By Ian Ransom
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – British stayer Deauville Legend is strong favourite to win the A$8 million ($5.13 million) Melbourne Cup on Tuesday but a forecast for heavy rain could tip the “race that stops the nation” on its head.
Rated 5/2, the James Ferguson-trained Deauville Legend brings strong form to Flemington Racecourse after winning the Great Voltigeur Stakes in August.
Starting at barrier nine and with three-time Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle, the lightly-raced four-year-old gelding has attracted plenty of money in recent days.
However, Deauville Legend has never run on a soft track or beyond 2,615 metres, and carrying 55kg through the gruelling two-mile handicap will be a challenge.
The Gai Waterhouse-trained Fiorente was the last favourite to win the Melbourne Cup in 2013, but Ferguson is confident his horse can live up to expectations.
“Watching the horse at Werribee this morning, I think he’s in great nick,” Ferguson told local radio station SEN on Monday.
“I can’t be sending the horse into the race in better form, I feel, so the rest is up to him.
“I’m not too bothered (by the weather forecast), to be honest. He’s got a pedigree that says he’ll handle the soft (track).
“Whatever it is tomorrow, it won’t be English soft.”
Deauville Legend is one of only two international entrants in a field reduced to 23 after the scratching of Point Nepean on Monday.
The field could be cut again if the Grahame Begg-trained entrant Lunar Flare fails an inspection on the morning of the race after stewards detected lameness in the seven-year-old mare’s foreleg on Monday.
Following a spate of horse deaths on Cup day in recent years, stricter veterinary protocols have given global stables second thoughts about entering their top thoroughbreds.
The other international entrant is Without a Fight prepared by the Newmarket-based father-and-son duo of Simon and Ed Crisford.
A proven stayer with soft track form, the Irish-bred five-year-old gelding is rated a 10/1 chance.
The local threats include English Derby runner-up Hoo Ya Mal, trained by Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, and the David Payne-prepared Montefilia.
Organisers will hope the forecast, which includes the threat of a hailstorm, will not discourage race-goers as they seek to claw back revenues lost to COVID-19.
Last year’s race won by Chris Waller-trained Verry Elleegant had a capped crowd of less than 10,000 at Flemington, while the 2020 edition won by Twilight Payment was closed to fans due to health protocols.
In 2019, the last race before COVID-19, more than 80,000 people turned up to Flemington.
($1 = 1.5591 Australian dollars)
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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