Melbourne Cup winner Cross Counter: 2018 finishing order and form guide
Updated
Cross Counter has taken out the 158th running of the Melbourne Cup. Explore our interactive guide to see how each horse performed.
8th: 1. Best Solution
| Age, sex | 5yo stallion |
|---|---|
| Starts | 22 (9 wins, 5 placings) |
| Prize money | $4,409,302 |
| Trainer | Saeed Bin Suroor |
| Jockey | Pat Cosgrave |
| Last 5 starts | 5th, 1st, 1st, 1st, 1st |
| This track | First start |
| Barrier | 6 |
| This distance | First start |
| Weight | 57.5kg |
| Odds | $16 |
| Breeding | Ireland |
Best Solution is looking to cap off a stellar 2018 and goes into Tuesday's race having won his past four starts, including the $5 million Caulfield Cup (2,400m) last month.
He competed against the best of his generation last year including fellow Cup contender The Cliffsofmoher and recent Cox Plate runner-up Benbatl.
The five-year-old has been in a purple patch of form since July that's included back-to-back Group 1 victories in Germany before his trip Down Under.
Best Solution's winning margin at Caulfield was only narrow, but he showed great tenacity to hold off his challengers after making a sustained run from before the home turn.
He did not receive a weight penalty for the win but must still carry 57.5kg if he is to become the first Melbourne Cup winner for the Godolphin racing empire.
Since the Cup was first run in 1861, only 20 winners have carried at least 57.5kg and just three in the past 60 years; the most recent was Makybe Diva (58kg) in 2005.
Failed to finish: 2. The Cliffsofmoher
| Age, sex | 5yo stallion |
|---|---|
| Starts | 17 (3 wins, 5 placings) |
| Prize money | $1,761,115 |
| Trainer | Aidan O'Brien |
| Jockey | Ryan Moore |
| Last 5 starts | 4th, 3rd, 3rd, 4th, 3rd |
| This track | First start |
| Barrier | 9 |
| This distance | First start |
| Weight | 56.5kg |
| Odds | $21 |
| Breeding | Ireland |
A high-class European galloper, The Cliffsofmoher has come to Australia with a similar profile to former stable-mate Johannes Vermeer, which finished second in the Cup last year for master trainer Aidan O'Brien.
The five-year-old has raced at the highest level throughout his career, contesting some of Europe's most prestigious races including a second in last year's English Derby.
While he's only managed to win three races, The Cliffsofmoher (aka Cliffs Of Moher in Europe) has amassed more than $1.7 million in prizemoney.
He finished third in the Hardwicke Stakes (2,400m) during Royal Ascot, before another third placing, this time to the champion Roaring Lion in the Eclipse Stakes (2,000m).
His Australian debut was a fast-closing fourth in the Caulfield Stakes (2,000m) before a week later finishing third to Best Solution in the Caulfield Cup (2,400m).
He is one of three contenders for Irish master trainer Aidan O'Brien, who is still looking for a first Cup victory which would emulate his son Joseph who won last year with Rekindling.
16th: 3. Magic Circle
| Age, sex | 7yo gelding |
|---|---|
| Starts | 21 (8 wins, 2 placings) |
| Prize money | $409,751 |
| Trainer | Ian Williams |
| Jockey | Corey Brown |
| Last 5 starts | 1st, 5th, 13th, 1st, 1st |
| This track | First start |
| Barrier | 17 |
| This distance | 1 start (no placing) |
| Weight | 56kg |
| Odds | $7 |
| Breeding | Ireland |
This seven-year-old has been near the top of Melbourne Cup betting markets since he scored dominant wins at his only two starts in England this year.
Magic Circle impressed when he resumed from a break in May's Chester Cup (3,750m), powering away from the field to win by six lengths, and well ahead of Cup rivals A Prince Of Arran and Nakeeta.
And less than a fortnight later he was back in action to register another big victory in the Henry II Stakes (3,264m).
Since then Magic Circle's sole mission has been to win the Melbourne Cup for his outlandish owner Marwan Koukash, whose Mount Athos finished fifth in 2012 and third in 2013.
Koukash has won more than 500 races in the UK and is famous for some wild post-race celebrations — he has vowed to strip to a G-string and tie if he wins on Tuesday.
He and trainer Ian Williams have enlisted the services of two-time Cup-winning jockey Corey Brown (Shocking 2009, Rekindling 2017).
14th: 4. Chestnut Coat
| Age, sex | 5yo stallion |
|---|---|
| Starts | 18 (4 wins, 6 placings) |
| Prize money | $1,456,749 |
| Trainer | Yoshito Yahagi |
| Jockey | Yuga Kawada |
| Last 5 starts | 1st, 2nd, 5th, 11th, 13th |
| This track | First start |
| Barrier | 4 |
| This distance | 1 start (no placing) |
| Weight | 55.5kg |
| Odds | $71 |
| Breeding | Japan |
The sole runner from Japan this year, Chestnut Coat is aiming to emulate the feats of Delta Blues 12 years ago.
This five-year-old scored back-to-back victories to start the year before being stepped up in grade in the Group 2 Nikkei Sho (2,500m).
He finished second on that occasion, beaten less than a length, and had the better of former Cup contenders Tosen Basil and Sole Impact.
Chestnut Coat then mixed it with some of Japan's best horses in the Group 1 Tenno Sho (3,200m), finishing less than two lengths from the winner in fifth, and again beating home Tosen Basil and Sole Impact.
His only Australian start was a weakening 13th of 18 runners in last month's Caulfield Cup (2,400m), almost 11 lengths behind Best Solution.
Yoshito Yahagi is a highly respected trainer in Japan and has been responsible for the careers of star gallopers Grand Prix Boss, Real Steel and Japanese Derby winner Deep Brillante.
9th: 5. Muntahaa
| Age, sex | 6yo gelding |
|---|---|
| Starts | 15 (4 wins, 5 placings) |
| Prize money | $815,641 |
| Trainer | John Gosden |
| Jockey | Jim Crowley |
| Last 5 starts | 6th, 4th, 3rd, 4th, 1st |
| This track | First start |
| Barrier | 13 |
| This distance | First start |
| Weight | 55.5kg |
| Odds | $17 |
| Breeding | Ireland |
There's certainly a vibe around this English-trained galloper, who's been well supported by punters who've halved his odds in some markets in the past week.
Muntahaa is known as a talented but temperamental horse, and when he's on song he can produce performances like his last-start victory in the rich Ebor Handicap (2,800m) at York in August.
He travelled sweetly for regular rider Jim Crowley before letting down and racing clear to win by 3.5 lengths.
Past winners of the Ebor have gone close in the Cup over the years, most recently Heartbreak City (second, 2016) and Nakeeta (fifth, 2017).
Crowley arrived in Australia last week and hit the ground running, riding two winners at the Bendigo Cup meeting.
A Muntahaa win on Tuesday would cap an amazing year for trainer John Gosden, whose stable stars include dual Arc winner Enable, elite stayer Stradivarius and multiple Group 1 winners Cracksman and Roaring Lion.
18th: 6. Sound Check
| Age, sex | 6yo stallion |
|---|---|
| Starts | 17 (7 wins, 3 placings) |
| Prize money | $278,655 |
| Trainer | Michael Moroney |
| Jockey | Jordan Childs |
| Last 5 starts | 1st, 1st, 3rd, 2nd, 12th |
| This track | First start |
| Barrier | 16 |
| This distance | 1 start (1 win) |
| Weight | 55.5kg |
| Odds | $41 |
| Breeding | Germany |
This former German galloper boasts a stout staying pedigree and won his only start over the Cup distance of 3,200 metres in the Group 2 Oleander-Rennen in May.
Sound Check then raced twice more before being transferred to Australia.
His German swansong came in the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Berlin (2,400m) in which he was a close second to subsequent Caulfield Cup winner Best Solution.
Switched to the stable of Mike Moroney (trainer of 2000 Cup winner Brew), Sound Check was unwanted by punters in the Caulfield Cup (2,400m) and started at 50-1.
The six-year-old settled at the rear of the field and over-raced behind the slow tempo set by the leaders. He was left flat-footed when the sprint came on and he worked home fairly to finish 12th, beaten 10 lengths.
Sound Check will be better suited by the step up in distance on the bigger Flemington track, but only time will tell if he can improve enough to feature on Tuesday.
