A-League Football, A-Leaque Soccer, Australia : Aussie Football, A-League Australia

Monday, November 06, 2006

FORM FOCUS - EMIRATES MELBOURNE CUP

Tawqeet, Yeats and Efficient head the betting markets for Tuesday’s Emirates Melbourne Cup, but each of the three favourites has history to contend with in their battle to claim the $5.1 million Group 1 race.

David Hayes-trained import Tawqeet will create history if he can follow up last month’s win in the $2.5 million BMW Caulfield Cup with victory in the world’s greatest two-mile event. The five-year-old, who also won the Group 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Randwick in October, will become the first horse to win those three races in the one spring.

Only three horses have attempted the elusive treble with Redcraze, who finished second to Evening Peal in the 1956 Melbourne Cup, coming closest to pulling it off.

Tawqeet does have a few things in his favour, however, one being that he is trained by the only man with a runner in this year’s race to have tasted Melbourne Cup success before. Hayes won the race with Jeune in 1994.

Jeune, like Tawqeet, was owned was Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

For those into omens, Tawqeet will tomorrow start from the same barrier Jeune jumped from when he won. Tawqeet will also carry the same saddlecloth number – four – that Sheikh Hamdan’s other Melbourne Cup winner, 1986 champion At Talaq, carrier to victory.

Weight is what Yeats has against him in his quest to become the third Irish-trained winner of Australia’s greatest race. Not only will the Aidan O’Brien-trained star, who will carry 59kg in the Cup, become the highest-weighted winner of the race since Rain Lover carried 60.5kg to victory in 1969, he will also become the first original topweight to win since Comic Court in 1950.

That was nine years after the most recent three-year-old won the Cup, which is what Saturday’s ultra-impressive AAMI Victoria Derby winner Efficient is trying to achieve.

The gelding’s owner Lloyd Williams opted to pay the late entry fee for the son of Zabeel following his devastating Derby win, despite no three-year-old having won the Cup since Skipton in 1941.

Efficient will be just the fourth three-year-old to contest the Cup in the past 20 years. He is hoping to go one better than 1995 Victoria Derby winner Nothin’ Leica Dane, who finished second to Doriemus in the Melbourne Cup three days after his Derby triumph.

One thing Efficient has in his favour is his bloodline. His sire Zabeel has produced previous Cup winners Might And Power and Jezabeel.

There are several leading chances outside the top three in the betting, however. Japanese duo Pop Rock and Delta Blues are certain to be well fancied after slashing runs in the race regarded by most as the best guide to the Melbourne Cup; the BMW Caulfield Cup.

Pop Rock has the added bonus of being ridden by one of only three multiple-winners of the Cup riding in this year's race; Damien Oliver.

Glen Boss and Darren Beadman are the other jockeys riding in tomorrow's race who have won the Cup more than once. Boss, who is shooting for a fourth-straight Cup following his heroics aboard Makybe Diva, will ride Efficient's stablemate Zipping, while Beadman is riding last season's AJC Derby winner Headturner, who will start as one of the outsiders in the Cup but was one of the initial favourites for the race following his outstanding three-year-old form.

The Geelong Cup has emerged as a strong guide to the Emirates Melbourne Cup in recent years with Media Puzzle, She's Archie, Zazzman and On A Jeune performing well at Flemington after impressing at Geelong, meaning meaning Mandela has to be rated a strong chance. The New Zealand five-year-old will also jump from the barrier that has supplied more winners than any other in the past 20 years: barrier 14 (the barrier Makybe Diva jumped from in her first and third Cup wins).

Outside barriers have a surprisingly good record in recent Cups. In the past 20 years nine winners have started from barrier 14 or wider, including four winners from barriers in the 20s. High saddlecloth numbers also have a good recent record with every winner from 1998 to 2003 sporting a double-digit number.

This means all is not lost for those in the market including the Graeme Rogerson-trained, Lloyd Williams-owned pair Zipping (barrier 20) and Activation (barrier 22), Dizelle (barrier 21) or overseas hope Glistening (24).

