3 minute read

The 155th Melbourne Cup renewal headed in the weights by Hardwicke Stakes winner Snow Sky has assembled a strong field to contest Australia’s iconic race.

In recent times, Japan’s stayers have been spreading their wings both north and south of the equator in search of major riches - to that end they have already captured both the 2014 Caulfield Cup with Admire Rakti and previously the 2006 Melbourne Cup with Delta Blues from a handful of runners.

This afternoon Fame Game and Hokko Brave will represent Japan in the Melbourne Cup for just the fifth time and as things stand, Fame Game looks an excellent prospect to land them a second Cup – quite remarkable considering they have only been targeting the Cup since 2005 when Eye Popper finished midfield in Makybe Diva’s record breaking third Cup win.

It is not surprising that punters have rallied to Fame Game who seems likely to start the shortest price favourite in the Cup since So You Think finished a gallant third in 2010 starting at $3.00.

Fame Game is one of the highest Timeform rated Japanese runners to race in Australia. Lightly raced, from just 15 starts he has progressed through the grades in Japan winning the G3 Diamond Stakes (3400m) in consecutive years (2014/15), G2 Copa Republica Argentina (2500m) and just failing to catch local champion Gold Ship in the Tenno Sho (3200m) (Spring) at his last run before coming to Australia.

There is little doubt that Fame Game’s effort in the Tenno Sho (Spring) was much better than the bare form suggests – without being held up at vital stages there is little doubt he beats Gold Ship. Consequently his weight adjusted figure has been adjusted up accordingly.

Spelled after the Tenno Sho, Fame Game resumed last start in the G1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) - a race regarded as the toughest run over that distance in Australia - yet Fame Game showed enough around the tight turning Caulfield track to suggest he will take plenty of improvement from the race and is ready for 3200m at the spacious Flemington track.

In a solidly run affair, and as expected, Fame Game from his inside barrier settled back in the field. He was still last turning into the home straight but new race rider, champion Hong Kong-based Zac Purton, did not panic searching for clear running. Despite having plenty of horse under him Purton did not find clear running until approaching the 200m where Fame Game surged late for sixth place, just under five lengths from the winner Mongolian Khan.

The run was subject to a long official enquiry by stewards but no further action was taken as connections wanted Fame Game ridden in his normal racing style which is to make his run between horses.

Fame Game will strip very fit this afternoon but significantly when prepared in this manner racing second up from a break, Fame Game is unbeaten in his last two campaigns.

Leading trainer Chris Waller comes off a high last week after winning the Cox Plate with brilliant mare Winx – he will be represented by three Cup runners Preferment, Who Shot Thebarman and Grand Marshall.

While all have winning chances, Preferment is clearly the stable’s top seed. The winner of the 2014 Victoria Derby, if successful, he will join Efficient (2007) and Phar Lap (1930) as the only Victorian Derby winners to claim the Cup at four.

A slow maturing son of now deceased champion sire Zabeel, Preferment has never raced in better form winning the G2 Hill Stakes (2000m) second up from a spell then the G1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at his second last run.

It is best to ignore his failure in last Saturday’s Cox Plate and go on his weight for age Turnbull Stakes win where he returned a new Timeform master figure. Under the handicap conditions today he tumbles three kilos in weight thereby giving him a very competitive weight adjusted Timeform rating.

Like all Waller horses in big races, Preferment has a sense of timing about his task today and with the all-conquering Hugh Bowman getting down to a riding weight 53.5kgs for a long time, that is a significant lead in itself as to how well connections believe Preferment is going right now.

Drawn nicely in barrier 11, Bowman should be able to smother Preferment early and produce him at the appropriate time to use his trade mark turn of foot.

Sydney Cup winner Grand Marshall and last year’s third Cup placegetter Who Shot Thebarman have had their campaigns timed to perfection by Waller and both are chances at odds.