17th: 7. Who Shot Thebarman
| Age, sex | 10yo gelding |
|---|---|
| Starts | 55 (11 wins, 11 placings) |
| Prize money | $4,581,446 |
| Trainer | Chris Waller |
| Jockey | Ben Melham |
| Last 5 starts | 1st, 7th, 6th, 9th, 4th |
| This track | 6 starts (2 wins, 1 placing) |
| Barrier | 18 |
| This distance | 9 starts (2 wins, 3 placings) |
| Weight | 55.5kg |
| Odds | $31 |
| Breeding | New Zealand |
This grand old galloper is back for yet another shot at the Cup — he finished third in 2014, 11th in 2015, fifth in 2016, and was scratched from the field last year.
Who Shot Thebarman (a perfect name to attract once-a-year punters) is a 10-year-old and would re-write the history books if he was to win on Tuesday.
No horse older than eight has claimed the Cup.
Earlier this year the former NZ stayer was showing no signs of slowing down. He finished third in the rich Tancred Stakes (2,400m) before landing a well-deserved victory in the Sydney Cup (3,200m) after finishing second in the race twice previously.
Trainer Chris Waller has done an amazing job to maintain Who Shot Thebarman's zest for racing and you can trust that he won't be lacking in stamina when things get serious on Tuesday.
His final lead-up performance was a fourth-place finish behind Ventura Storm in the Moonee Valley Cup (2,500m) in which he settled back in the field before working home strongly.
20th: 8. Ace High
| Age, sex | 4yo stallion |
|---|---|
| Starts | 22 (5 wins, 3 placings) |
| Prize money | $2,211,125 |
| Trainer | David Payne |
| Jockey | Tye Angland |
| Last 5 starts | 11th, 2nd, 4th, 1st, 15th |
| This track | 2 starts (1 win) |
| Barrier | 22 |
| This distance | First start |
| Weight | 55kg |
| Odds | $71 |
| Breeding | Australia |
One of only four Australian-bred horses in the field, Ace High was a top staying three-year-old last season and landed the Spring Champion Stakes (2,000m) and Victoria Derby (2,500m) at Flemington.
He scored his first win as a four-year-old in the Hill Stakes (2,000m) in September before heading in as one of the leading fancies for last month's Caulfield Cup (2,400m).
From the barriers he worked across to lead the field at a dawdling pace, but when the pressure went on he found little despite the urgings of Damien Oliver and weakened to finish 15th.
His trainer, David Payne, is attributing the below-par performance to Ace High's disliking for rain-affected tracks and is hoping for a firmer surface on Tuesday.
But punters seem to have abandoned him, plus the barrier draw has done him no favours.
If Ace High can bounce back and win, he'll become only the second horse since Phar Lap in 1930 to claim the Cup a year after winning the Derby.
Second: 9. Marmelo
| Age, sex | 6yo stallion |
|---|---|
| Starts | 16 (5 wins, 7 placings) |
| Prize money | $741,305 |
| Trainer | Hughie Morrison |
| Jockey | Hugh Bowman |
| Last 5 starts | 9th, 2nd, 1st, 1st, 2nd |
| This track | 1 start (no placing) |
| Barrier | 10 |
| This distance | 1 start (no placing) |
| Weight | 55kg |
| Odds | $12 |
| Breeding | Great Britain |
Marmelo ran as the favourite in last year's Cup but only managed to finish ninth after trying to lead all of the way.
Cox Plate-winning jockey Hugh Bowman has elected to reunite with the UK-trained galloper who by all reports has again settled in well to his new surroundings.
The six-year-old returns in a similar vein of form to last year, but the main difference is that he has not had his final lead-up run in Australia.
In June, Marmelo was too good for his rivals, including former Cup contender Duretto, in the Grand Cup Stakes (2,770m) at York, and a month later he accounted for a small field in the Prix Maurice de Nieuil (2,800m) in Paris.
He rounded off his season in Europe with a slightly disappointing second place as favourite in the Prix Kergorlay (3,000m) at Deauville, a race he won last year.
Trainer Hughie Morrison said the track was too firm for Marmelo that day and he's hoping for a little more give in the ground on Tuesday.
