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.