Kiwi star Mongolian Khan takes out Caulfield Cup after perfect ride from Opie Bosson

TAB BIG BETS: NEW Zealand, China and Tasmania combined to take the honours when favourite Mongolian Khan won the $3 million Caulfield Cup.

Rod Nicholson

6 min read

October 17, 2015 - 7:26PM

Caulfield Cup Day races at Caulfield Racecourse, Race9- (L) Opie Bosson onboard Mongolian Khan wins from (R) Tommy Berry onboard Trip to Paris. with the cup . Melbourne. 17th October 2015. Picture: Colleen Petch. CaulfieldCup15

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NEW Zealand, China and Tasmania combined to take the honours when favourite Mongolian Khan won the $3 million Caulfield Cup, but Japan and the UK - along with Australia’s own Lee Freedman - were the big shorteners to claim the $6 million Melbourne Cup.

Mongolian Khan, born in Tasmania, owned in China, and trained by Murray Baker and ridden by Opie Bosson from New Zealand, won the 2400m Caulfield Cup and firmed from $14 into $7 for the 3200m Melbourne Cup.

REPORT CARD: HOW EACH RUNNER PERFORMED

Racing Victoria chief handicapper Greg Carpenter on Monday morning will decide if the dual Derby winner will receive a penalty for the Melbourne Cup.

Carpenter said his main consideration would not be the form or potential of the four-year-old horse, who cost only $9000 as a weanling, but how he assessed whether the horse can run the extra 800m in the Melbourne Cup.

“He is in outstanding form, and now has three wins at Group 1 level in the 2400m range. It is a case of assessing if he can run the extra 800m, and what sort of penalty he should get against horses who are tried and tested at the distance,” Carpenter said.

Jockey Opie Bosson celebrates after winning the Caulfield Cup on Mongolian Khan ahead of Trip To Paris. Picture: Michael Klein

After three decades of near misses, Baker finally got his hands on the Caulfield Cup trophy when his outstanding four-year-old held off English stayer Trip To Paris ($31) by a half-length.

The Lee Freedman-trained Our Ivanhowe ($26) finished third, one-and-a-quarter lengths away.

“I’ve been close a few times, I’ve had two seconds and two thirds in the Caulfield Cup – I’ve got one for good attendance,’’ Baker said.

“We knew this horse could stay a strong 2400m, it was a great ride by Opie Bosson, and it was just a matter of whether he was good enough on the day.

“It’s a big thrill because we have always had a big opinion of Mongolian Khan but winning these big races in Australia is not easy. We have finally done it.’’

Mongolian Khan beats Trip To Paris to win the Caulfield Cup. Picture: Colleen Petch

While Mongolian Khan, the $5 favourite, was outstanding, a host of other Melbourne Cup fancies were just as impressive as they head to the longer journey.

The TAB was swift to slash the quote of Fame Game from $5.50 into $4.60 outright Cup favourite after the Japanese star stormed home from last at the 400m to finish sixth.

The six-year-old horse is better suited to the 3200m at Flemington and is regarded as the best Japanese raider to visit these shores.

Runner-up Trip To Paris firmed from $16 into $6 as he too ran home strongly to be beaten only a half-length.

Trainer Ed Dunlop knows a bit about the Melbourne Cup. His other visitor is Red Cadeaux, who has been runner-up three of the four years he has contested the race.

Mongolian Khan was backed heavily to win the Melbourne Cup on Friday, with the TAB taking a $10,000 bet at $16 and a $5000 bet at $15.

The TAB now has him on the third line of betting at $7 behind Japanese stayer Fame Game ($4.60) and the Ed Dunlop-trained Trip To Paris ($6).

Fame Game finished sixth.

Winning jockey Opie Bosson after his Caulfield Cup triumph on Mongolian Khan. Picture: Colleen Petch

Another UK galloper, Snow Sky, also firmed from $16 into $10 after finishing fifth.

Ridden by Damien Oliver, he raced on the pace and fought on better than any other galloper in a testing trial for the Melbourne Cup.

While the three internationals, plus Mongolian Khan, attracted most attention, champion trainer Lee Freedman could not have been more delighted with the effort of Our Ivanhowe.

