Less than eight weeks to the Melbourne Cup!

Media Release
9 September 2009

Less than eight weeks to the Melbourne Cup!

It’s less than eight weeks, or just 55 days, to the Melbourne Cup and New Zealand’s best hopes to snatch victory to date look to be Six O’Clock News, Daffodil, Capecover and Young Centaur.

The Paddy and Trent Busuttin trained Six O’Clock News is currently the best rated of the New Zealand trained horses, paying Fixed Odds of $21 with the New Zealand TAB to win the race. He had a nice run at Hastings on 29 August when he finished second in the Glen Aros Country Estate Premier over 1600m, in what was only his second run this season.

The bay gelding is likely to race again this weekend in the Group 3 Merial Ancare Metric Mile over 1600m at Awapuni in Palmerston North.

The Kevin Gray trained Daffodil, winner of last season’s AJC Oaks, finished strongly to end up fourth in the Tui Out in Front Since 1889 Open Handicap over 1200m at Wanganui last weekend, in what was also only her second run this season. She’s the next best of the Kiwis, currently paying Fixed Odds of $26 to win the Melbourne Cup.

The Alexander Fieldes trained Capecover and John Sargent trained Young Centaur are both paying Fixed Odds of $31. My Tipsy (Murray & Bjorn Baker) and Red Ruler (John Sargent) are also not far behind on $41.

New Zealand TAB Racing Bookie Thad Taylor said Young Centaur ran a sensational race last Saturday in Melbourne when he finished second to Speed Gifted in the ‘Spring is the Season Handicap’ over 1700m. He looks to have come back in excellent order.

“There’s a long way to go to the big race yet but there’s certainly been plenty of interest in backing the Kiwi horses, particularly Capecover and Six O’Clock News,” he said.

A New Zealand trained horse has not won the Melbourne Cup since 2001 when the Sheila Laxon trained Ethereal got up in the last few strides to win by three-quarters of a length.

The favourite with the TAB to win the Melbourne Cup is the New Zealand bred C’est La Guerre, paying Fixed Odds of $11. He opened at $16 but has shortened significantly after a strong first up run last weekend when he finished fourth in the Makybe Diva Stakes in Melbourne.

C’est La Guerre, who won the New Zealand Derby in 2008 and was third in last year’s Melbourne Cup, is also paying $14 to win the A$2.5m Caulfield Cup on 17 October and $31 for the A$3m Cox Plate on 24 October.

“Former English stayer Speed Gifted looks to be the real deal with two wins from two starts in Australia this year including an explosive win in last weekend’s Spring is the Season Handicap over 1700m,” Taylor said.

“Profound Beauty, who finished fifth in last year’s Melbourne Cup, has also been well backed,” Taylor said.

Irish trainer Dermot Weld will be looking to claim his third Melbourne Cup with Profound Beauty after winning with Vintage Crop in 1993 and Media Puzzle in 2002.

The Melbourne Cup is Australasia’s richest horse race with a purse of A$5.5 million (NZ$6.8m) and is set to race at 5pm on Tuesday 3 November (NZ time).

The New Zealand TAB’s top 10 Fixed Odds for the Melbourne Cup are:
C’est La Guerre (NZ bred) $11
Profound Beauty $13
Speed Gifted $13
Vigor $13
Efficient (2007 Melbourne Cup winner) $15
Viewed (2008 Melbourne Cup winner) $15
ChangingoftheGuard $17
Master O’Reilly (NZ bred) $17
Roman Emperor $17
Six O’Clock News (NZ trained) $21

Current Fixed Odds for the top 10 New Zealand trained horses are:
Six O’Clock News $21
Daffodil $26
Capecover $31
Young Centaur $31
Mr Tipsy $41
Red Ruler $41
Harris Tweed $51
Tinseltown $51
All in Black $81
Figure of Speech $81

For the latest New Zealand TAB Fixed Odds available on the Melbourne Cup visit: http://www.tab.co.nz/sport?option=195

ENDS

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