Not going to spend to much time on the Cox Plate that was basically given to Maldivian on say, a silver platter. Seemed to me everyone was to busy worrying about what Princess Coup and Samantha Miss etc were going to do and forgot all about what Maldivian WAS doing up front. By the time they realised it was all to late. Well done to Danny Nikolic on Zipping who finally wised up at the 1000m mark and started to go.

Cox Plate Replay

The Moonee Valley Cup, run and won by Gallopin and moves into 23rd on the Order of Entry for the Melbourne Cup and now a certain starter. The news not so good for Bauer who remains outside of the top 24 after 3rd acceptances today at 25th spot so would be looking for a few scratchings to move him into the field, the likes of Red Ruler may come out, he is currently under a fitness cloud.

The Saab Quality is full of horses are nominated for the Cup and all can leapfrog Bauer and make the Melbourne Cup field as the winner of the Saab Quality is exempt from the Melbourne Cup ballot.

Horses such as Baughurst, Book of Kells, Chiefcomingfirst, Dandaad, Largo Lad, Magic Instinct, Moatize, Get Up Jude and Newport are all nominated for the Saab Quality and are still in the Melbourne Cup picture

For any that had their hard earned on Dolphion Jo who was on track for his 3rd straight Melbourne Cup run, has a slight tear to his near fore suspensory ligament and was ruled out Friday.

Moonee Valley Cup Replay

The Melbourne Cup Order of Entry
MELBOURNE CUP THIRD DECLARATIONS

ORDER OF ENTRY

EXEMPT FROM BALLOT

1 SEPTIMUS (Aidan O’Brien) 58.5

2 ALL THE GOOD (Saeed bin Suroor) 55.0

3 HONOLULU (Aidan O’Brien) 54.5

FULLY QUALIFIED

4 EFFICIENT (John Sadler) 58.0

5 NOM DU JEU (Murray Baker) 54.0

6 C’EST LA GUERRE (John Sadler) 54.0

7 MASTER O’REILLY (Danny O’Brien) 55.0

8 ZARITA (Pat Hyland) 52.0

9 BOUNDLESS (Stephen McKee) 52.0

10 RIVA SAN (Peter Moody) 51.5

11 ALESSANDRO VOLTA (Aidan O’Brien) 50.5

12 ZIPPING (John Sadler) 54.0

13 LITTORIO (Nigel Blackiston) 52.5

14 RED RULER (John Sargent) 52.5

15 YELLOWSTONE (Jane Chapple-Hyam) 54.0

16 MAD RUSH (Luca Cumani) 53.5

17 ICE CHARIOT (Ron Maund) 53.0

18 VIEWED (Bart Cummings) 53.0

19 VAREVEES (Richard Gibson) 51.5

20 PROFOUND BEAUTY (Dermot Weld) 51.5

21 PRIZE LADY (Graeme Sanders) 51.0

22 GUYNO (Lou Luciani) 52.0

23 GALLOPIN (Danny O’Brien) 52.0

24 BARBARICUS (Danny O’Brien) 50.5

25 BAUER (Luca Cumani) 52.0

26 ZAGREB (David Hayes) 50.5

27 NEWPORT (Paul Perry) 51.5

28 RED LORD (Anthony Cummings) 51.5

29 BAUGHURST (Bill Wilde) 51.0

30 MOATIZE (Bart Cummings) 50.0

31 GLISTENING (Michael Moroney) 50.0

32 GET UP JUDE (Diane Poidevin-Laine) 50.0

33 CAPECOVER (Alexander Fieldes) 50.0

34 SADDLER’S STORY (Robbie Laing) 50.0

35 MAGIC INSTINCT (Peter Moody) 50.0

NOT QUALIFIED

36 BOOK OF KELLS (Bart Cummings) 50.0

37 LARGO LAD (David Hayes) 50.0

38 CHIEFCOMINGFIRST (Bevan Laming) 50.0

39 DANDAAD (Bart Cummings) 50.0

The below is an article from Racenet that I thought you would all be interested in

Guillotine To Win Cup – Hussler, Littorio a risk
By Sean Bartholomew

I have laid Guillotine at Racing Odds to win almost $1m in the Caulfield Cup, through a series of bets in the last few weeks, with question marks over his ability to make it into the field.

Now that he has qualified we’ll be running for cover at Racing Odds as with its postage stamp weight of 51.5kg, and getting out to the 2400m journey (he is a half brother to Melbourne Cup and Derby winner Efficient after all!) I think he is a fantastic chance to take out the Cup at 9.00 despite his wide draw.
Saturday looms as a fantastic betting day across the 10 race card, with the time honoured Caulfield Cup the feature.