22nd: 10. Avilius
| Age, sex | 5yo gelding |
|---|---|
| Starts | 12 (6 wins, 3 placings) |
| Prize money | $840,210 |
| Trainer | James Cummings |
| Jockey | Glyn Schofield |
| Last 5 starts | 1st, 1st, 1st, 1st, 4th |
| This track | 1 start (1 win) |
| Barrier | 11 |
| This distance | First start |
| Weight | 54.5kg |
| Odds | $16 |
| Breeding | Great Britain |
It wouldn't be the Melbourne Cup without the name Cummings — the latest in the dynasty, James, is out to emulate the feats of his iconic grandfather.
The 30-year-old has done a fine job since taking over as head trainer for the Godolphin racing operation in Australia (he's in winning form after a treble on Derby Day).
Avilius was sent to Cummings from France late last year with promising credentials, including a second to British superstar Cracksman in the Prix Niel (2,400m) in Paris.
He made an immediate impression in winning three races up to 2,000 metres in Sydney, before he carried a big weight in The Bart Cummings (2,500m) to narrowly claim a golden ticket into the Cup.
With his Cup slot assured, Cummings chose the Cox Plate (2,040m) as the final run for Avilius heading into Tuesday.
He wasn't disgraced finishing fourth to the immortal Winx, and the trainer believes he's now ready for the step up to 3,200 metres.
11th: 11. Yucatan
| Age, sex | 5yo stallion |
|---|---|
| Starts | 13 (3 wins, 6 placings) |
| Prize money | $512,576 |
| Trainer | Aidan O'Brien |
| Jockey | James McDonald |
| Last 5 starts | 6th, 16th, 1st, 3rd, 1st |
| This track | First start |
| Barrier | 23 |
| This distance | First start |
| Weight | 54.5kg |
| Odds | $6 |
| Breeding | Ireland |
This lightly raced stallion from Ireland rocketed into favouritism for the Melbourne Cup after an amazing victory at his Australian debut in last month's Herbert Power Stakes (2,400m).
Jockey James McDonald made a mid-race move to circle the field and continued on to put his rivals to the sword; Yucatan was more than six lengths in front when McDonald applied the brakes to coast to the post.
But despite appearing to have the Caulfield Cup at his mercy, master trainer Aidan O'Brien decided to forgo a shot at the time-honoured race to have him cherry ripe for the first Tuesday in November.
Yucatan's performance in the Herbert Power surpassed ratings from his runs in Europe this year, so can he repeat that effort at his first go over 3,200 metres?
His cause wasn't helped by the barrier draw, but he's racing to give owner Lloyd Williams a seventh Cup triumph and a third in succession following the wins of Almandin in 2016 and Rekindling last year.
21st: 12. Auvray
| Age, sex | 8yo gelding |
|---|---|
| Starts | 39 (8 wins, 5 placings) |
| Prize money | $1,034,088 |
| Trainer | Richard Freedman |
| Jockey | Tommy Berry |
| Last 5 starts | 4th, 5th, 2nd, 6th, 6th |
| This track | 2 starts (no placings) |
| Barrier | 1 |
| This distance | 2 starts (no placings) |
| Weight | 54kg |
| Odds | $81 |
| Breeding | France |
Auvray won twice over 3,000 metres in France in late 2014 before he was brought to Australia, but he didn't make his debut here for another 16 months.
At first he struggled for form in Sydney, and a stable switch to Victoria didn't bring a change in fortunes either.
Then another spell and change of trainer saw Auvray first run in April 2017 for Richard Freedman, an ex-member of the FBI (Freedman Brothers Incorporated) that dominated in the 1990s.
A win that August was followed by another in the Group 3 Colin Stephen Quality (2,400m), but his spring campaign was abandoned after failing in the Moonee Valley Cup.
The eight-year-old was back in form earlier this year and was not far from the placegetters in the rich Tancred Stakes (2,400m) and Sydney Cup (3,200m) — so far this spring he's raced honestly without winning.
Auvray has found his mojo with Freedman, but he has to reach another level on Tuesday and age is not on his side (two eight-year-olds have won the Cup; none since 1938).