The superstitious may wish to consider the following facts about the Emirates Melbourne Cup from the past 20 years:

Lucky Saddlecloths 6 & 8 (three wins), 3 & 5 (two wins)

Jockeys with a ride this year to have won the race G Boss (three times), D Oliver, D Beadman (twice), C Munce, S Seamer (once)

Lucky Barriers 14 (three times), 3,11 & 21 (twice)

Trainers with a runner this year to have won the race David Hayes (once - Jeune in 1994)

Favourites to Win 7 - Last was Makybve Diva last year

Longest-priced winner Tawriffic - 30-1 in 1989

EMIRATES MELBOURNE CUP RUNNERS IN PROFILE

YEATS

The horse named after the artist J.B Yeats whose his favourite subject was horses. If successful he will become the first original top weight to salute since Comic Court in 1950. Carrying 59kg, Yeats faces history as no horsehas won with such a weight since Rain Lover in 1969.

Raced by two studs, Coolmore and Barronstown, Yeats a son of the champion stallion Sadler's Wells. He has won six of his 11 starts and he is a dual Group 1 winner of the Royal Ascot Gold Cup and the Coronation Cup.

DELTA BLUES

Named after a style of music (his dam sire being Dixieland Band), this Caulfield Cup placegetters is a grandson of Japan's famous stallion Sunday Silence,- hence the name of his owners the Sunday Racing Syndicate.

That syndicate is headed by the Yoshida family of Shadai Stud, which was home to Sunday Silence and currently the base of over 20 stallions. Shadai raced the SA Oaks winner Ribe, but Delta Blues and Pop Rock are the first horses they have travelled from Japan to race in Australia.

RAILINGS

A $300,000 yearling part owned by Gerard Peterson ,who raced the 2000 Melbourne Cup winner Brew, Railings won last year's Caulfield Cup and Metropolitan Handicap. He attempts to become the first Caulfield Cup winner to win the Melbourne Cup a year later.

Railings is a son of the champion stallion Zabeel, who sired the 1997 winner Might And Power and the 1998 quinella of Jezabeel and Champagne. He is a grandson of the champion mare Emancipation.

TAWQEET

A worthy Emirates Melbourne Cup favourite, Tawqeet has won his last two races at Group 1 level - the Metropolitan Handicap and the Caulfield Cup. If successful tomorrow he will be the first horse to take out that treble.

Raced by Shadwell he has drawn the same barrier (9) as their last Melbourne Cup winner Jeune, a horse who trainer David Hayes favourably compares Tawqeet to. Shadwell also raced Cup hero At Talaq who also carried the same saddlecloth as Tawqeet (4). David Hayes is the only 2006 Melbourne Cup trainer to have won the race before - successful in 1994 with Jeune.

GEORDIELAND

Trained by Jamie Osborne, a former jumps jockey who rode for the Queen. He also rode in Australia, kicking home a double at Moonee Valley in 1992.

Geordieland carries 54kg which is the lowest weight he has been allotted since his first start in August 2003. He has not won since June last year, but has been close up against his fellow Europeans Yeats and Glistening at recent outings.

HEADTURNER

The early favourite for the Emirates Melbourne Cup when markets opened, Headturner will have to emulate Hallmark and Peter Pan by winning the AJC Derby and the Melbourne Cup in the same year.

A son of the Danzig stallion Anabaa, Headturner is the second Cup hopeful for trainer John Hawkes and his owners, who also race Railings. He was a $125,000 yearling.

SHORT PAUSE

Part owned by Terry Henderson, who shared in the success of Doriemus in 1995, Short Pause was purchased from Europe especially for the Melbourne Cup.

The second of three Sadler's Wells runners here (Yeats and Glistening the others), Short Pause is the likely outsider of the field after being unable to recapture his Group 3 winning French form. Trainer David Hayes has however noted that the 8Y0 is capable of improvement if the track is soft.

ACTIVATION

Owned by Lloyd Williams, who has already won the Melbourne Cup twice with Just A Dash in 1982 and What A Nuisance in 1985, Activation is one of his stable's three runners - Zipping and Efficient the others.

