Melbourne Cup 2016: Trainer Willie Mullins puts faith in Frankie Dettori to lift Wicklow Brave to victory

WICKLOW Brave’s trainer Willie Mullins figures his jockey Frankie Dettori is “due” in the Melbourne Cup and will leave tactics on Tuesday entirely up to the riding genius.

WICKLOW Brave’s trainer Willie Mullins figures his jockey Frankie Dettori is “due” in the Melbourne Cup and will leave tactics on Tuesday entirely up to the riding genius.

Mullins and Dettori came close last year when they teamed with runner-up Max Dynamite, but their chances were dealt a blow when Wicklow Brave drew gate 24 on Saturday night.

“The barrier is not ideal but we know he can do it,” Mullins said.

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“I try to take a bit of comfort in the fact that when he (Wicklow Brave) won the Country Hurdle in Cheltenham he was wide the whole way, so that won’t bother him.

“I will let Frankie decide all those tactics. He’s been around the Melbourne Cup often enough. “He’s been riding out of his skin this year and he’s due a Melbourne Cup.

“I haven’t spoken to him about the Cup at all yet. I will probably have a word to him an hour or so before the race, but I will really be leaving it up to him.

“He’s ridden in plenty of them and hopefully he has a horse this year that will go close.”

Frankie Dettori came close to win the Cup last year with runner-up Max Dynamite. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Trackwork eagles at Werribee have felt for some time that Wicklow Brave is the pick of the internationals this year and Mullins liked what he saw on Saturday morning.

“The work he did was a huge bit of work. If he can overcome his draw and repeat that work on Tuesday he’s going to give a great account of himself,” he said.

Mullins rates Wicklow Brave on a similar level to his previous Cup runners Simenon (fourth) and Max Dynamite, but admits to having concerns by the handicap after his Melbourne Cup weight was lifted in the wake of his win over world class Order Of St George in the Irish St Leger.

“I wasn’t even sure I wanted to run him in the Irish St Leger, but it cut up so much, (to just four runners) we ran,” Mullins said. “He got 1.5kg for winning that, so I hope it doesn’t slow me, but it’s nice compensation anyhow.

“I think winning the Melbourne Cup would be right up there with anything. Winning the Grand National to me was top of the pops, this would be right up there with it.

“When we were dreaming of winning the Grand National, no one in Europe thought we could come down here and win a Melbourne Cup. It was a new horizon.

“Having come so close, you want to win it even more.”

Heartbreak City trainer Tony Martin says while Wicklow Brave’s formline is formidable, Mullins’ prowess is something else.

“I think whatever beats him will win,” Martin said. “I don’t think our fellow (Heartbreak City) will be too far behind ... but I think the two best trainers in the world (are) Willie Mullins and Aidan O’Brien and just whatever Willie does, he’s just a genius.”

Originally published as Melbourne Cup 2016: Trainer Willie Mullins puts faith in Frankie Dettori to lift Wicklow Brave to victory