4th: 13. Finche
| Age, sex | 5yo stallion |
|---|---|
| Starts | 9 (3 wins, 3 placings) |
| Prize money | $287,441 |
| Trainer | Chris Waller |
| Jockey | Zac Purton |
| Last 5 starts | 6th, 5th, 5th, 1st, 3rd |
| This track | First start |
| Barrier | 15 |
| This distance | First start |
| Weight | 54kg |
| Odds | $26 |
| Breeding | Great Britain |
Another recent arrival to Australia, this striking chestnut has joined the all-conquering Chris Waller stable after mixing it with some classy competitors in Europe.
The five-year-old, whose sire is the undefeated legend Frankel, won a Group 2 contest in France at only his third career start under the guidance of master trainer Andre Fabre.
Finche then finished third behind star galloper Cracksman and fellow Cup import Avilius in the Prix Niel (2,400m) in Paris before going for a well-deserved spell.
In April he again clashed with Cracksman in the prestigious Prix Ganay (2,100m), finishing fifth, and a few months later dictated out in front to win the Group 3 Prix de Reux (2,500m) at Deauville.
Finche made his Australian debut in the Geelong Cup (2,400m) a fortnight ago and worked home soundly to finish third, 1.5 lengths behind the winner Runaway.
He'll no doubt take improvement from that performance but he's stepping up to 3,200 metres for the first time.
23rd: 14. Red Cardinal
| Age, sex | 7yo gelding |
|---|---|
| Starts | 16 (5 wins, 5 placings) |
| Prize money | $515,072 |
| Trainer | Darren Weir |
| Jockey | Damien Oliver |
| Last 5 starts | 16th, 8th, 11th, 3rd, 11th |
| This track | 1 start (no placing) |
| Barrier | 5 |
| This distance | 3 starts (2 wins) |
| Weight | 54kg |
| Odds | $31 |
| Breeding | Ireland |
This former German-trained stayer came to Australia last year as a leading contender for the Melbourne Cup but finished a disappointing 11th.
The lightly raced seven-year-old then remained in Victoria under the care of champion trainer Darren Weir but was off the scene with injury until August.
Since then Red Cardinal built up his fitness levels with unplaced efforts over unsuitable shorter races.
He then showed a glimpse of his best with a closing third in the St Leger (2,600m) in Sydney last month.
The wet conditions helped him that day, but back on firmer ground at his latest start Red Cardinal laboured into 11th behind Ventura Storm in the Moonee Valley Cup (2,500m).
Red Cardinal has won twice over the 3,200-metre distance of the Cup, but he's been out of the winner's circle for more than a year and will likely need some rain to figure in the finish on Tuesday.
15th: 15. Vengeur Masque
| Age, sex | 7yo gelding |
|---|---|
| Starts | 26 (4 wins, 5 placings) |
| Prize money | $872,096 |
| Trainer | Michael Moroney |
| Jockey | Patrick Moloney |
| Last 5 starts | 5th, 4th, 10th, 5th, 9th |
| This track | 6 starts (1 win, 2 placings) |
| Barrier | 2 |
| This distance | First start |
| Weight | 54kg |
| Odds | $51 |
| Breeding | Ireland |
Another former European galloper, Vengeur Masque made his Australian debut in 2016 in a campaign that progressed from a modest Benchmark 78 race to finishing second in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2,600m) at Flemington.
A light autumn campaign in 2017 preceded another tilt at the spring staying majors, and Vengeur Masque finally broke through in the Geelong Cup (2,400m) before going within a neck of winning the Lexus Stakes (2,500m) and gaining a spot in the Melbourne Cup.
He instead had to settle for another run in the Queen Elizabeth, and this time led all of the way to win.
The seven-year-old has yet to feature in four starts this campaign, with his most recent start resulting in a ninth-place finish behind Best Solution in the Caulfield Cup.
Vengeur Masque will appreciate a return to Flemington and the step up to 3,200 metres, but he's expected to be one of the outsiders on Tuesday.
His trainer Michael Moroney has an excellent record with stayers, winning derbies and oaks here and in his native New Zealand — and of course the Cup in 2000 with Brew.