He is one of four Zabeels to contest this year's race and he is a descendant of Entreaty, the dam of the most famous Melbourne Cup winner of all in Phar Lap.

LAND 'N STARS

Trained by Jamie Poulton, an ex disc-jockey who once travelled to Melbourne for an AC/DC concert, Land 'N Stars comes off a last in the Caulfield Cup.

A dual Listed winner in the United Kingdom, Land 'N Stars is a son of the high class galloper Mtoto, winner of the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Eclipse Stakes.

MAHTOUM

An $80,000 yearling, last year's Sydney Cup winner's owners include the bloodstock agent Robert Roulston (instrumental in bringing the sire of triple Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva's sire Desert King to Victoria) and the businessman Philip Jacobsen of the Mushroom group of companies.

Mahtoum is a son of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Suave Dancer from the family of Mr Brooker, who was third in the 1990 Melbourne Cup behind Kingston Rule and The Phantom.

ON A JEUNE

Ran his first two races (third and second) as a 2Y0 at Port Lincoln - famous for being the hometown of Makybe Diva's owner Tony Santic. He is a son of the 1994 Melbourne Cup winner Jeune and he ran second to Makybe Diva last year. Empire Rose was the last Cup runner up to win 12 months later.

On A Jeune was bred and is raced by Kevin & Graham Moroney and Phillip McEvoy; the latter being the father of outstanding jockey Kerrin McEvoy.

Phillip McEvoy is a lifelong friend of the Moroney brothers as the trio grew up together. They always wanted to race a horse and they paid just $10,000 for On A Jeune's dam who won a Ceduna maiden for them. On A Jeune is her first foal.

POP ROCK

Also named after a style of music, this stable mate to Delta Blues is also raced by the Yoshida family of Shadai Stud Farm. He is out of a mare by Sunday Silence and has inherited his glossy dark coat.

Beaten only 1.4 lengths when an encouraging seventh in the Caulfield Cup, Pop Rock is by the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Helissio who sired the Australian Champion 3Y0 Helenus. He is to be ridden by Damien Oliver, who won the 2002 Melbourne Cup on Media Puzzle and the 1995 Cup on Doriemus.

ZIPPING

This horse is by Danehill whose progeny have won most high class races in Australia and around the world, except the Melbourne Cup. The closset he has gone to siring was Nothin' Leica Dane who was second in 1995. Triple winner Makybe Diva is by Desert King, a son of Danehill.

A $190,000 yearling, he is one of three runners for Lloyd and Suzanne Williams; Activation and Efficient the others. He is a last start impressive winner of the Moonee Valley Cup and the last horse to take out that double was Kingston Rule in 1990.

DIZELLE

Dizelle bears the same pink and blue colours as 1995 winner Doriemus ,who was also raced by this mare's senior part owner Keith Biggs. Well known television personality Dr John Tickell also owns a share in this hosre.

Dizelle was bred by her owners who also raced her Blue Diamond Stakes winning dam Danelagh. They do however regret selling Dizelle's full brother, the Hong Kong based champion Vengeance Of Rain. Both are by Zabeel, who strongly influences this year's Cup field with four runners.

ICE CHARIOT

Ice Chariot is trying to become the first Queensland trained horse to win the Melbourne Cup. He is owned by Kevin and Tanith O'Brien, who enjoyed Group 1 success on Saturday with Gold Edition. They are passionate racehorse owners and breeders who own Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm at Corinella.

A $37,500 yearling who boasts one of the best winning strike rates in the race, Ice Chariot has won six of his 15 starts including this year's Group 1 Queensland Derby.

KERRY O'REILLY

The Emirates Melbourne Cup has been a long time aim for this New Zealander visitor trained by Jim Gibbs. He was on the heels of the placegetters in the Geelong Cup - a race which has proven a solid form reference for the Melbourne Cup in recent years.

Before that he was a runner up at Group 1 level in the Kelt Capital Stakes won by Legs. Kerry O'Reilly is a son of the high class 3Y0 O'Reilly out of a ¾ sister to The Warrior who was sixth behind Rogan Josh in the 1999 Melbourne Cup.

