by Harvey Mayson
There are 140 entries for this year’s Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse on November third including 31 from overseas.
Red Cadeaux
Australian racing fans will need no introduction to Red Cadeaux who is virtually a household name after finishing runner-up on three occasions for Ed Dunlop. Now aged nine, the gelding finished third in his customary prep race at Newbury in the Geoffrey Freer Stakes last month.
He could well be joined in the line-up by stable companion and Ascot Gold Cup winner Trip To Paris. He improved from winning the Chester Cup to take Ascot’s staying prize but has since been defeated at Goodwood and York. Dunlop has a third entry in Manndawi, formerly useful in France but well beaten in his last three races.
Perhaps the classiest performer from Europe is Hardwicke Stakes winner Snow Sky, trained by Sir Michael Stoute. The four-year-old son of Nayef was third in last season’s St Leger at Doncaster and has also won the Yorkshire Cup this term. He was disappointing in soft ground at Ascot last time out but has had a relatively light campaign.
Big Orange
The dour stayer Big Orange could make the trip over for Michael Bell, although he too must bounce back from a moderate last run. He had battled bravely to win the Goodwood Cup but finished well beaten behind Max Dynamite in testing conditions at York.
Willie Mullins enjoyed some success with Simenon in Australia and has the winner while Brown Panther may make the trip again for Michael Owen. Aidan O’Brien saddled Adelaide to win the Cox Plate last year and has entered Ascot Gold Cup second Kingfisher plus three-year-olds Order Of St George, Bondi Beach and Fields Of Athenry. O’Brien has not been represented in the race since the stewards asked him to explain the front-running tactics of Septimus, Alessandro Volta and Honolulu in 2008.
Last year’s Melbourne Cup hero Protectionist may attempt back-to-back victories in the great race while James Cummings will try to uphold the family name following the passing of his legendary grandfather Bart Cummings, the winner of an incredible twelve Melbourne Cups. He has entered five for the race.
Melbourne Cup 2015 Early Betting
The bookmakers make Fame Game the current market leader at 13.0 ahead of Snow Sky and Max Dynamite on 17.0. Protectionist is priced at 26.0 for a repeat victory, the same price as Trip To Paris and Big Orange with Kingfisher priced at a top price of 41.0 with Bet365.
Snow Sky tops 31 overseas entries for Melbourne Cup 2015
Published by NYK Media on Horses Galore as part of our Scottishmultimedia web project