The Caulfield Cup has of recent times dropped off in standard, and become somewhat of a lead-up race for the Melbourne Cup as many trainers avoid the race with their horses to ensure they don’t receive a weight penalty for the Melbourne Cup (think Zipping, Efficient and Tuesday Joy prior to her bleeding attack), as the first Tuesday in November is the holy grail.

While I concede that Guillotine is terrific value, the other horse at a bit of a price which I’d suggest punters have a go at is Maldivian. At the $17 quote I certainly think he can run a cheeky race each-way. In all 5 runs this prep he has hit the lead in the straight, only to be run down. I just feel with the step up to 2400m, that the tempo won’t be as solid as it has been in his lead up runs at WFA over shorter trips, and as such will leave him with a bit more of a kick as he approaches the final furlong. And $17 certainly seems a juicy price considering he was being offered up at $2.50 in last year’s Caulfield Cup.

As for the rest I think this is a race to bet around the favourites.

Weekend Hussler is a HUGE risk at 2400m, after dropping out badly last time at his first try at 2000m, albeit with a suspect ride. And for all the plaudits of Littorio’s last start victory, he did have the absolute perfect run, letting Weekend Hussler take him into the race, and peeling off his back once they hit the straight. Together with his strike rate of 2 wins from 14 starts, he is a genuine risk, as I can see him running on late, but perhaps once the others have bolted.

For those Kiwi’s out there, if you want to back Red Ruler and Boundless, back them at Racing Odds as we’ll be happy to bet top odds on those two as they make their first Australian appearance this preparation in the high octane atmosphere of a Caulfield Cup.

Here we go! We are not only 4 weeks away to the Melboure Cup for 2008 and there is a massive days racing ahead of us tomorrow (or today as this is a late post) for the 4th October 2008.

The Turnbull Stakes at Flemington has an opportunity to over-shadow the main even in Sydney from a Melbourne Cup perspecitive, with last years Melbourne Cup winner Efficient taking on other Melbounre Cup hopefuls including, Zipping, Pompeii Ruller, Weekend Hussler (if we all at the same time wish it as a Christmas present), Master O’Rielly, Maldivian, Tuesday Joy and Zaritia. Weekend Hussler by far the favouriate here in this race, but pfft, for the Melbourne Cup who cares really, he won’t win or race.

Just as a note last years winner of the Turnbull was Devil Moon, who went on to claim 5th in the Cox Plate. In the Turnbull last year I am sure that you will note that it beat Melbourne Cup runners, Douro Valley, Zipping, Bluetigeroo, Efficient (who finished 11th! Last out of the Melb Cup runners in the Turnbull, sorry still so bitter) So…what does this mean for the Melbourne Cup? Nothing really, over the last 5 years I have not even used it as a guage for the Cup, so I guess just enjoy the race, but note that a lot of Cup runners are paticipating and one may just catch our eye. And ok, so the last horse to win the Turnbull and Melbourne Cup double was not that long ago in Makybe Diva…but before that you need to go back to 1991 with Let’s Elope. Doriemus was close but won the Melbourne Cup in 1995 and the Turnbull in the following year 1996. So not a lot of joy for Turnbull to Melbourne Cup winners. But if something is a superstar, lets say Tuesday Joy, the ride Beadman is coming back for, trounces Weekend Hussler, I’d be taking note!

Otherwise the main race to be watching is the Metropolitian in Sydney now not a lot to really report here, it was not run last year to the obvious EI reasons and the year before a horse called *cough* Tawqeet was the winner and we all know how his campaigned finished that year. Never-the-less, it will be interesting to see how Fiumicino goes, he has been performing well and getting a lot of miles in th legs for the Cup.

For myself however the horse to watch at the moment will br race #4 Number #1 Ice Chariot, the 2006 QLD Derby winner who I think is flying uner the radar this year and will surprise a lot of people come 4th November….

Otherwise tomorrow, there is a little horse called Samantha Miss running in the Flight Stakes…goes ok…

Check back here tomorrow for race replay’s I will be on it ASAP tomorrow…

Cheers
www.themelbournecupguide.com

What an awesome display Weekend Hussler put on in the Underwood Stakes at Caulfield on the weekend.  Maldivian did everything he could to stop the rampant Huss jumping two lengths clear with 400 odd metres left, but faded for 4th beinhd Weekend Hussler, an impressive Pompeii Ruler and Littorio who was also powering home and the only horse to really be taking ground off 1st and 2nd.

I wonder how Colin Tidy’s Sportsbet are feeling now after taking on Weekend Hussler and losing to the tune of $650K with a punter having $1M on The Australian Horse of The Year.  For the record I was on Maldvian at $9, offered value with Weekend Hussler unproven over the distance, but lesson learnt!  I won’t be taking him on again unless he runs in the Caulfield Cup.  Otherwise not much in this race for us Melbourne Cup watches with Viewed probably the best late coming through the middle.

Underwood Stakes Video

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