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Well, Andy, looks like one of your wishes will come true. Big Buck’s will start walking his box as well . . .
Bauer camp eye another crack at Melbourne Cup
By Andrew Scutts 9:15AM 10 JUN 2010Australia: Bauer, beaten a nose in the 2008 Emirates Melbourne Cup, is progressing well from injury and connections are eyeing another crack at the prestigious Flemington contest, which will be run for the 150th time this year.
The Luca Cumani-trained stayer is set to step up his training regime next month with a view at going one better than two years ago when he was defeated by Viewed.
"The scans have all been clean, which is pleasing and the horse has been in work a long time now with the intention of coming back to Melbourne for this year’s Cup," part-owner Simon O’Donnell said on Thursday.
"He’s built up from walking to cantering and trotting and will start his serious race gallops in July.
"The intention is to give him two or three runs in Europe and assuming all goes well and the horse pleases Luca, then he’ll be headed back to Melbourne."
Bauer emerged from a crop of more highly fancied international raiders in 2008 to win the Geelong Cup before narrowly losing out in an epic Melbourne Cup.
"He was one of those imports that improved out of sight when he got to this hemisphere," O’Donnell added.
"He grew in stature from the minute he arrived, he loved the firm ground and the Cup was run in a manner that year that suited him."
Bauer is one of four European horses that O’Donnell and Terry Henderson’s OTI Racing are preparing for a tilt at this year’s Spring Racing Carnival and ultimately the Melbourne Cup on November 2.
The Cumani-trained Manighar, who is owned by OTI Racing and the Honourable EarleMack, is also a Cup contender and O’Donnell said: "We were particularly pleased with his debut run [for Cumani]. We were pleased to see him running so well on good ground because it was the one box he hadn’t ticked.
"The run the other night gave us a lot of confidence that he has the qualities to be a Cup horse if he continues in the right direction."
Another Cumani possible is Becqu Adoree, who was eighth of nine on her British debut last month.
"She was not as bright as we’d hoped, but she played up in the gates beforehand and has come on since then," O’Donnell said.
"We’re expecting an improved showing next time out."
OTI could also be represented by John Smith’s Northumberland Plate candidate Stansill, who is trained by Alan Swinbank.
I simply cant believe that Profound Beauty basically hacked over AOA.
Really firm ground puts this horse in a whole new level imo. No Wonder they left her off Melbourne after that Dire effort on Bottomless ground. OO i be pretty hopeful that she could win the Melbourne. That was a serious effort
I thought so too, I was on but had she had the benefit of a previous run I’d have lumped heavily on her EW against AOA but most of Dermot Weld’s have seemed to need a warm up run before showing their best this season.
I wouldn’t leave RITE OF PASSAGE out of the reckoning either, I’d expect a very bold showing in next week’s Ascot Gold Cup 16-1 still availableYeah, it is looking good.
I’m thinking though…there aren’t going to be many Australian bred horses in the race this year. It’s gonna be one of the best in recent times IMO.
To be honest, for an Australian-bred runner, what are the available sires – or is it just of question of sending your native mares to NZ, and then repatriating them so that the offspring is bred on good old aussie soil?
Yep, you are on to it. If I owned a mare, I’d send her to Zabeel in NZ or High Chaparral who’s now going to be here but Irish bred. Just foal here so that it is "bred" in Australia.
The last two years Stradbroke Handicap day has been a guide to the Melbourne Cup. Viewed won the Brisbane Cup in 2008 before winning the Melbourne Cup, while Shocking ran 2nd in the Queensland Derby before winning the Melbourne Cup.
Today’s results from those races:
Brisbane Cup
1.Crossthestart
2.Scouting Wide
3.EkstremeQueensland Derby
1.Dariana
2.Kutchinsky
3.Miss Keepsake (Qld Oaks winner)My opinions – Crossthestart is a handy horse, he won a couple of races during the carnival last year, not convinced he’s up to the class of the Cups. Scouting Wide is an up and comer, I reckon he’s the one to look at for the Cups from that race.
As for Dariana, she won by almost 5 lengths!!! Absolutely dominant. If she ain’t a Cups filly, nothing is. She is trained by the master, Bart Cummings.
Bart’s Melbourne Cup hand is stunning. Sadly, no Viewed any more, but he has So You Think, Faint Perfume, Dariana, Landlord, Moatize, Precedence, Roman Emperor, Sirmione, Tamanu Park, Brightnight, Naval Escort, Yaqubi, Joe Blow…and some I’m probably forgetting.
Wow!!!
I’m on holiday for Royal Ascot, so I’ll try and do a bit of work on this thread then, Andy.
No mention of the Melbourne Cup for Nanton:-
The plan is to run him in the Listed Pontefract Castle Stakes on Sunday over 1m4f. he has been a superb horse for us and it would be great if he could win a Listed race. He ran well in the Jockey Club Stakes finishing second but wasn’t suited by the stop-start gallop in the Yorkshire Cup last time. Jimmy Fortune tried to control the race from the front and our horse was going up and down the gears rather than coming with one run. Other races which may figure in his plans include the John Smith’s Cup and Ebor at York.
If he runs in the Ebor you’d think the Melbourne Cup would be on the agenda if he wins.
It will be pretty quiet now until the end of July, when the first horses start coming back.
This weekend, 2008 Doncaster Handicap winner (it’s a mile race) Triple Honour is likely to take his place in the Listed Stayer’s Cup, against much slower opposition, to see whether he runs the two miles.
