7/11/2000 edition

Melbourne Cup Edition

The Field

Bohemiath

No13
51.5kg
Barrier 3
Jockey-Darren Gauci
Jockey Rating 10 
Trainer-R W Smerdon
Last five starts-56340
This distance-4 sts.1 1 0

He has a poor strike rate with only six wins from 50 starts. He finished an unlucky ninth in last year's Melbourne Cup beaten less than five lengths after interference in the straight. Easily won the weak 3200 metres Adelaide Cup in May this year. He will certainly run out the distance but others make more appeal. Top jockey Darren Gauci is a plus.  

Our Unicorn

No14
51kg
Barrier 23
Jockey-Matthew Gatt
Jockey Rating 7 
Trainer-C Alderson
Last five starts-98079
This distance-1 st.0 0 0

He has had five very ordinary runs since a spell. Has a terrible barrier and is entitled to go around at long odds. 

Pasta Express

No15
51kg
Barrier 16
Jockey-John Marshall
Jockey Rating 8 
Trainer-W P Cave
Last five starts-s1129
This distance-1 st.0 0 0

At his only start over the distance in the Sydney Cup in May this year he started at 30/1 and was beaten by 18 lengths. He failed dismally as 5/2 favourite in the 2500 metres Moonee Valley Gold Cup on October 26, beaten 12 lengths by Yippyio. 

Skybeau

No16
51kg
Barrier 5
Jockey-Dwayne Dunn
Jockey Rating 7 
Trainer-L J Smith
Last five starts-03000
This distance-8 sts.0 2 1

This eight year old has been beaten at his last three starts by a total of 50 lengths. He has also raced 13 times at Flemington for only two placings. If he wins bookies will be throwing a free party with the works for every punter. 

Hill Of Grace

No17
50.5kg
Barrier 8
Jockey-Glenn Boss
Jockey Rating 10 
Trainer-R B Priscott
Last five starts-14766
This distance-0 sts.0 0 0

This four year old mare was a very impressive winner of the Group 1 Australia Stakes for three year old fillies over 2000 metres in April this year. She then ran a bold race in the Australian Derby at Randwick one week later over 2400 metres. Last start on Saturday she was only beaten by a few lengths in one of the traditional Cup lead up races, the Mackinnon Stakes over 2000 metres at Flemington. However she is a distance query. After the 2400 metres Caulfield Cup, where she weakened to finish sixth, beaten by five lengths, jockey Brett Prebble reported that he did not think she got the distance. If he is correct she is no hope in the Melbourne Cup. But jockeys have been known to be wrong. 

Citra's Prince

No18
50kg
Barrier 18
Jockey-Craig Williams
Jockey Rating 9 
Trainer-C I Brown
Last five starts-36300
This distance-0 sts.0 0 0

Finished second to Freemason in the Queensland Derby in June this year. Recent form has not been good enough. On Saturday he was well beaten in the Mackinnon Stakes.

Majestic Avenue

No19
50kg
Barrier 4
Jockey-Aaron Spiteri
Jockey Rating 6 
Trainer-A W Noonan
Last five starts-65108
This distance-1 st.0 0 0

This six year old was well beaten at 40/1 in the Caulfield Cup and on November 1 finished eighth in the Werribee Cup. However his impressive win in the 2400 metres Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes at Caulfield on October 14 ahead of Yippyio is worth noting. Despite that win others make more appeal.

Mr. Nelson

No20
50kg
Barrier 20
Jockey-Jason Patton
Jockey Rating 7 
Trainer-R Cameron
Last five starts-20402
This distance-0 sts.0 0 0

Finished second in the South Australian Derby in May this year. On Saturday at Flemington he was only beaten a long neck by Brew in a Group 2 handicap over 2500 metres. He must rate a very rough lightweight chance.

Pravda

No21
50kg
Barrier 9
Jockey-Lance O'Sullivan
Jockey Rating 8
Trainer-P D O'Sullivan
Last five starts-s7220
This distance-1 st.0 0 0

She has started once over 3200 metres. In this year's Sydney Cup she was plunged from 11/2 to 7/2. The plunge failed. She finished  twelfth, beaten by 15 lengths. At her most recent  start after racing on the pace she weakened right out of it in the Caulfield Cup and was beaten by eight lengths. A big form reversal is needed.   

Celestial Show

No22
49.5kg
Barrier 11
Jockey-Lenny Beasley
Jockey Rating 8 
Trainer-L B Morton
Last five starts-51903
This distance-0 sts. 0 0 0

This five year old mare was beaten by 10 lengths in the Caulfield Cup. On November 1 she then finished third in the Werribee Cup. That doesn't look good enough form for the Melbourne Cup.

Maguire

No23
49.5kg
Barrier 1
Jockey-Luke Currie
Jockey Rating 7 
Trainer-J Collins
Last five starts-00585
This distance-0 sts.0 0 0

He finished third, beaten two and a half lengths by Freemason in this year's Queensland Derby. He has had five runs this time in without flattering. Look to others.

Brew

No24
49kg
Barrier 24
Jockey-Kerrin McEvoy
Jockey Rating 6 
Trainer-M D Moroney
Last five starts-60121
This distance-2 sts.0 0 0

Brew has a tremendous record at the track with three wins and three seconds from only nine starts. He was exceptionally unlucky in last year's Melbourne Cup, suffering major interference in the straight. Despite that he was beaten by less than five lengths. To qualify for this year's Cup Brew won a very tough finish at Flemington on Saturday, defeating Mr. Nelson. He drops seven and a half kilos for that win. In normal circumstances there is no way he would be backing up three days later. Assuming the race has not taken too much out of him he must rate a good lightweight chance. The barrier is a minus. Jockey Kerrin McEvoy will also need to ride the race of his life to avoid Brew having a hard luck story being caught wide. Travelling three or four wide over 3200 metres and a horse will have no chance of winning.

Next: Punt to Win 3/11/2000

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