The Melbourne Cup 2007 Update !

[DUFFYS]

Current market on the Melbourne Cup as of Sunday 28th October 2007.
Folks this will change after 3rd acceptors are paid up for today,at 10.00 am
you will see the current entries of some 64 fall right away to some 35 or Less,
and the market will change dramatically.

Just click on for this market below.

2007 MELBOURNE CUP (ALL IN),

Kindest Regards
Bernard

[Racingbookshop]

Thanks for your updates on the big race, it's nice to see some serious racing content on here! It was very sad news about George Washington. He was an exceptional winner of the 2000 Guineas and the top miler last season. Unfortunately he was a failure at stud so was returned to the track. Personally I felt he faced a hopeless task in The Breeders' Cup for the second year running over a distance he was not proven to stay, even more so on the prevailing "sloppy" going that was all against the European horses. O'Brien's challenge in Melbourne is a serious one but both Mahler and Scorpion may lack the finishing kick. Scorpion has won over shorter distances but can be a little temperamental wheareas Mahler is an out and out stayer who will have to race prominently to feature. I like Tungsten Strike as an each way choice as he has been trained specifically for this race whereas there doesn't seem to be any value left in the price for our Ebor Handicap winner Purple Moon.

[Racingbookshop]

ps Scorpion reported lame this morning and likely to miss the race

[DUFFYS]

Scorpion out of Melbourne Cup30/10/2007 7:09 PMBy Mike Hedge

Ireland's champion trainer Aidan O'Brien took barely 10 minutes to acknowledge that his disastrous weekend had been extended by a few days and that he would have to scratch his horse Scorpion from next Tuesday's Melbourne Cup.
O'Brien arrived in Melbourne from the United States on Tuesday morning and went directly to the Sandown quarantine centre to confront his latest piece of bad news.
Scorpion, the topweight and one of the major fancies for the Cup, injured himself on the training track on Monday and his fate had been almost certain.
But a decision on his participation had to be left to his trainer who was resigned to the worst as soon as he saw the horse.
While not serious, the injury to the stifle on his near-hind leg is enough to disrupt his preparation and force him out of the $5 million race.
"To miss a few days coming up to a big race like this, it just wouldn't work," O'Brien said.
O'Brien said Scorpion had almost certainly run his last race.
"His X-rays are good, so it's probably a ligament or a muscle," he said.
"The Melbourne Cup was going to be his last race, so he will probably be retired."
The Scorpion mishap follows the death in America on Saturday of one of O'Brien's best horses, George Washington.
One of five runners O'Brien started at the Breeders' Cup meeting in New Jersey, George Washington broke his leg 100m from the finish of the Breeders' Cup Classic and was euthanased.
His ashes had just left on their journey back to Ireland when O'Brien received the news of Scorpion's injury.
With Scorpion a casualty, Ireland's leading stable is left with only stable companion Mahler, who O'Brien believes possesses at least the same Cup chance.
Mahler is at $10 in latest markets after being heavily backed in from $26 last week.
A son of O'Brien's former champion Galileo, Mahler is a three-year-old by northern time and has raced only seven times, most recently when second in the Group One English St Leger (2937m) at Doncaster on September 15.
Despite Mahler's limited career, his trainer's main concern is that he has had a strenuous season.
On the other hand, he will carry a comparatively light 50.5kg in the Cup.
"He's a three-year-old that's had a hard season, but he also has a respectable weight," O'Brien said.
From his seven starts, Mahler has won three times, including a Group Three race over 3200m for three-year-olds at the Royal Ascot meeting.
O'Brien said the horse was well in at the handicaps with the English stayer Purple Moon who is $7.50 second favourite for the Cup.

Source: AAP

[DUFFYS]