10th: 16. Ventura Storm
| Age, sex | 6yo gelding |
|---|---|
| Starts | 29 (7 wins, 5 placings) |
| Prize money | $1,467,425 |
| Trainer | David & Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig |
| Jockey | Mark Zahra |
| Last 5 starts | 7th, 9th, 4th, 10th, 1st |
| This track | 6 starts (2 placings) |
| Barrier | 7 |
| This distance | 2 starts (no placings) |
| Weight | 54kg |
| Odds | $31 |
| Breeding | Ireland |
Hall of famer David Hayes and his clients paid big money to bring Ventura Storm from Europe with a view to adding another Cup to the trainer's impressive trophy cabinet.
The horse had showed staying potential and ran second in the 2016 English St Leger (3,000m) before winning the Group 1 Gran Premio del Jockey Club (2,400m) in Milan.
After the move Down Under, Ventura Storm showed promising signs in weight-for-age races early in last year's spring carnival, but he finished down the track in both the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup.
He was again thereabouts without winning during the autumn, and last month finished within two lengths of the great Winx in the Turnbull Stakes (2,000m).
Ventura Storm has been gelded and underwent a wind operation in the past 12 months and Hayes has noticed a real difference in the horse.
In fact, he goes into the Cup on the back of his first Australian triumph, a narrow win in the Moonee Valley Cup (2,500m) where he defeated a few runners he meets again on Tuesday.
Third: 17. A Prince Of Arran
| Age, sex | 6yo gelding |
|---|---|
| Starts | 28 (5 wins, 9 placings) |
| Prize money | $579,747 |
| Trainer | Charlie Fellowes |
| Jockey | Michael Walker |
| Last 5 starts | 6th, 3rd, 2nd, 3rd, 1st |
| This track | 1 start (1 win) |
| Barrier | 20 |
| This distance | 6 starts (1 win, 2 placings) |
| Weight | 53kg |
| Odds | $23 |
| Breeding | Great Britain |
This English-trained galloper raced into Cup consideration with a popular victory in the Lexus Stakes (2,500m) on Saturday that also endorsed the form of rival runner Yucatan.
A Prince Of Arran managed to turn the tables on Brimham Rocks from when they filled the placings behind the reigning Cup favourite in the Herbert Power Stakes (2,400m) last month.
But the six-year-old himself will be among the leading chances on Tuesday, with winners of the Lexus boasting a strong record backing up in the Cup.
The short turnaround is an unknown for A Prince Of Arran, but he's been thriving in Australia despite the fact he's raced on four continents this year.
Young trainer Charlie Fellowes says this has helped the horse develop mentally and he'll have no trouble handling the extra distance in the Cup.
Fellowes is familiar with the hype of Cup week having spent a year here with five-time Cup-winning trainer Lee Freedman.
12th: 18. Nakeeta
| Age, sex | 8yo gelding |
|---|---|
| Starts | 38 (5 wins, 11 placings) |
| Prize money | $752,444 |
| Trainer | Iain Jardine |
| Jockey | Regan Bayliss |
| Last 5 starts | 14th, 5th, 7th, 7th, 13th |
| This track | 1 start (no placing) |
| Barrier | 3 |
| This distance | 2 starts (1 placing) |
| Weight | 53kg |
| Odds | $81 |
| Breeding | Great Britain |
A year ago Nakeeta became the first Scottish-trained horse to contest the Cup and he did the auld country proud.
On the back of a win in the rich Ebor Handicap (2,800m) at York, the seven-year-old finished fifth at Flemington and left his connections determined to return in 2018.
Nakeeta's form does not read as well as it did last year and he's been unable to match it with the likes of Magic Circle and A Prince Of Arran who he faces again on Tuesday.
He failed in the defence of his Ebor crown and finished more than seven lengths behind another Cup runner Muntahaa.
Trainer Iain Jardine was forced to run Nakeeta in Australia before the Cup in order to improve his chances of making the field (the horse got in anyway through natural attrition).
He contested the Moonee Valley Cup (2,500m) and struck trouble at a crucial stage in the race however was unable to recover the lost ground, finishing 13th behind Ventura Storm.
