Melbourne Cup 2022 barrier draw: Favourite strikes gold
The barrier gods have been kind to heavily backed favourite Deauville Legend for Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup. Check out how the 24 runners fared in the all-important draw.
Horse Racing
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News.
UK stayer Deauville Legend is set to take a tighter stranglehold on Melbourne Cup favouritism after Saturday’s barrier draw for Tuesday’s $8m showpiece.
Deauville Legend is a dominant $3.50 favourite in TAB’s latest Melbourne Cup market after the draw, standing alone as the only runner under $10 in the betting.
Deauville Legend drew perfectly in barrier nine for jockey Kerrin McEvoy’s attempt to equal Bobbie Lewis and Harry White’s record of four Melbourne Cup wins.
Deauville Legend’s trainer James Ferguson was thrilled with the draw, which he said would give McEvoy every chance to deliver a Melbourne Cup win for Hong Kong-based owner Bon Ho.
“I’m really happy because I didn’t want him to draw wide or too low and be stuck in the inside,” Ferguson said.
ULTIMATE MELBOURNE CUP FORM GUIDE
“It’s exactly what we needed so we can get a nice position behind the leaders and have a good run.”
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Knight’s Order, the third placegetter in the Caulfield Cup, will do it tough in the Melbourne Cup after drawing barrier 24.
Another international, the Ed and Simon Crisford-trained Without A Fight remained at $10 despite drawing barrier 18.
Ed Crisford lamented plucking the barrier but he was confident British jockey William Buick would overcome the draw.
“It’s not the best draw, for sure, 18, I wanted a bit lower but it is what it is, it is long straight and I’m sure William (Buick) will work his magic,” Crisford said.
“Weather is not too much concern, he has won on soft ground in England, but I wanted to be between four and 12, we’re out a bit but it’s fine. The horse is doing great.”
Caulfield Cup runner-up Gold Trip stayed at $13 drawing near the middle of the line in gate 14.
Gold Trip will be one of five Melbourne Cup runners for leading Victorian trainers Ciaron Maher and Dave Eustace.
Maher and Eustace also Grand Promenade ($51), Smokin’ Romans ($21), High Emocean ($51) and Interpretation ($34), who only made the Melbourne Cup at acceptance time on Saturday afternoon.
“Delighted for the whole team, they should be very proud to get (five) horses into the race,” Eustace said.
“I think the majority of them are drawn very well, I probably would‘ve liked to see Smokin’ Romans drawn a little bit further in given his run style but the others are drawn great.”
“If I had a ride in the race I‘d be on Gold Trip and I’d be on Smokin’ Romans and then I’d be on Interpretation.”
Seven-time Melbourne Cup-winning owner Lloyd Williams has two chances for an eighth win in the great race with English Derby winner Serpentine and Point Nepean to carry his navy and white silks.
Point Nepean earned a ballot exemption by winning the Andrew Ramsden in April but Serpentine scraped into the race with his second placing in Saturday’s Archer Stakes.
Cox Plate-winning jockey John Allen picked up the ride on Serpentine.
“Lloyd has a great history in the race and it is great to ride one of his horses. There is a bit of history there,” Allen said. “Hopefully he can run well.”
Serpentine is a $51 chance after drawing barrier 23 while Point Nepean is a $101 chance after drawing slightly better in 20.
WHAT THE FAVOURITE BRINGS
The James Ferguson-trained Deauville Legend is only one horse in single-figure odds for next Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup.
Deauville Legend brings stellar form to Australian shores and has the added benefit of being ridden by Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy.
Irish stayer Without a Fight is an $11 fixed odds chance.
At his last start, Deauville Legend won the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes over 2385m, beating El Bodegon by 4.3 lengths who then came out and ran third in last week’s Cox Plate.
That form reads extremely well for this, however, there are two queries on the favourite.
1: He has never raced on soft or heavy ground which he will get on Tuesday.
2: He has never raced beyond 2615m.
While he gives every indication the 3200m will not be an issue, it’s still a query regardless.
There are two other overseas raiders — Hoo Ya Mal ($21) and Camorra ($34) — racing in Australia for the first time.
Hoo Ya Mal is in the care of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott while Camorra is trained by Ben and JD Hayes.
Without A Fight is trained by Simon and Ed Crisford in the UK.
More Coverage
Originally published as Melbourne Cup 2022 barrier draw: Favourite strikes gold
US racing tycoon eyes The Everest visit
Resolving US Breeders Cup scheduling clashes is the key to American thoroughbred tycoon John Stewart making the trip to Sydney to watch his brilliant colt Storm Boy contest The Everest.
The $37 million trial: Group 1 stars clash at Randwick
If this group was to clash in a race, it would be one of the highlights of the spring carnival but instead they will contest a 1000m trial at Randwick on Tuesday morning.