Melbourne Cup 2010

Bar the Bull

Bar the Bull

At the Start
Joined
May 2, 2003
Messages
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Location
Llandubno, West Wales (very west)
Not too far away from this race now. Article in today's Irish Times by Brian O'Connor.

DERMOT WELD'S immediate international focus is on Famous Name's Group One attempt in Canada this Sunday, but the Curragh trainer said yesterday longer-term Melbourne Cup plans remain fluid for Rite Of Passage and Profound Beauty.
Rite Of Passage missed out on last weekend's Irish Leger after not pleasing Weld in a pre-classic gallop and hasn't been seen in action since his dramatic Ascot Gold Cup triumph in June.
Profound Beauty, in contrast, has had a busy campaign and found only Sans Frontieres too good for her in that Irish Leger three days ago.
Both horses are entered in the Flemington spectacular on the first Tuesday in November, a race Profound Beauty was fifth in two years ago.
However, Weld plans using the next nine days before the European Melbourne Cup hopefuls have to enter quarantine to finalise his plans.
"They don't have to enter quarantine yet so there is no need to make a decision. They are still possible runners," he said.
Weld famously threw open the door to the Melbourne Cup with Vintage Crop's historic 1993 success and remains the only European trainer to capture the prize after Media Puzzle also landed "the race that stops a nation".
Rite Of Passage is owned by Dr Ronan Lambe, while Profound Beauty is owned by the Moyglare Stud, whose manager Stan Cosgrove pointed to ground conditions in Australia as an issue.
"The problem might be the ground. If it is rock-hard it would be pointless running, and they don't water out there," he said yesterday.
"She is perfect after her race at the weekend and it was a good performance on very testing ground. The Melbourne Cup is under consideration but we haven't made a final decision."
Unlike 2008, Profound Beauty is weighted high enough in this year's Melbourne Cup (54kg) to allow Pat Smullen ride if she does run.
Weld's stable jockey will also be on board Famous Name in Sunday night's $1 million (€755,000) Woodbine Mile in Toronto.
Michael Hourigan has indicated his high-class chaser Mossbank is set to make his return to action under topweight in tomorrow's Guinness Kerry National at Listowel.
Mossbank hasn't been seen since finishing third in the 2008 Punchestown Gold Cup, and leg problems have plagued a horse that was also runner-up in the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham festival.
"It's nearly 100 per cent that he'll run," said the Co Limerick trainer. "He is in good form but he has had his problems so we take it one day at a time with him. When they've had leg trouble some of them come back proper and some don't, so we'll have to see.
"They can do all their homework but you don't really know until you hit the track," added Hourigan, whose other Kerry National candidate is Dancing Tornado.
 
Market.

7-1 Shocking.
12-1 So You Think, Sans Frontieres.
15-1 Profound Beauty, Dariana.
17-1 Manighar, Americain.
20-1 Zabrasive, Moudra, Vigor, Herculian Prince, Jessicabeel, Rebel Raider, Predecence.
25-1 Shoot Out, Faint Perfume, Tokai Trick, Rite Of Passage, Zavite, Ciest La Guerre.
 
Not sure how So You Think is weighted at the moment, but he is the superstar of superstars at the moment.

He won the Group 1 Underwood Stakes over 9f last Saturday in an absolute breeze, and was last year's Cox Plate winner as a 3yo.

I think he heads to the Yalumba now, before going into the Cox Plate. Then if he makes the field, the Melbourne Cup. Not sure whether he will get the 2 miles, but Bart is the Godfather of the Melbourne Cup, so he should get it.

Jessicabeel another I like, who won this year's Sydney Cup by a strong margin. Is weighted lightly, and likes a big track and the distance.

The Japanese entrant Tokai Trick arrived yesterday, and could be a good roughy, as well as the Hong Kong galloper, Mr Medici.
 
He has done fantastic, for a stallion that probably was highly undervalued at the time, and still is

In his first crop alone in Australasia he has 6 individual stakes winners, including three classic Group 1 winners, 2 Group 3 winners and a multiple Listed stakes winner.

I do still believe he can get the Cox Plate-Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup trifecta with Descarado; Monaco Consul, So You Think or Shoot Out.

I like Rite of Passage, but do worry as always that they might go way too hard up front for him, and then he will be forced to do a Yeats and take over the lead. That is where the pattern will suit the Japanese galloper.
 
Some terrible news out of Australia today, with the death of one of our best jockeys at of recen times, Stathi Katsidis, in the past 24 hours.

Sadly the 31 year old was found deceased this morning by his partner Melissa this morning. :(

Suicide is being ruled out. It does appear though it could be drug related. Which unfortunately I am sad to say is not unexpected as Katsidis had struggled in previous years with his weight, drug and alcohol abuse. I have also hear other conflicting stories as well, but honestly don't think it would be appropriate to comment, considering the man had cleaned up his act in recent times.

He was to have ridden one of the favourite's in this weekends Group 1 WS Cox Plate, Shoot Out.

That horse will now be ridden by Corey Brown.

I honestly love So You Think, but this Saturday I will be hoping that Shoot Out wins by a clear 10 lengths.
 
So You Think won his second Cox Plate. High Chapparal certainly looks a very nice stallion prospect in the southern hemisphere.
 
Just one more jewel to claim for High Chaparral, the Melbourne Cup. :)

He looks to have four live chances now in the race. Monaco Consul (my first choice for the Cup), Descarado (the reigning Caulfield Cup winner), So You Think (may not run though - and I honestly hope he doesn't) and Above Average (2nd in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Cup yesterday).
 
