have a jockey of that ilk to be able to come back and report to you on the horse's condition knowing that he is in form and understands exactly where the horse is.

"We know he needed this run to get ready for Tuesday and we think he will be absolutely right.

"Michael now has a feel of the horse and understands him better and he is going to have his own way with the ride."

While Rodd said he would have preferred to draw closer to the fence, he indicated following the Mackinnon that Ice Chariot would be ridden quietly regardless.

Given several contenders are likely to surge forward down the Flemington straight the first time, Rodd will hope to ease across behind the speed into a trail.

"He reeled off some good sectionals and he has a good turn of foot," Rodd said.

"He has to be held up in a Melbourne Cup, so I will have to save him for the last 300m.

"We needed to draw a barrier, but midfield on the fence (is the aim and we'll) just get out in the last little bit and take our chance."

Ice Chariot, a Queensland Derby winner, is listed at $71 with Sportingbet Australia. After placing at weight-for-age level in Sydney over 2000m on October 4, the six-year-old ran eighth in the Caulfield Cup behind All The Good and third in Gallopin's Moonee Valley Cup before Saturday's run.

O'Brien, a Caulfield committee member, is confident the Mackinnon run will have the stayer at his peak.

"We are very happy going in and I don't think we could have expected a better effort than what we got in the Mackinnon to be quite honest," he said.

"He only dead-heated for fifth but by the same token he was doing his best work at the finish. It is an extra 1200m, but Saturday's race was a nice test for him.

"He needs to go to sleep for quite a while because he has only got a very short burst in him, so we will be leaving it very late on Tuesday. It just depends how far those internationals are in front of us, but we will be doing our best work at the finish."
 

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Leading imports ready to roll
By Adrian Dunn
November 03, 2008 PARANOIA or reality? What you make of the surge of international raiders contesting the Melbourne Cup depends on what spin you prefer to follow.

For three months, the overseas horses have dominated Melbourne Cup discussions.

While that is nothing new, and neither is the perennial debate about whether there should be a ceiling placed on their numbers, this year those horses requiring a passport have hogged the spotlight like never before.

We have been told constantly that Septimus, Europe's champion stayer, only has to turn up to collect the first prizemoney of $3 million.

Haven't we heard that before?

Remember Oscar Schindler? Touted as a reincarnation of Phar Lap, he raced more like Mr Ed.

Or Double Trigger, who would not have been out of place in the old Cup Day Hurdle.

Or Far Cry, who still has an All Points Bulletin out on him. (He was last season somewhere near Chicquita Lodge.)

After all those slow, one-paced plodders, the European trainers have finally worked out not to bring horses that take until 4000m to warm up.

This year's overseas contingent consists mostly 2400m-plus horses who have the ability to stretch out to 3200m.

Luca Cumani and Aidan O'Brien, both on their third excursion to Melbourne, have identified what is required.

Dermot Weld has known that for ages.

Last year Cumani and O'Brien finished second and third respectively with Purple Moon and Mahler.

Indications suggest that Cumani's runners Mad Rush and Bauer, and two of O'Brien's runners, Septimus and Alessandro Volta, (his other runner Honolulu may be a bit one-paced) have the necessary credentials.

We've already seen Mad Rush (Caulfield Cup) and Bauer (Geelong Cup) and they were both fabulous. They are in the Cup finish right up to their ears.

Alessandro Volta is regarded as better than Mahler, last year's third placegetter, and from all reports he should have won the Irish Derby.

Interestingly, O'Brien has added visors in a bid have him race more tractably. Also, he has got no weight.

Obviously Septimus warrants the utmost respect - he is ranked the No.1 stayer in Europe and he fits the criteria.

Last year he won the Doncaster Cup, the race that Honolulu won this year, but the majority of his wins are in the 2400m-3200m bracket.

Then there is Profound Beauty and the Weld factor. Whenever Weld, the only European to win the Melbourne Cup, brings a horse it MUST be included.

Weld regards Septimus and Mad Rush highly, but he would not be here if he did not think Profound Beauty had some sort of edge.

So, what are we left with?

A compelling case that the Europeans will feature prominently.

Don't be surprised if they run the first four.

That is a very real prospect, not spin
 

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Mad Rush the rage with bookies
By Ray Thomas
November 03, 2008 ENGLISH stayer Mad Rush has been elevated to Melbourne Cup favouritism as fears grow that Septimus may not take his place in the field.

Septimus has been at the top of betting for the $5.5 million Melbourne Cup for weeks but the stayer's owners, John Magnier's Coolmore Stud, remain concerned the Flemington track surface will be too firm for their horse.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien will walk Flemington on Monday to determine whether Septimus will run.

Tom Magnier, son of Coolmore principal John, who part-owns all three O'Brien Cup horses, said the firmness of Flemington on Derby Day was a genuine concern.

"We want to look after Septimus and we're not going to risk him. If the track is too firm after they walk it, we'll have to talk about (running Septimus)," Magnier said.

The doubt over Septimus sparked a major Melbourne Cup betting market reshuffle, with Mad Rush promoted to $5 favouritism on TAB fixed odds.
 
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