Gai Waterhouse fears Fiorente’s run from wide draw may sap strength in Melbourne Cup

GAI Waterhouse’s immediate concern after the Cox Plate was just how much the hard run endured by Fiorente would impact his Melbourne Cup chances.

It's theirs as jockey Chad Schofield and Shamus Award cross the line in the Cox Plate. Picture: Michael Klein

GAI Waterhouse’s immediate concern in the moments after the Cox Plate was just how much the hard run endured by Fiorente would impact his Melbourne Cup chances.

Blake Shinn felt he had the winner’s measure at the 600m, but working in the first half of the race off the widest draw took its toll in the straight.

“Hopefully it doesn’t take too much out of him,” Waterhouse said.

“He was very courageous and showed an enormous amount of tenacity.”

Fiorente’s fighting third saw him elevated to the top of Melbourne Cup betting.

Catch us if you can as Shamus Award and Chad Schofield head out of the straight on the first occasion. Picture: Jay Town

While he cemented his position at the top of the market, Puissance De Lune’s Cup hopes look in tatters after he pulled himself into the ground and dropped out to finish 12th, more than 10 lengths from the winner.

There were reports last night that owner Gerry Ryan had pulled the pin on a Cup start for the one-time favourite after stewards reported he was lame in the near foreleg

Puissance De Lune had at one stage been a $5 popular pick in early markets but last night was rated a $21 chance.

As always, the X-factor coming out of the race will be those from the Lloyd Williams camp.

It's theirs as jockey Chad Schofield and Shamus Award cross the line in the Cox Plate. Picture: Michael Klein

The previous motto of the stable has been to run only average in the Plate and then jump out of the ground on Melbourne Cup day. The first part of that script rang true yesterday.

The so-called No.1 seed Masked Marvel did not fire a shot and wound up second last. Defending Cup winner Green Moon was ninth, a length further adrift than he was last year. Given he jumps to 58kg, his task seems problematical.

That leaves Seville, who kept finding the line to run seventh, 5.5 lengths from the winner.

A Metropolitan winner has not won the Cup since Macdougal in 1959, but then again, the Williams-owned Efficient was the first Victoria Derby winner to land the Cup as a four-year-old since Phar Lap in 1930 when he saluted in 2007.

Seville looks a live hope, dropping to 54.5kg.