Purple Moon gets a look at Flemington30/10/2007 7:09 PMBy Mark Ryan

Trainer Luca Cumani said Purple Moon's trip from Sandown's quarantine centre to Flemington for a gallop ahead of next Tuesday's $5 million Melbourne Cup was a bit like Shane Warne having a practice at Lord's before bowling on the famous ground for the first time.
The English stayer, having his first and only look at Flemington before the 3200m Cup, had his new race jockey Damien Oliver aboard for the workout and sat two or three lengths off galloping partner, the unraced four-year-old Navigate, from the 1400m mark.
The handsome chestnut picked up his workmate quickly in the straight and from the 300m mark strode out nicely to win the gallop by around 10 lengths without being pushed by Oliver.
"So far so good," said Cumani who flew into Melbourne on Monday.
"It was good exercise and it was important for him to be out here and see the place and have a practice around. A bit like Shane Warne when he first went to Lord's, he appreciated having a bit of practice before he had to bowl.
"I'm happy with the horse, he went well this morning. I couldn't have asked for more, I didn't want him to do too much because he's a very generous and natural horse who does things by himself. He doesn't need any pushing."
Oliver reported to Cumani that Purple Moon felt good in the workout but was a bit "fizzy" afterwards, becoming stirred up when a horse galloped past as he was walking back to the mounting yard.
Cumani opted for a jockey change after Kerrin McEvoy rode the gelding to an unlucky sixth to Master O'Reilly in the Caulfield Cup.
"I think it's important to use the best available experienced jockey that you can in a new environment," Cumani said.
Oliver will be trying for a third Cup success having won aboard Doriemus in 1995 and Media Puzzle in 2002.
"He's not as big as Media Puzzle," Oliver said.
"He's very light on his feet and pretty sharp. He has a good turn of foot."
Cumani, who has trained the likes of Falbrav and Starcraft, had his first Melbourne Cup runner last year when Glistening ran 10th to Japanese stayer Delta Blues.
Stablemate Soulacroix missed a Cup run last year after finishing sixth in the Saab Quality.
Glistening had run second in the Ebor Hcp (2796m), a race Purple Moon won this year landing a big betting plunge which Cumani said was not stable inspired.
Owner Craig Bennett bought Purple Moon, previously owned by Coolmore, at a horses-in-training sale but when the horse wasn't enjoying jumping - he won the first of two hurdle starts in Scotland - he was transferred to Cumani and has won two of his four starts since.
"This horse came to me by strange circumstances," Cumani said.
"Since we got him going and he was in the shape we wanted him to be in, he has done nothing but improve and after he won the Ebor we decided to bring him here.
"The difference between him and the horses I've brought out here before is that he does quicken."
Cumani is hoping for a much better Cup barrier draw than Glistening who jumped from gate 23.
"If we get a good draw he has the speed to get a mid-division position, I would like him to be no further than six or seven lengths off the leader. That's the kind of ground he can make up in the straight," he said.

Source: AAP

[DUFFYS]

Mixed bag for international Cup hopes30/10/2007 7:09 PMBy Mike Hedge and Mark Ryan

The international contingent provided the good news and the bad news on Tuesday leading into next week's Melbourne Cup.
Leading contender Purple Moon pleased his trainer Luca Cumani when he travelled across town to get his first look at Flemington where he worked with race jockey Damien Oliver aboard.
Back at the Sandown quarantine centre, Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien confirmed the expected, that topweight Scorpion was out of the Cup and had run his last race after suffering a leg injury.
Weights will now be raised half a kilo with Tawqeet the new topweight with 57kg.
One of the major fancies for the Cup, Scorpion injured himself on the training track earlier in the week and his fate had been almost certain.
But a decision on his participation had to be left to his trainer who was resigned to the worst as soon as he saw the horse.
While not serious, the injury to the stifle on his near-hind leg is enough to disrupt his preparation and force him out of the $5 million race.
"To miss a few days coming up to a big race like this, it just wouldn't work," O'Brien said.
O'Brien said Scorpion had almost certainly run his last race.
"His X-rays are good, so it's probably a ligament or a muscle," he said.
"The Melbourne Cup was going to be his last race, so he will probably be retired."
The Scorpion mishap follows the death in America on Saturday of one of O'Brien's best horses, George Washington.
One of five runners O'Brien started at the Breeders' Cup meeting in New Jersey, George Washington broke his leg 100m from the finish of the Breeders' Cup Classic and was euthanased.
His ashes had just left on their journey back to Ireland when O'Brien received the news of Scorpion's injury.
With Scorpion a casualty, Ireland's leading stable is left with only stable companion Mahler, who O'Brien believes possesses at least the same Cup chance.
Mahler is at $10 in latest markets after being heavily backed in from $26 last week.
A son of O'Brien's former champion Galileo, Mahler is a three-year-old by northern time and has raced only seven times, most recently when second in the Group One English St Leger (2937m) at Doncaster on September 15.
Despite Mahler's limited career, his trainer's main concern is that he has had a strenuous season.
On the other hand, he will carry a comparatively light 50.5kg in the Cup.
"He's a three-year-old that's had a hard season, but he also has a respectable weight," O'Brien said.
Earlier at Flemington, Purple Moon sat two or three lengths off galloping partner Navigate, from the 1400m mark.
The handsome chestnut picked up his workmate quickly in the straight and from the 300m mark strode out nicely to win the gallop by around 10 lengths without being pushed by Oliver.
"So far so good," said Cumani who flew into Melbourne on Monday.
"It was good exercise and it was important for him to be out here and see the place and have a practice around. A bit like Shane Warne when he first went to Lord's, he appreciated having a bit of practice before he had to bowl.
"I'm happy with the horse, he went well this morning. I couldn't have asked for more, I didn't want him to do too much because he's a very generous and natural horse who does things by himself. He doesn't need any pushing."
Purple Moon finished an eye-catching sixth to Cup favourite Master O'Reilly in the Caulfield Cup after receiving a check as he vying for a run in the straight.
Across the Tasman, veteran jockey Noel Harris received the call he'd been waiting for and the 52-year-old is now preparing to ride Caulfield Cup third placegetter Princess Coup, replacing Glen Boss who will ride in Hong Kong next Tuesday.
Harris partnered the mare to her win in New Zealand's richest race, the $NZ2 million Kelt Capital Stakes, but was replaced by Boss in the Caulfield Cup.
Kerrin McEvoy will ride her in her final lead-up, the Group One Mackinnon Stakes on Saturday.

Source: AAP

[DUFFYS]

The Fuzz gearing for Cup bid29/10/2007 6:31 PMBy Robert Windmill

The latest elimination order for the Melbourne Cup looks certain to force David Hayes to run Geelong Cup winner The Fuzz in Saturday's Group Three Saab Quality at Flemington.
The Fuzz is ranked 27th on the list to make the Cup field of 24 and would need to win the Saab (2500m) to get an exemption from the ballot.
"We are probably going to have to run in the Saab now," Hayes said.
Others nominated for the Saab and needing to win to make the Cup field are Lee Freedman trained stablemates New Kid In Town, King Of Ashford, and Cefalu as well as Sculptor, Desert Master, Zavite, Sentire, Bay Story, Annenkov, and Pacino.
Freedman has trained five Melbourne Cup winners but hasn't had a runner since Makybe Diva won her last of three Cups in 2005.
Hayes has five horses in the top 24 qualified runners but he said on Monday that one them, Lazer Sharp, who is 14th in elimination order, is in doubt to take his place in the field.
"We are thinking about it at the moment," Hayes said.
"We might wait for the Cup next year and just go conservative with him for now and run him as a fresh horse in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Sandown Classic," Hayes said.
The Fuzz would climb to 26th in the elimination order without Lazer Sharp in the Cup and go to 25th should injured international raider Scorpion be ruled unfit to run.
The Fuzz emerged as a serious Melbourne Cup chance after he won last week's Geelong Cup in one the fastest times for the race.
"I was pretty impressed with him at Geelong," Hayes said.
TAB Sportsbet on Monay quoted The Fuzz at $26 for the Melbourne Cup but Hayes said he was entitled to be shorter.
"I don't think the market has quite got him right yet," he said.
Miss Finland and Tawqeet are regarded the best of the Hayes team in the Cup at $10 and $21 respectively and will clash at weight-for-age in Saturday's Group One Mackinnon Stakes (2000m).
His other contenders are Blue Monday ($21), who won't be racing this weekend and Black Tom ($101) who will clash The Fuzz in the Saab Quality.
Hayes said Miss Finland's performance in the Mackinnon would be determine whether she ran in the Cup.
He said there was reason for optimism with Tawqeet after his last start fifth to Master O'Reilly in the Caulfield Cup.
Hayes responded favourably to an increased workload on the track leading up to his last start and he is peaking for next week.
"I'm back on track with him," Hayes said.
Anamato was nominated for the Mackinnon but she is no longer in the Melbourne Cup and will contest the Group One Myer Classic (1600m).
Hayes said Molotov would also miss the Mackinnon and run in the Listed Hong Kong Jockey Cup Stakes (1800m) at Flemington on Cup Day.

Source: AAP

[DUFFYS]

Thanks for your updates on the big race, it's nice to see some serious racing content on here! It was very sad news about George Washington. He was an exceptional winner of the 2000 Guineas and the top miler last season. Unfortunately he was a failure at stud so was returned to the track. Personally I felt he faced a hopeless task in The Breeders' Cup for the second year running over a distance he was not proven to stay, even more so on the prevailing "sloppy" going that was all against the European horses. O'Brien's challenge in Melbourne is a serious one but both Mahler and Scorpion may lack the finishing kick. Scorpion has won over shorter distances but can be a little temperamental wheareas Mahler is an out and out stayer who will have to race prominently to feature. I like Tungsten Strike as an each way choice as he has been trained specifically for this race whereas there doesn't seem to be any value left in the price for our Ebor Handicap winner Purple Moon.

Thank You,
yes it was sad to see such a great horse,breakdown,on the cup
I still think Blue Monday is looking great value eachway.
kind regards
Bernard

[DUFFYS]

Ok Folks ,

Catch all the action of the Melbourne Cup on this Link.

Sport 927 Racing Radio

Regards
Bernard

[DUFFYS]

Current Market on Victorian Tote Australia all in market,
After the 3rd acceptors Yesterday we are now down to 39 Neddys,
Please note Scorpion was scratched today from the Cup.
So now we are down to 38 .
Just Click onto this Link for the latest Market,

2007 MELBOURNE CUP (ALL IN),

This will Change dramatically after this saturdays racing at Royal Flemington,
and final Acceptors at 17.00 hrs on saturday,
Will up date for you all.
kind regards
Bernard