Rekindling produced a strong performance to win the Melbourne Cup at Flemington last year.
However, he faces a challenge to retain the crown in 2018, becoming the first horse to win in back-to-back seasons since Makybe Diva won the event in three successive campaigns between 2003 and 2005. There are a number of talented competitors that will be vying for the crown, while there is ample time for others to emerge before the race begins in November.
Two horses that have impressed over the course of the United Kingdom and Irish flat season have been Withhold and Stradivarius, with the latter triumphing at the Ascot Gold Cup. Rekindling will have to up the ante between now and the start of the event, while even Withhold and Stradivarius could come under threat from rising competitors, therefore it’s worth tracking the latest odds and news with Oddschecker before action commences at Flemington. We’ll now break down the form of Withhold and Stradivarius in 2018 along with Rekindling’s rise in the 2017 season.
Rekindling
Source: ABCGrandStand via Twitter
Joseph O’Brien’s charge made his first appearance of the 2017 season at the P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes. He was not considered the leading contender for the event, with Wayne Lordan in the saddle. However, he produced a fine run at Leopardstown to take the win, half-a-length ahead of Douglas Macarthur in second place. Rekindling had the opportunity to make a statement at the Dante Stakes and after his previous display, there was a level of expectation that he could rise to the occasion to deliver a victory. Donnacha O’Brien could not get a rise out of the bay colt down the stretch as he was forced to settle for fourth place at York.
O’Brien put his charge forward for The Derby at Epsom Downs, despite his underwhelming performance at the Dante Stakes. Rekindling had an outing to forget as he did not come close to competing for the title, finishing down in 16th place out of the 18 competitors at the event. He managed to bounce back in his next outing at the Comer Group International Curragh Cup. Lordan was once again in the saddle and got the best out of his charge in the crucial moments of the race. Rekindling did not have the best start to the race, but gradually moved through the field. He found a surge down the final straight to defeat his nearest rival by half-a-length.
The bay colt had momentum to head into the Irish St Leger Trial Stakes, only to be comfortably beaten by Order of St George, who romped to a dominant victory. O’Brien then put the horse into action at the St Leger Stakes to end the English season. In a close contest Rekindling matched the pace of the leading group at Doncaster, but he did not have the pace of Capri in the closing moments as he placed in fourth behind the winner along with Crystal Ocean and Stradivarius.
After a two-month break Rekindling was a slight outsider for the Melbourne Cup, although he rose to the occasion with a flawless performance. Corey Brown kept his charge steady for the majority of the race before making a move four furlongs out. He made his charge 50 yards from the finish line to beat out the Johannes Vermeer to take the crown by half-a-length. He had not raced since and may have to find his rhythm before competing at Flemington again.
Withhold
Withhold made his breakthrough at the Cutler & Gross Maiden Stakes in the 2016 season. He had not recorded a victory in his career before the event, but rose to the occasion to secure the maiden triumph by half-a-length ahead of Arthur McBride. However, he was unable to build off his success in his next appearance at Kempton Park, placing in second behind Blakeney Point by three lengths. A response came from bay gelding in his final outing of the term at Haydock Park. Steve Drowne took the saddle and was able to guide his charge to a flawless performance, crossing the line with relative ease three-quarters of a length ahead of his nearest rival.
The bay gelding passed into the hands of Roger Charlton for the 2017 campaign. He had to wait until September before making his return to the track. Withhold competed at the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Handicap at Newbury with Robert Winston in the saddle. Charlton’s charge put forward a decent effort at the meet, although he was well off the pace of Daphne and Weekender in the top two spots, settling for third place. However, he was able to end the term on a high note at the Cesarewitch Handicap.
Withhold was considered the favourite for the event, but he rose to the occasion to Silvestre De Sousa at the reins. The horse made a slow start to the race, but was able to come through the field to challenge eight furlongs out. He managed to take charge towards the end of the meet before cantering down the stretch to claim the win by three-and-three-quarters lengths ahead of London Prize. Withhold has raced only once in the 2018 campaign at Newcastle in the Stobart Rail & Civils Northumberland Plate Handicap, notching another victory with a flawless performance to claim a comfortable victory over the rest of the field.
Stradivarius
Photo by Press Photo
Source: Racing Post via Twitter
John Gosden’s charge is a competitor on the rise, highlighted by his triumph at Royal Ascot to win the Gold Cup. The Irish horse secured the first triumph of his career at the end of the 2016 season at Newcastle in the EBF Maiden Stakes. He carried that momentum into the 2017 season with another victory at Beverley, which would signal of what was to come for the rest of the campaign. With Frankie Dettori in the saddle, he was slow off the mark at the Sporting Index Handicap at Chester, finishing half-a-length off the pace of Here And Now.
Andrea Atzeni took the reins and was able to get a performance out of the Irish horse at the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot. Gosden’s charge was slightly off the pace at the start of the race, but turned on the pace to beat out Count Octave by the tightest of margins at the line. He built off that display with a stronger outing at the Qatar Goodwood Cup Stakes.
Atzeni managed the race to perfection as he brought his charge slowly through the pack before he used his closing speed to triumph by a comfortable distance ahead of Big Orange.
Stradivarius ended the campaign on an underwhelming note in two of his biggest races, placing in third in both the St Leger Stakes and the British Champions Long Distance Cup as Capri and Order of St George triumphed. Gosden’s charge returned to form at the start of the 2018 season with a dominant run at the Yorkshire Cup. He was considered the favourite for the race, but he duly delivered on expectations to take the crown by three lengths. Stradivarius returned to Ascot for the Gold Cup as Dettori took the reins for the event.
The four-year-old tracked the pace of the leaders in the early stages of the race before moving into striking distance into second place. Dettori ensured that he claimed the win as powered down the stretch to win the Gold Cup by three-quarters of a length ahead of Vazirabad. He has the form and could well be the horse to beat at Flemington.