The pair quinellaed the Sydney Cup in April so there is no doubt about either running out a strong 3200m however adjusted Timeform ratings suggest Who Shot Thebarman will turn the tables on his stablemate this afternoon.

However history is not exactly in Who Shot Thebarman’s corner – the last and only horse to run third in the Cup then return the following year to win was the immortal Phar Lap in 1929/30.

UK gallopers Trip To Paris and Sky Hunter also press for winning claims.

2015 Ascot Gold Cup winner Trip To Paris resumed in the Caulfield Cup off the back of a below par and out of character run at York in the Lonsdale Cup behind Max Dynamite who also opposes him today.

Coming off a 57 break clearly benefited the Ed Dunlop trained galloper who ran on strongly with good sectionals in the straight coming from worse than midfield turning for home. While he had clear running in the last 300m making full use of all the opportunities that presented, it was still a very good Melbourne Cup trial running two pounds below his Timeform master figure which he should easily attain when getting back to 3200m.

Dunlop will also run stalwart Red Cadeaux who has been runner up three times previously in the Cup but he will be hoping his new recruit to down under will give him that elusive victory this afternoon.

Godolphin has been trying to win the Melbourne Cup since their first attempt in 1998 when Faithful Son finished a creditable seventh. Since then they have placed with Central Park (1999), Give The Slip (2001), Beekeeper (2002) and Crime Scene (2009).

Trainer Saeed bin Suroor who has won many major races around the globe believes he has his best chance ever now that Sky Hunter has made the final field.

But winning the Cup for Godolphin will not solely rest with Suroor. The Australian arm of Godolphin under John O’Shea will also start former UK galloper Hartnell, giving the operation two live chances.

While Hartnell is well known to Australian punters, Sky Hunter has flown under the radar to some extent but his UK form reads very well.

A lightly raced galloper and winner of six of 11 race starts, Sky Hunter has raced just twice in 2015, first at Meydan in March winning at group two level over 2410m then resuming in September when second by a length and a half to The Corsican in the G3 Legacy Cup (recognised as an Arc Trial).

To put that form in perspective, The Corsican then ran sixth just over four lengths behind Fascinating Rock, Found and Jack Hobbs in the G1 Champions Stakes (2000m) at Ascot.

Also of relevance to the discussion is the fact that The Corsican was fourth in the G1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes (2000m) at Royal Ascot beating home Criterion by half a length.

Those form lines suggest Sky Hunter could be somewhat better than the 53.5kgs he has been allocated today, especially as he receives 3.5kgs from Criterion this afternoon.

In recent times the Geelong Cup (2400m) has been a reliable guide to the Cup which brings the David Hayes and Tom Dabernig trained UK galloper Almoonqith into contention.

After racing in Dubai earlier this year, Almoonqith was sent down under with the Cup in mind and he has hit peak form at the right time returning a new master Timeform rating at Geelong – an excellent profile for Cup winners.

The ease of Almoonqith’s win suggests further improvement could be on the agenda today which will ensure he can take a hand in the finish. A win would give David Hayes a second Cup having already won the 1994 renewal with Jeune who was also owned in the same interests as Almoonqith.

However one historical fact that Sky Hunter, Red Cadeaux, Max Dynamite, Bondi Beach, Kingsfisher and Big Orange all have to overcome is this – no international runner since Vintage Crop in 1993 has won the Cup without a lead up run in Australia - 80 have tried – all losing.

A better statistic for the internationals is when they are having their second Australian run into the Cup – five winners from 20 runners, Protectionist last year being the most recent to use this method.

This year Fame Game, Hokko Brave, Snow Sky and Trip To Paris all have that statistic on their side.

Whatever the result, the winner of this afternoon’s Cup will earn the victory as the line-up, on paper at least is one of the strongest assembled with 14 runners Timeform rated 120 or greater.

Enjoy the Great race.

1. Fame Game 143

2. Preferment 142

3. Trip To Paris 141

4. Sky Hunter 141

5. Who Shot Thebarman 140

6. Almoonqith 140