After the marquee race in America took place over the weekend when the Breeders Cup welcomed the world to Del Mar, it is the turn of Australia to stage their showcase event on Tuesday morning UK time when the Melbourne Cup is run.
This is always a big race around the world and will see 23 going to post for the two mile marathon where the eyes of the racing fraternity will be purely on Flemington to see which new superstar announces itself on this stage.
4.00 Flemington: Melbourne Cup
Preview
The race that stops a nation, the Melbourne Cup takes place in the early hours of our Tuesday morning & as usual, there’s a big field with no shortage of interesting runners. From these parts, the likes of Vauban, Absurde & Onesmoothoperator head the charge and none of them can be easily dismissed. I do think that Jan Brueghel, before being ruled out of the race, was the one O’Brien was pinning his hopes on so I’d question whether either of his two are value, whereas the Brian Ellision trained Onesmoothoperator should go well after already landing the Geelong Cup. Buckaroo is probably a worthy favourite but this is a race for the each way backers with the last 8 going off at odds between 7/1 and 25/1.
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Betting
That’s where my attention has been & there are 2 I’m taking against the field. Zardozi has yet to run over this trip but seems to be a horse that improves with distance so I’m hoping this trip will eke out more. Won the Kennedy Oaks at this track 12 months ago and, whilst winless since, he’s been running well in some top races. He was a nose 2nd to Land Legend in a Group 1 3 starts ago & also ran very well in 4th behind a couple of these in the Caulfield Cup. With ground to make up, it’s really interesting that his trainer gave him a spin here 3 days ago over an inadequate trip of a mile. That is expected to have put him spot on for this & if that’s the case, I can see him running a massive race with virtually no weight on his back. At a bigger price, Kovalica is another I like. Drawn wider in 17 is not a disadvantage as 8 of the last 10 have come out of double figure stalls with a couple drawn 20 or wider. He’s been winless for a while but his form is still eyecatching enough to put him in with a chance here, having finished in the frame in a number of Group events this year. He was only 6th in the Cox Plate last time out he’s another I see improving for the step up in trip &, looking at his RPR’s, only a couple in this field have recorded better in their last 3 or 4 runs. A big each way shot with a top jockey aboard.
Tips
Back Zardozi (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 13.00 William Hill (⅕ odds 1-5)
Back Kovalica (e/w) for a 0.75/10 stake at 21.00 William Hill (⅕ odds 1-5)
Back them here:
