Maldivian continues to put a horror 2007 campaign behind him.  After being a late scratching in the Caulfield Cup as favouraite, Big Mal returned in 2008 to take out the Cox Plate and has backed up the return to top honours taking out the G1 Orr Stakes over 1400m.  This was Maldivians first win running first up, having been placed at the previous 5 attempts. In what was a swoopers track, Alamosa who was ridden well back just failing coming home strong in front of Theseo.

A little early but an important race for the 2009 to see how some of the Novemeber hopefuls fare after their summer break.  Of note, Master O’rielly who finished 4th to Viewed in the 2008 Melbourne Cup doing enough, both Sirmione and Baughurst ran on well let postnig 34.34 and 34.47 for the last 600m respectively.

Orr Stakes 1400m Caulfield

Last years winner and one time 2008 Melbourne Cup favouriate Efficient is out of the Melbourne Cup after suffering an injury at trackwork this morning (29th October 2008). I have mixed feelings at this, good as I have been laying the thing on betfair for the last month and negative as this means a quality Australian horse is out and just adds more weight to the possibility that an international is going to win.

Having said that, with Sirmione also out, I’ll 99.9% more then likely be cheering a foreign horse down the Flemington straight just after 3pm 4th November.

Further, what is bad news for all the Efficient fans is good news for the 2008 Geelong Cup winner who now moves closer to ensuring a start in the Cup now into 24th spot on order of entry, with a few to possibly to still be stractched and the Saab Quality winner to possibly come in.

Bauer today booked his spot in the Melbourne Cup with an impressive win in the Group 3 $200,000 2406m Geelong Cup, Bauer beat home Moatize, Magic Instinct and the pre-race favouriate Light Vision.

Bauer is now into $24’s on betfair, you could have got $90 just 3 short weeks ago and into $15 on the NSW TAB, yes I got $90’s

So what does this tell us besides that Australia has basically zero staying talent?  Well, to point out the obvious, that the Cup will be heading overseas!

I mentioned earlier that I’d put up my current top four based on my method to tip Cup winners (well more recently Cup places) and here is it in order for who will win the Melbourne Cup in 2008

1. All The Good
2. Sirmione
3. Profound Beauty
4. Littorio

This of course could change with a number of key races to come, Sirmione will I think run very well in the Cox Plate this weekend at value and there are a number of other Melbourne Cup horses running, such as Zipping, so he could end up in this list, but it would not change to much from this

Bauer’s Geelong Cup win has it in 5th on my rankings

Reply of the Geelong Cup

We are still over 11 weeks away from the 2008 Melbourne Cup, but I thought I would put forward my Top Melbourne Cup Chances.  Now, these are most certainly not selections I have a very specific method that I go through that requires actual races leading into the Cup.  This method has been highly successful in providing if not the winner, place getters and something to really cheer on the day.  Since I have started using this method (you will need to purchase the upcoming ebook and members area to find out the detail) my selections have been, Purple Moon in 2007 (2nd), Pop Rock and Maybe Better in 2006 (2nd & 3rd), On A Jeune in 2005 (2nd), Zazzman in 2004 (3rd) and Makybe Diva 2003 (1st).

So, big deal, 1 from 5, that’s only 20%.  I am sure that there are people out there that have selected the winner more then that, but have the been able to through a specific method always get either the winner or place getter?

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