Irish trainer Joseph O’Brien is once again aiming for a third Melbourne Cup triumph with a formidable lineup of contenders.
With five horses set to compete in Tuesday’s 3200m Flemington race, O’Brien boasts a team rich with potential.
His runners span the age spectrum, from the youngest, Northern Hemisphere three-year-old James J Braddock, to the oldest, Northern Hemisphere seven-year-old mare Goodie Two Shoes.
Also in contention are Kizlyar, Sons And Lovers, and Trustyourinstinct.
O’Brien’s previous two Melbourne Cup victories were achieved with horses at opposite ends of the age scale: Rekindling, a Northern Hemisphere three-year-old like James J Braddock, and Twilight Payment, a Northern Hemisphere seven-year-old, mirroring Goodie Two Shoes.
Kevin Blake, O’Brien’s race planner, expressed disappointment over the withdrawal of Defiantly due to a veterinary inspection ruling the stayer unsuitable, but he was pleased to have five runners despite a mix of starting positions.
This year’s contingent represents the largest O’Brien has ever brought to the race.
“We’ve had horses at Werribee before being by themselves and have had to do all their work by themselves, but there’s a big team of horses, a big team of top-class people this year,” Blake commented.
“It definitely helps. It’s a great atmosphere down there.”
Blake noted the challenges in securing a spot in the Cup for a horse like James J Braddock, given the current stringent veterinary protocols.
A strategy was devised after the gelding, with partial Australian ownership, secured third place in the Epsom Derby in June.
“After his run in the Derby, the official rating he was given put him in the perfect zone that if you thought he was suitable, then this was the place to come,” Blake stated.
“There is 10 million reasons to come here but it’s been tricky to get Northern Hemisphere three-year-olds through the process here, but we committed, we came and he’s ticked every box.
“He’ll enjoy some rain, but the draw (24) will give us nightmares, but it is what it is.”
Goodie Two Shoes, ridden again by Wayne Lordan, is making her second appearance in the Melbourne Cup after finishing second last year.
“She had 20 last year, 19 this year, same man riding,” Blake said.
“Hopefully he can do the exact same thing as last year, keep it nice and simple.
“Wayne has had a wonderful year, and the mare is little bit older with a quirky profile running over fences 18 months ago, but the team seem particularly happy with her.
“They feel she is in a better place this year than she was last year.”
Blake believes Sons And Lovers is undervalued at $23 and is pleased with its barrier three draw.
“We wanted a soft draw,” Blake remarked.
“He wants to be covered up, relaxed, and stall three is perfect for him and Dylan Browne McMonagle rides him well.
“Trustyourinstinct, he’s a horse with a lot of ability.
“He’s a high achieving horse and we would have loved a lower draw as he’s a horse that will be ridden with a bit of patience.
“But when you need a magic act, you need a magician and we think we have one in JMac, not just James McDonald, but also J P McManus, two JMacs.”
The final member of O’Brien’s team is Kizlyar, who finished 11th in the Moonee Valley Cup (2500m) at Flemington on October 24, a run Blake suggested might have been a mistake.
“We brought him for the Melbourne Cup, and it wasn’t planned to run before,” Blake explained.
“We felt he was right on the cusp to get in, so we tried to run to win and guarantee it, but as it transpires, we should have sat on our hands.
“It would have been some sweat if we did, but he’s in.
“He’s a strong stayer, he’s a forward goer, but a typical Aussie style race last time didn’t play to his strengths.
“People will rule him out because of what we saw last week, but I would be expecting a different horse on Tuesday.”
Blake indicated that a strongly contested 3200m race on Tuesday would play to the strengths of all the Irish-trained stayers.
“Trustyourinstinct has a wicked turn of foot, James J Braddock has shown a wicked turn of foot over shorter trips,” Blake stated.
“Goodie Two Shoes is probably more of a grinder, Kizlyar more of a grinder and Sons And Lovers can quicken off a quick pace.
“I think it favours the internationals when there’s pace in the race because the locals are so good when the gears drop and they rev up again.
“We find them very hard to beat doing that, so we would be delighted to see pace in the race whether it’s us pushing it or someone else and we would love a true two-mile test and we feel as a bunch, that would suit our horses better.”
With a full field expected, the Melbourne Cup always offers compelling racing, and exploring the available Australian betting sites could enhance the viewing experience.