St Leger winner Jan Brueghel goes for the Melbourne Cup on 5th Nov (my mum's birthday) Not only in it but currently clear fav at 9/2 for the race This one I was interested in for the Arc but after winning the G3 Gordon Stakes he headed to the St Leger which he duly won, still looking like a big baby He is unbeaten in 4 now but after his 8l romp on debut, in a 10f maiden he has won two G3s over 10f then 12f and a G1 over 14f, all 3 by a nk He is by Galileo out of a Danehill mare and now steps up to 2m
Jan Brueghel out of Melbourne Cup St Leger winner Jan Brueghel has been ruled out of next week's Lexus Melbourne Cup. The three-year-old was among the favourites for the Flemington showpiece but a statement from Racing Victoria said: "Reports received from an expert panel of internationally renowned equine surgeons and diagnostic imaging specialists, who reviewed Jan Brueghel’s CT scan results, indicate that the horse is currently at heightened risk of injury. "Following advice from RV Veterinary Services in relation to the specialist opinions from the independent imaging panel, RV Stewards ordered the withdrawal of Jan Brueghel from the Melbourne Cup on the basis that he was unsuitable to compete." Source: "At The Races"
Latest ante-post price indications for the Melbourne Cup: Tuesday 5th November - 04:00 Flemington: Melbourne Cup Group 1 Handicap 4/1 Buckaroo, 6/1 Onesmoothoperator, 6/1 Vauban, 7/1 Via Sistina, 10/1 Absurde, 14/1 Land Legend, 16/1 Interpretation, 20/1 Kovalica, 25/1 Zardozi, 33/1 Okita Soushi, 40/1 Circle Of Fire, 40/1 Warp Speed, 50/1 Saint George, 50/1 Athabascan, 66/1 The Map, 66/1 Muramasa,................... .................... Have had a modest wager on my first choice, Land Legend, at 13/1 e/w. Not at all sure whether or not the Galileo gelding has the finishing speed to win Australia's most famous race of the year, but I'm sure top trainer Chris Waller will have the gelding ready and raring to go for owner, Mr. Boniface Ho Ka Kui. .................... I believe champion Hong Kong-based Australian jockey, Zac Purton, will be riding Land Legend? ....................
There is contradictory information, first they said he was going to ride Land Legend, but then they said he was going to ride Absurde. I don't know in the end who will be chosen. If I could bet (I can't) my choice for the race would be Absurde, but I looked at that when he was going 16/1, if he's going 10/1 now I would think about it.
Anyone know exactly what the CT scan showed and whether it really is a risk to the horse‘s health? If the Australian officials are simply following the recognised procedures I don’t see how they can be criticised.
I have heard that there was not even a hairline visible on the scans. Vets were desperate to find something. I know someone who works with them on race days in the boxes, and asked yesterday. They kicked him out based on the issue the last time with AVD. There was no potential risk of injury as they were saying. AOB was in California and
It’s really interesting to do a review of AOBs past Breeders Cup runners and see what happened to them then and in their futures
MELBOURNE CUP 2024 BARRIER DRAW 1. VAUBAN (11) - Willie Mullins - William Buick - 55.5kg 2 - BUCKAROO (21) - Chris Waller - Joao Moreira - 54.5kg 3 - CIRCLE OF FIRE (24) - Ciaron Maher - Mark Zahra - 54.5kg 4 - WARP SPEED (3) - Noboru Takagi - Akira Sugawara - 54.5kg 5 - KOVALICA (17) - Chris Waller - Damian Lane - 53.5kg 6 - SHARP 'N' SMART (15) - G & D Rogerson - Michael Dee - 53.5kg 7 - JUST FINE (13) - G Waterhouse & A Bott - Jye McNeil - 53kg 8 - LAND LEGEND (18) - Chris Waller - Zac Purton - 53kg 9 - ABSURDE (7) - Willie Mullins - Kerrin McEvoy - 52.5kg 10 - ATHABASCAN (2) - J O'Shea & T Charlton - Zac Lloyd - 52kgs 11 - KNIGHT'S CHOICE (6) - J Symons & S Laxon - Robbie Dolan - 51.5kg 12 – OKITA SOUSHI (10) - Ciaron Maher - Jamie Kah - 51kg 13 - ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (12) - B Ellison - Craig Williams - 51kg 14 - ZARDOZI (4) - James Cummings - Andrea Atzeni - 51kg 15 - SEA KING (1) - Harry Eustace - Hollie Doyle 50kg 16 - VALIANT KING (22) - Chris Waller - Craig Newitt - 50.5kg 17 - FANCY MAN (19)- A Neasham & R Archibald - Ron Stewart - 50kg 18 - INTERPRETATION (14) - Ciaron Maher - Teo Nugent - 50kg 19 - MANZOICE (8) - Chris Waller - Tyler Schiller - 50kg 20 - MOSTLY CLOUDY (16) - T Busuttin & N Young - Karis Teetan - 50kg 21 - POSITIVITY (20) - Andrew Forsman - Winona Costin - 50kg 22 - SAINT GEORGE (9) - Ciaron Maher - TBA - 50kg 23 - THE MAP (23) - D Clarken & O MacGillivray - Rachel King - 50kg 24 - TRUST IN YOU (5) - B Wallace & G Cooksley - Mark Du Plessis - 50kg
Certainly a lousy draw for my ante-post fancy, Land Legend, in barrier 18, but what's done is done! Had a win on Absurde plus a 'dreamland' Rev. Forecast on Land Legend and Absurde (latter well-named for this wager!)
Interesting article in the Daily Mail on the thoughts of 7-times winning owner Lloyd Williams about this year's Melbourne Cup. He doesn't speak about things that much, but when he does give opinions on horse races, people sit-up and take notice. His first choice this year is Vauban, he feels the horse is in better shape this time, and is full of praise for Willie Mullins, who, as do most other racing fans, he considers to be one of the world's great racehorse trainers. Surprisingly, he does not fancy Buckaroo, who he feels is not suited by a Group-1 2m race. One little snippet that has renewed my hope for Land Legend was, in his words,"'The wide barrier will help Land Legend, because he won't pull in the run from out there and Zac Purton will be able to let him stride down the straight and get his rhythm", Williams said. Good article, worth a read.
Good watch this, 8mins - My attention was drawn to the race after the Cup with how enthusiastic Waller was. 3m33 for Land Legend
