James McDonald says Hartnell’s improved attitude off the track is the Cup favourite’s biggest assets

HARTNELL has looked like the incredible hulk for most of the spring, but it’s an improved attitude off the track that has jockey James McDonald supremely confident.

James McDonald riding Hartnell to victory in the Turnbull Stakes.

JAMES McDonald will have a good idea how the favourably handicapped Hartnell will perform in the Melbourne Cup by the time he leaves the mounting yard on the ruling favourite.

Hartnell has looked like the incredible hulk for most of the spring, with a number of his Cup rivals made to look second rate behind him.

The only two exceptions were when he was beaten by freakish mare Winx first up and in the Cox Plate.

On Monday, McDonald said “I am expecting him to win.”

McDonald believes that much of Hartnell’s success can be put down to his improved attitude.

“The whole demeanour about the horse has been different,” he said.

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“He’s a lot more relaxed in the birdcage and you could say 95 per cent of these races are won in the birdcage to be fair. A lot of horses, crumble and others handle it.

“He’s handling it really well at the moment, which he’s going to need to be. He needs to save as much energy as possible.”

Two months ago, McDonald thought Hartnell’s best hope to win a feature race this carnival was the Metropolitan in Sydney. Instead he now finds himself riding the Melbourne Cup favourite.

Even after Hartnell won the Chelmsford Stakes, McDonald said “he’s not a topliner” and doubted he would have the class to win one of the big Cups.

But smashing wins in the Hill and Turnbull Stakes meant Godolphin set the bar higher. The Caulfield Cup was bypassed to avoid a penalty for the Cup.

Handicapper Greg Carpenter said of all Cup runners, Hartnell is the one that is in light.

“If I was sitting here preparing the weights now. Hartnell would be clearly the top weighted horse in the race,” he said.

Hartnell’s jockey James McDonald is supremely confident ahead of the Melbourne Cup.

“I haven’t really exercised my mind exactly what, but he would have at least 2kg more than he has now.

McDonald concurs with Carpenter about Hartnell’s handicap.

“He’s always been a good horse and this preparation we are reaping the rewards,” McDonald said.

“I am looking forward to him dropping in weight. He hasn’t carried 56kg for a long time. I know it doesn’t seem like a lot, but it’s going to be a big difference from carrying 59kg in the weight for age races.”

Champion trainer Chris Waller, who has Who Shot Thebarman and Grand Marshal, is one of many who believe today’s Cup is Hartnell’s to lose.

“If he runs the two miles, he’s got the best form going into the race, unopposed,” Waller said.

“I don’t think he’s quite at home at the Valley, his form leading up to the Cox Plate was just devastating and he’s well weighted. If he runs two miles he will win the Melbourne Cup.

Originally published as James McDonald says Hartnell’s improved attitude off the track is the Cup favourite’s biggest assets