ZABEAT

The most experienced of the "two milers" in the Emirates Melbourne Cup, having already raced at that distance on six occasions. He won last year's Wellington Cup and was second to Country Tyrone in this year's Sydney Cup and second to Pentane in the Auckland Cup.

Zabeat is a son of Rhythm, sire of the last New Zealand bred Melbourne Cup winner in Etherereal (2001). A $20,000 yearling, he has amassed in excess of half a million dollars in stakes. He hails from the family of the Werribee Cup winning Adelaide Cup placegetter Te Akau Pearl who was 18th in the 2001 Melbourne Cup.

ART SUCCESS

He is attempting to become the first horse since Macdougal in 1959 to take out the Brisbane Cup/Melbourne Cup double. Trained by Jon Collins, Art Success is his second Melbourne Cup runner, also having Maguire finish 14th in 2000.

Tony Pattillo, one of the tallest of jockeys at 178cm, rode Art Success in the Brisbane Cup and was also on the 5Y0 when he ran on well to finish fifth in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup at his most recent outing.

Art Success is by Pentire who sired last year's Emirates Melbourne Cup third placegetter Xcellent.

DEMERGER

Boasts $997,250 in stakes and will become a millionaire if she finishes in the top ten. Demerger has the best Flemington record of any of the Emirates Melbourne Cup contenders, five of her eight victories coming at that track.

A $20,000 2Y0 purchase, Demerger is also trained at Flemington and she is already a Group 1 winner at the 3200m, taking out last year's Adelaide Cup by a record breaking 6.8 lengths. She was 13th in the 2005 Emirates Melbourne Cup.

GLISTENING

Purchased by prominent owner Paul Makin with the Melbourne Cup in mind, Glistening makes his Australian debut. He has been in the placings at his last four starts in the UK and was second to Tawqeet in a 2796m race at York in August last year.

A son of the internationally renowned stallion Sadler's Wells, Glistening is a son of a Group 3 winning mare who has produced 12 winners including the Group 1 winner Tenby.

MANDELA

The bargain buy of this year's Emirates Melbourne Cup runners, Mandela cost just $1,750 as a yearling. He has won over $285,000 and he was an impressive last start on pace winner of the Geelong Cup.

To be ridden by Craig Williams, who is enjoying a stellar season, Mandela is a son of Ebony Grosve, who ran eighth in Might And Power's 1997 Melbourne Cup. He is trained by Richard Yuill, who was co-trainer of the 1990 Melbourne Cup runner up The Phantom.

DOLPHIN JO

The first Emirates Melbourne Cup runner for popular Stawell trainer Terry O'Sullivan, Dolphin Jo is trying to do what Phar Lap and Gurner's Lane did by winning the VRC St Leger and the Melbourne Cup.

Dolphin Jo is a son of the Group 1 sprinter Dolphin Street, who was recently sold to stand at stud in Asia. He hails from the same female line as the 1933 Melbourne Cup winner Hallmark.

MAYBE BETTER

Maybe Better is a rapid improver who won his first start as a 2Y0 over 1000m at Moonee Valley, he won the Saab Quality in tough style on Saturday. Brew won that race and the Cup six years ago.

Maybe Better is the fourth Melbourne Cup runner for trainer Brian Mayfield-Smith and his first from his Flemington base. He is raced by his breeders Joe Horvat and Ben da Silva Jorge, who nearly had a runner in 2001 before Natch brokedown in the lead up.

EFFICIENT

Efficient is attempting to become the first Victoria Derby to take out the Cup in the same year since Skipton in 1941. That horse was also the last 3Y0 to win the big race.

A $220,000 yearling raced by Lloyd and Suzanne Williams, Efficient is a son of Zabeel and a stakes placed New Zealand mare whose dam Florida Jig won three stakes races in the United States.

Courtesy RVL

posted by Footballer at FORM FOCUS - EMIRATES MELBOURNE CUP

---