by Dogwatcher » Thu Nov 01, 2007 11:50 am
Will Irish eyes be smiling again?
First there was Vintage Crop, then Media Puzzle, now the Irish are eyeing off their third Melbourne Cup triumph in 14 years, with leading bookmaker Centrebet claiming Purple Moon is the measuring stick in the race!
After Dermot Weld trained world class Vintage Crop to glory in 1993 and repeated the dose with Media Puzzle in 2002, now Luca Cumani is desperate to take our greatest turf prize back to the Emerald Isle. Centrebet’s Neil Evans said 12 months after Cumani tested the Cup water with Glistening and Soulacroix, he’s arrived with a horse that’s been perfectly tuned for the two miles next Tuesday.
“Ever since Purple Moon came from last in a big field over 2800m to win at York a few months back, the stable has had the Melbourne Cup in mind,” Evans said. “The Caulfield Cup run when he was badly held up in the straight confirms his potential, and that still looms as the best formline, especially considering Master O’Reilly’s jockey Vlad Duric has written off many local rivals.
“You have to question whether the classier locals are going well enough to beat Purple Moon over two miles. All this horse needs is an even shot at them from the 600 – and the long straight should do the rest, especially getting a three-kilo weight pull on the Master.”
The form from Purple Moon’s feature win at Goodwood also stacks up well, and Cumani showed his determination by immediately sacking Caulfield Cup rider Kerrin McEvoy for Damien Oliver who ironically saluted on Media Puzzle five years ago!
Purple Moon is a rock-solid $7.00 second favourite on Centrebet behind the heavily-backed Master O’Reilly who has firmed from $5.50 to $4.80 this week. “Apart from Master O’Reilly, last year’s Derby winner Efficient, the consistent Zipping, 2005 place-getter On A Jeune and even outsiders Eskimo Queen and Princess Coup all have cases, but Purple Moon is the yardstick,” Evans added.
Meanwhile, rich-list galloper Haradasun has been left the $3.30 favourite on Centrebet for Saturday’s Group 1 MacKinnon Stakes after the scratching today of top fancy and Cox Plate winner El Segundo! The best backing, though, has come for SA mare Devil Moon who’s firmed into $6.00, while Miss Finland is rated $4.50! In Saturday’s VRC Derby, Kibbutz remains the $4.00 fancy ahead of the heavily-backed Marching ($4.50), while boom three-year-old and Caulfield Guineas winner Weekend Hussler is a $1.60 favourite to win the Ascot Vale Stakes ahead of Royal Asscher ($4.40).
VRC DERBY (2500m)
$4.00 KIBBUTZ
$4.50 MARCHING
$4.60 VILLAIN
$5.50 LITTORIO
$12.00 STOCKADE
$17.00 BAMMAGERA
$21.00 DOWN UNDER BOY
$26.00 BEST BEWARE
$26.00 HUSONIC
$41.00 GALAXY LAD
$201.00 BARACHETTA
$201.00 MUFASA
$201.00 GALILEO FIGARO
MACKINNON STAKES (2000m)
$3.30 HARADASUN
$4.50 MISS FINLAND
$6.00 DEVIL MOON
$11.00 PILLAR OF HERCULES
$12.00 PRINCESS COUP
$16.00 DOURO VALLEY
$19.00 MAYBE BETTER
$19.00 SCENIC SHOT
$21.00 ZIPPING
$21.00 CAPTIOUS
$21.00 TAWQEET
$51.00 SIRMIONE
$81.00 RAILINGS
$101.00 ANNENKOV
ASCOT VALE STAKES (1200m)
$1.60 WEEKEND HUSSLER
$4.40 ROYAL ASSCHER
$9.00 SCENIC BLAST
$17.00 SHREWD RHYTHM
$26.00 CHINCHILLA ROSE
$26.00 BEL MER
$31.00 INCUMBENT
$31.00 HUSSON LIGHTNING
MELBOURNE CUP (3200m)
$4.80 MASTER O’REILLY
$7.00 PURPLE MOON
$9.00 MAHLER
$12.00 ZIPPING
$13.00 EFFICIENT
$13.00 MAYBE BETTER
$15.00 MISS FINLAND
$17.00 GALLIC
$21.00 ESKIMO QUEEN
$21.00 PRINCESS COUP
$21.00 TAWQEET
$21.00 ON A JEUNE
$26.00 BLUE MONDAY
$26.00 DOURO VALLEY
$34.00 bar
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