‘You can’t force a fairytale’: Dan Clarken and Oopy MacGillivray on hunt for new jockey to ride The Map in Melbourne Cup

SA trainers Dan Clarken and Oopy MacGillivray haven’t given up on a fairytale win in the Melbourne Cup with The Map as they search for a rider to replace Jamie Kah.

With champion jockey Jamie Kah booked to ride Point King in the Melbourne Cup, trainers Dan Clarken and Oopy MacGillivray will have to look elsewhere for a hoop to deliver their South Australian fairytale aboard The Map in the $8m feature.

Kah and The Map have proved a formidable combination with two wins from three attempts, and while Kah hoped to rekindle that partnership for long-time friends Clarken and MacGillivray, the hoop has committed to ride the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Point King, who she has a two-from-two record on.

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The Map will be ridden by Group 1-winning jockey Luke Currie in Saturday’s Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) at Caulfield, but who swings aboard when the mare carries a featherweight 50kg in the Melbourne Cup is yet to be determined.

“I think he (Currie) will do a terrific job (on Saturday), I don’t think he’s capable of getting down to 50kg, we’ve got our feelers out,” MacGillivray said.

“There’s people starting to put their hands up, we’re not going to rush into making a decision at this point, (we’re going) one little foot in front of the other.

“The one thing about The Map is that she’s pretty versatile, quite a few jockeys have had the pleasure of winning on her, hopefully a couple more get that pleasure in the not too distant future.”

Jamie Kah won’t be riding The Map in the Melbourne Cup. Picture: Morgan Hancock/Racing Photos via Getty Images

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While admitting that she would’ve loved to have orchestrated an all-SA pairing in the race that stops the nation, MacGillivray is confident they will lock in a suitable hoop for their gun mare at the 50kg weight.

“I think everyone in South Australia would’ve loved to have seen a little fairytale like that with a local horse and a South Australian-bred jockey, but you can’t force a fairytale,” she said.

“Our fairytale is still alive and well, The Map is fantastic and we’ll find someone who compliments her, we’re looking forward to the challenge.”

The Map will carry 54kg in Saturday’s Herbert Power Stakes, and is a $17 chance with TAB fixed odds. The Map is a $26 chance with TAB’s all-in Melbourne Cup market. “I’m looking forward to seeing exactly where she’s at, she’ll run well on Saturday, very well,” MacGillivray said.

The Map is going to the 2024 Melbourne Cup 🏆

Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray will have a runner in the famous race on the first Tuesday in November 🗺@LaneDamianpic.twitter.com/DJoYPdbDDf

— Racing.com (@Racing) May 18, 2024

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Clarken and MacGillivray will have their attention split on Saturday, with Thirsty Guest lining up in the Listed Murray Bridge Gold Cup (1600m).

The gelding finished third first-up at Morphettville in September, and will be ridden by Jacob Opperman.

“He’s a terrific horse with a big heart, he’ll go well, the plan was always to give him a shorter run first up, and then go straight to the Murray Bridge Cup,” she said.

“The plan is unfolding as it should, we’re looking forward to it.”

The training duo will also unveil filly Steel Trap at Murray Bridge. The filly will debut in the Moorundi Classic (900m) – the first two-year-old race of SA’s racing season.

Originally published as ‘You can’t force a fairytale’: Dan Clarken and Oopy MacGillivray on hunt for new jockey to ride The Map in Melbourne Cup