7th: 19. Sir Charles Road
| Age, sex | 5yo gelding |
|---|---|
| Starts | 24 (6 wins, 9 placings) |
| Prize money | $674,240 |
| Trainer | Lance O'Sullivan & Andrew Scott |
| Jockey | Dwayne Dunn |
| Last 5 starts | 10th, 1st, 4th, 7th, 3rd |
| This track | First start |
| Barrier | 14 |
| This distance | 2 starts (1 placing) |
| Weight | 53kg |
| Odds | $101 |
| Breeding | Australia |
This Australian-bred, New Zealand-trained stayer is seen by bookmakers as one of the outsiders in this year's Cup, but he's arguably got better claims than a few of his rivals.
Sir Charles Road showed promise in three-year-old staying events in his native New Zealand and over time went on to prove more than competitive against the older horses.
A close defeat in the Auckland Cup (3,200m) in March prompted a trip across the Tasman where he made an immediate impact.
The five-year-old defeated Ventura Storm in the Group 2 Chairman's Quality (2,600m) and a week later ran third behind Who Shot Thebarman and Zacada in the Sydney Cup (3,200m).
Sir Charles Road has had mixed fortunes during his current Cups campaign; he ran home well for fourth in the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2,000m) in September but picked up a slight injury when last in the Coongy Handicap.
He then appreciated the step up in distance to again finish the race off strongly and grab a close third in last week's Bendigo Cup (2,400m).
13th: 20. Zacada
| Age, sex | 6yo gelding |
|---|---|
| Starts | 36 (4 wins, 12 placings) |
| Prize money | $608,921 |
| Trainer | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman |
| Jockey | Damian Lane |
| Last 5 starts | 2nd, 11th, 15th, 8th, 12th |
| This track | 1 start (no placing) |
| Barrier | 24 |
| This distance | 2 starts (1 placing) |
| Weight | 53kg |
| Odds | $101 |
| Breeding | New Zealand |
Murray Baker, one of the best trainers in New Zealand, helps put the polish on Zacada, who's been struggling to find his best since crossing the Tasman this spring.
His long odds mean he'll attract some attention from ambitious punters on Tuesday, but a major form reversal — and a wet track — is needed for him to feature.
In saying that, he did run a close second to the veteran Who Shot Thebarman in the Sydney Cup (3,200m) in April at odds of 90-1.
Zacada has shown little in four runs this campaign; he was well beaten in the Naturalism Stakes (2,000m) in September before he again failed to fire against Avilius in The Bart Cummings (2,500m) at Flemington.
His final run before Tuesday came in the Geelong Cup (2,400m) almost a fortnight ago, when the six-year-old started at 150-1 and finished seven lengths behind Cup rivals Runaway and Finche.
Adding to the task for jockey Damian Lane, Zacada's co-owner, the legendary breeder Sir Patrick Hogan, drew the outside barrier.
19th: 21. Runaway
| Age, sex | 4yo rig |
|---|---|
| Starts | 17 (4 wins, 6 placings) |
| Prize money | $520,285 |
| Trainer | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
| Jockey | Stephen Baster |
| Last 5 starts | 3rd, 10th, 3rd, 4th, 1st |
| This track | 2 starts (1 win) |
| Barrier | 12 |
| This distance | 1 start (no placing) |
| Weight | 52kg |
| Odds | $41 |
| Breeding | Australia |
Racing's first lady Gai Waterhouse and her training partner Adrian Bott will be represented in the Cup this year by Runaway.
Along with Ace High, Sir Charles Road and Youngstar, he is a rare Australian-bred contender in Tuesday's race and made his way into the field with the help of a win in the Geelong Cup (2,400m).
Jockey Stephen Baster was able to control the lead that day and Runaway then fought off his rivals in the run to the line.
As a three-year-old, Runaway won the VRC St Leger (2,800m) at Flemington — a race older than the Melbourne Cup — before finishing third in the SA Derby (2,500m).
He then took on the older horses in the Andrew Ramsden Stakes over the Cup course and distance, but he'd come to the end of his preparation by then and finished 10th.
Like most Waterhouse/Bott horses, you can be sure that Runaway will race up near the lead and make the others do the chasing.