If he does, he’ll be aimed at the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.
He may win it on class alone, but he is racing like a stayer.
So, they’re drawing the inference from Dettori riding Kite Wood that Darley Sun won’t be peaking tomorrow? Seems reasonable on the face of it, but Godolphin target this meeting, and I’m also wary of Chiswickian’s remark a few months ago that the Ascot Gold Cup is a graveyard for MC hopefuls.
Darley Sun isn’t in the betfair market. Not going to bother myself, as they only occasionally add the horses I request.
Asked if Rite Of Passage would be aimed at the Melbourne Gold Cup, Weld added: "I think we already have the favourite for that race, Profound Beauty, who beat Age Of Aquarius at Leopardstown. I have the race in mind for Rite Of Passage as well but it’s a long way off."
I’ve seen a range of quotes – that is the most common, but some others seem to suggest that he’ll be more likely to come.
I read Cumani’s entering Purple Moon in the Cup again.
Do you think that Ballydoyle could bring Age of Aquarius down?
http://www.melbourne-cup-2010.com.au/ne … -a-splash/
Zarzuela set to make a splash
One of New Zealand’s top three year old fillies has been transferred to the Peter Moody stable at Caulfield.
Zarzuela, previously trained by Te Akau Stud’s Mark Walker, arrived from New Zealand on June 1st.
Walker is moving to Singapore to continue his training career, prompting the move to Moody’s stables.
Zarzuela stamped herself as a horse of the future with impressive wins in the Group II Great Northern Guineas, Group II Championship Stakes and Group III Waikato Guineas.
She started favourite in the Group I New Zealand Derby but she found herself a long way back and flew home to finish fourth behind Military Move, who led all the way.
Her New Zealand career ended with a third in the Group I New Zealand Oaks behind Keep The Peace.
By champion staying sire Zabeel from the Group I Otaki-Maori WFA winner Star Satire, she certainly has the pedigree to make an impact in the spring Cups.
She has excited New Zealand race fans with her turn of foot, and with natural progression under Peter Moody, don’t be surprised if you are hearing a lot of Zarzuela come the first Tuesday in November.
http://www.melbourne-cup-2010.com.au/ne … melbourne/
Rite of Passage comes into contention for Melbourne
The Dermot Weld-trained Rite of Passage is the new favourite for the Melbourne Cup with British bookmaker William Hill after his gutsy win in the historic Ascot Gold Cup overnight.
The one time jumper is into 10-1 for Melbourne after he defeated Ballydoyle’s Age of Aquarius by a neck. Serial placegetter Purple Moon was six lengths further back in third.
Weld was elated after the surprise victory of Rite of Passage.
“The Gold Cup is a race I have always wanted to win. I was second with Vinnie Roe and Vintage Crop and it was third-time lucky.”
He was quick to announce that his next big aim would be the Melbourne Cup on November 2.
“I’ve also got Profound Beauty…but it has also been a target of mine for this horse too. Today was his first big Flat target and the Melbourne Cup is his second.”
It remains to be seen whether Aidan O’Brien and Ballydoyle will consider the Melbourne Cup for Age of Aquarius. However, it is more likely that he will be aimed at races like the Prix du Cadran (4000m) during the Arc carnival at Longchamp in October.
Serial place getter Purple Moon, also placed in the 2007 Melbourne Cup, 2008 Hong Kong Vase and 2009 Dubai Sheema Classic, has not been ruled out of a return visit.
“I would be inclined to stay here and look at races like the Goodwood Cup and the Lonsdale, although I have spoken to the owner and we will probably put him in the Melbourne Cup again too,” stated trainer Luca Cumani.
The Ascot Gold Cup has not been a great guide to the Melbourne Cup.
Runners out of the Ascot Gold Cup tend to receive too much weight, struggle with the fluctuating tempo of the Melbourne Cup and are inexperienced with the hustle and bustle which characterises big fields.
However, Rite of Passage is lightly weighted, he’s raced in 24 horse fields and he stays all day.
One thing is for sure – he has the services of one of the greatest trainers in the world in Dermot Weld.
However, Rite of Passage is lightly weighted, he’s raced in 24 horse fields and he stays all day.
Doubt it will be lightly weighted now. The way Carpenter worked last year, it will probably be allotted the same weight as Alandi.
On Age Of Aquarius, Murtagh said after the debacle a couple of years ago that they took over the wrong type of horse. Considering he employed the same Yeats tactic of going on before entering the Ascot straight, would Age Of Aquarius be the wrong type of horse as well?
Are they still aiming Deutschland at the Melbourne Cup and, if they are, does he need to do well tomorrow to get into the race?
I think the owner would be interested if the horse got qualified. He still hasn’t passed the hurdle for horses having first preference, placed in a Group race or winning a Listed race 2300m+, or AUS$60,000 (or is it now 65?) in prizemoney in a 2300m+ race.
The Queen Alexandra is only £31,000 for winning, and is only a class 2 race, so it doesn’t help Deutschland either way.
edit: Also, on my reckoning, Deutschland needs to improve about 7 lbs to get into the field.
Luca Cumani, trainer of Purple Moon, was proud of his effort and did not dismiss another Melbourne Cup trip.
“At his age, having been all round the world, and missing most of last year through injury, you have to say it was a great run,” Cumani said.
"I would be inclined to stay here and look at races like the Goodwood Cup and the Lonsdale, although I have spoken to the owner and we will probably put him in the Melbourne Cup again too."
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