Could you imagine a European 10 furlong Group 1 winner turning out for a 2 mile handicap 2 weeks later? The Australians love their Cup!
 
So You Think wins again today in the $1 million Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes over 2000m at WFA. Instructions were to keep him off the pace until just before the turn, and allow him to relax before allowing him to be set loose. 3 Lengths today, and was seriously like watching poetry in motion.

He goes into the Cup as the outright favourite, and imo is just about unbeatable.

That is 4 Group 1 wins at WFA within 6 weeks. He is going for 5 on Tuesday.

i really don't believe there is a horse anywhere in the world, maybe asides from Goldikova or Zenyatta, that matches him in respect to class and authority.

Not sure what happens after the autumn of 2011, but I hope they do send him overseas, because he now has nothing left here to achieve and accomplish.
 
Grand Armee said:
i really don't believe there is a horse anywhere in the world, maybe asides from Goldikova or Zenyatta, that matches him in respect to class and authority.
Click to expand...

I think he would struggle greatly against our top 10/12 furlong horses but he clearly is top class in his native country.

Connections denying rumours of him being sold...any idea who the rumoured interesting came from GA?
 
Galileo said:
I think he would struggle greatly against our top 10/12 furlong horses but he clearly is top class in his native country.

Connections denying rumours of him being sold...any idea who the rumoured interesting came from GA?
Click to expand...

I disagree. There has been no standout in Europe in 2010 at this particular distance. Maybe asides from Harbinger, but he broke down too early in the piece to know his true class. Last year the world saw Sea The Stars, and there has been nothing out of Europe that matches him in 2010.

The Arc, despite being won by the Epsom Derby winner Workforce, was also from what I have seen and been told, quite lacklustre compared to previous years. Last year you had Sea The Stars, in arguably one of the best Arcs of all time.

Weren't the 3yo's in Europe this year over 10f considered one of the weakest crops of the last 20+ years? Canford Cliffs, aside from Workforce, has been about the most dominant 3yo. But then again, he is a miler, so there is absolutely no way to compare. Likewise with Zenyatta who runs on the dirt, or Goldikova who is also a miler on the turf.

A good friend of mine from the UK, who works in Australia at one of the top studs has always been a major critic of Australian horses around this distance. Rightfully so, we don't always tick the boxes when it comes to world class around this distance. Even he thinks So You Think is one extraordinary horse.

Elvstroem was competitive in Europe back in 2005, as was Starcraft, and this horse is rated far higher than those 2. Just putting it into perspective.

I haven't heard of any sale rumours. Plus I don't think any amount of money will be able to buy him off of Dato Tan Chin Nam. At 83 these are his twilight years, and after watching the smile on his face yesterday which could not be wiped off at all, I doubt the for sale sign will be on this animal. Not to mention he already has a commercial stud farm in operation 1 hour outside of Sydney, which is believed to be where So You Think will retire to once the day does come.
 
Melbourne Cup Field 2010.

GROUP 1 VRC EMIRATES MELBOURNE CUP 3200m/2 miles
Of $6000000 and $175000 trophies. 1st $3600000 and trophies of $150000 to owner $10000 to trainer $10000 to jockey $5000 to strapper, 2nd $900000, 3rd $450000, 4th $250000, 5th $175000, 6th to 10th $125000.

1. Shocking (24) Mark Kavannagh Michael Rodd 57 kilograms
2. Campanologist (19) Saeed Bin Suroor Kerrin McEvoy 56 kilograms
3. So You Think (3) Bart Cummings Steven Arnold 56 kilograms
4. Zipping (16) Robert Hickmott Nicholas Hall 55.5 kilograms
5. Illustrious Blue (9) William Knight Glen Boss 55 kilograms
6. Mr Medici (5) Peter Ho Darren Beadman 55 kilograms
7. Shoot Out (17) John Wallce Corey Brown 55 kilograms
8. Americain (12) Alain de Royer Dupre Gerard Mosse 54.5 kilograms
9. Tokai Trick (4) Kenji Nonaka S Fujita 54.5 kilograms
10. Buccellati (21) Tony Noonan Steven King 54 kilograms
11. Descarado (1) Gai Waterhouse Nash Rawiller 54 kilograms
12. Harris Tweed (13) M & B Baker Brad Rawiller 54 kilograms
13. Manighar (20) Luca Camani Damien Oliver 54 kilograms
14. Master O'Reilly (18) Danny O'Brien Vlad Duric 54 kilograms
15. Monaco Consul (14) Michael Moroney Craig Williams 54 kilograms
16. Profound Beauty (22) Dermot Weld Pat Smullen 54 kilograms
17. Zavite (7) Anthony Cummings Michael Walker 54 kilograms
18. Bauer (2) Luca Camani Chris Munce 53.5 kilograms
19. Holberg (10) Saeed Bin Suroor 53.5 kilograms
20. Precedence (15) Bart Cummings Blake Shinn 53.5 kilograms
21. Red Ruler (8) John Sargent Mark Du Plessis 53.5 kilograms
22. Linton (23) Robert Hickmott Brett Prebble 52 kilograms
23. Once Were Wild (11) Gai Waterhouse Jim Cassidy 51.5 kilograms
24. Maluckyday (6) M, W & J Hawkes Luke Nolen 51 kilograms
 
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What was the Vet playing at with Profound beauty. Read DK had to give an ultimatum in order to have a seemingly perfectly fit horse passed to run ?
 
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