6th: 22. Youngstar
| Age, sex | 4yo mare |
|---|---|
| Starts | 12 (4 wins, 4 placings) |
| Prize money | $773,312 |
| Trainer | Chris Waller |
| Jockey | Craig Williams |
| Last 5 starts | 3rd, 6th, 3rd, 2nd, 7th |
| This track | 1 start (1 placing) |
| Barrier | 8 |
| This distance | First start |
| Weight | 51.5kg |
| Odds | $11 |
| Breeding | Australia |
Youngstar is another impressive mare in the Chris Waller stable, who's measured up in open company after her three-year-old season was highlighted by victory in the Queensland Oaks (2,200m).
She defeated all bar the wonder mare Winx in the Turnbull Stakes (2,000m) last month and subsequently ran as one of the favourites in the Caulfield Cup won by Best Solution.
The four-year-old was a victim of her own racing pattern that day, with backmarkers having next to no chance of overhauling the horses that raced close to the lead which had been set at a dawdling pace.
Youngstar nevertheless reeled off the best closing splits of the race and deserves her chance in Tuesday's field.
But mares don't have a great strike rate in the Cup (16 wins in 157 runnings), with the last four-year-old mare being Ethereal (herself a Queensland Oaks winner) in 2001.
Craig Williams will be in the saddle as he searches to complete a career grand slam and add the Melbourne Cup to his previous victories in the Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Golden Slipper.
First: 23. Cross Counter
| Age, sex | 4yo gelding |
|---|---|
| Starts | 7 (4 wins, 2 placings) |
| Prize money | $287,285 |
| Trainer | Charlie Appleby |
| Jockey | Kerrin McEvoy |
| Last 5 starts | 2nd, 4th, 1st, 1st, 2nd |
| This track | First start |
| Barrier | 19 |
| This distance | First start |
| Weight | 51kg |
| Odds | $9 |
| Breeding | Great Britain |
Charlie Appleby, who has found the secret to bringing horses to Australia and claiming big-race success, prepares this young stayer with just seven starts under his belt.
He missed a week of training soon after arriving here due to a cut heel, but his Cup jockey Kerrin McEvoy gave him the thumbs up after partnering him in work last week.
Cross Counter has notched up four victories in his short career, with the highlight being an easy win in the Group 3 Gordon Stakes (2,400m) at Goodwood in August.
He was then sent out favourite in the Great Voltigeur Stakes (2,400m) at York but went down narrowly to his stable-mate Old Persian in the Group 2 event.
Cross Counter, along with Best Solution and Avilius, is part of Godolphin's three-pronged attack in search of an elusive Melbourne Cup victory for the global racing empire.
The Cup is certainly Cross Counter's biggest test to date, and although the training setback isn't ideal, Rekindling showed last year that the weight relief for Northern Hemisphere three-year-olds can be decisive.
5th: 24. Rostropovich
| Age, sex | 4yo stallion |
|---|---|
| Starts | 13 (4 wins, 4 placings) |
| Prize money | $1,132,436 |
| Trainer | Aidan O'Brien |
| Jockey | Wayne Lordan |
| Last 5 starts | 2nd, 2nd, 5th, 1st, 5th |
| This track | First start |
| Barrier | 21 |
| This distance | First start |
| Weight | 51kg |
| Odds | $21 |
| Breeding | Ireland |
Like Cross Counter, Rostropovich is considered a three-year-old in the Northern Hemisphere and gets into the Cup with nice weight relief.
Group 1-placed as a juvenile last year, he contested some top three-year-old staying races in Europe this season.
Rostropovich wasn't his stable's leading fancy in either the King Edward VII Stakes (2,400m) at Royal Ascot in June or the Irish Derby (2,400m) a week later, but he nevertheless finished runner-up both times.
He was outclassed in the time-honoured King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2,400m) in July but appreciated the drop to Group 3 level and landed the Club Stakes (2,400m) against a small field in Dublin.
Master trainer Aidan O'Brien rounded off Rostropovich's Cup preparations with a spin around Moonee Valley in the Cox Plate (2,040m), where he finished fifth to Winx and close on the heels of Cup rival Avilius.
You have to respect the stable's decision to bring him here and it will pay to watch for any betting moves.
Odds are official starting prices.
Credits
- Reporting: Daniel Franklin
- Illustrations: Tim Madden
- Editor: Matthew Liddy
Topics: horse-racing, sport, melbourne-3000, vic, australia
First posted