The six-year-old settled ninth and went to the front with the winner, but lacked Mongolian Khan’s zip, fighting on to finish third only one-and-three-quarters of a length away.

He remains a $16 chance to give Freedman a sixth Melbourne Cup.

The John Sargent-trained mare Gust Of Wind stayed at $18 for the Cup with a strong fourth, while Who Shot The Barman, third in last year’s Melbourne Cup, showed he also is on track for the 3200m when he ran home strongly from 16th at the 800m to finish seventh.

The TAB has kept him safe at $12.

- with Ray Thomas

TAB DIVIDENDS

1st 6. MONGOLIAN KHAN

J: Opie Bosson. T: Murray Baker

$4.70 win

$2.00 place

2nd 7. TRIP TO PARIS

J: Tommy Berry. T: Ed Dunlop

$8.00 place

3rd 4. OUR IVANHOWE

J: Ben Melham. T: Lee & Anthony Freedman

$7.10 place

EXOTIC RESULTS & DIVIDENDS

Quinella: 6-7 $81.00

Exacta: 6-7 $120.50

Duet: 6-7 $38.70

Duet: 6-4 $23.10

Duet: 7-4 $86.90

Trifecta: 6-7-4 $2,460.10

First Four: 6-7-4-16 $57,951.70

Scratchings: 19, 20, 21, 22

HOW THEY FINISHED

1. MONGOLIAN KHAN (O Bosson)

2. TRIP TO PARIS (T Berry)

3. OUR IVANHOWE (B Melham)

4. GUST OF WIND (C Schofield)

5. SNOW SKY (D Oliver)

6. FAME GAME (Z Purton)

7. WHO SHOT THEBARMAN (B Shinn)

8. HAURAKI (J B McDonald)

9. LUCIA VALENTINA (D Dunn)

10. HOKKO BRAVE (Craig Williams)

11. GRAND MARSHAL (J A Cassidy)

12. VOLKSTOK’N’BARRELL (C Newitt)

13. RISING ROMANCE (Damian Lane)

14. MAGNAPAL (D Yendall)

15. PROTECTIONIST (B Avdulla)

16. SET SQUARE (K McEvoy)

17. MAGICOOL (J Winks)

18. ROYAL DESCENT (G Boss)

COX PLATE (2040m)

Moonee Valley, Saturday

$5 Criterion

$5.50 Kermadec, Winx

$6 Highland Reel

$9 Arod

$10 Preferment

$12 Fawkner

$16 Hartnell

$17 Happy Trail, Mongolian Khan

$18 The Cleaner

MELBOURNE CUP (3200m)

Flemington, Tuesday, Nov 3

$4.60 Fame Game

$6 Trip To Paris

$7 Mongolian Khan

$10 Snow Sky

$11 Preferment

$12 Max Dynamite, Who Shot Thebarman

$14 Amralah

$16 Hokko Brave, Bondi Beach, Kingfisher, Our Ivanhowe

$18 Big Orange, Criterion, Dandino, Gust Of Wind, Hartnell

$21 Hauraki

$26 Red Cadeaux

ODDS: TAB

CAULFIELD TAB BIG BETS

RACE ONE

Silent Sedition saw late money come for it ($4-$3.60). Italy ($5-$5.50-$5) was the most popular runner in terms of money taken while Andrioli was tried at the eachway odds ($9-$8.50).

BETS: Silent Sedition $3000 @ $3.80, $2000 @ $3.60

RACE TWO

Santa Ana Lane proved to be a costly conveyance for punters in this one.

Backed from $2.90-$2.45, he held just over 50 per cent of all investments on the race.

Takedown was the nest best backed ($4.50-$4.40), while Holler ($4.40-$4.60) was the next best backed runner.

BETS: Santa Ana Lane $3100 @ $2.60

Lumosty (left) and Eclair Choice dead heat the Caufield Sprint. Picture: Colleen Petch

RACE THREE

Ball Of Muscle blew like a gale and went from $2.90 in the morning out to as much as $4 before starting at $3.80.

Kinglike touched $4 at one stage but went back out to $4.40, while Kuro drifted to $4.60 but started the second pick at $4.

One punter had a huge go on Lumosty ($5-$4.60) late in betting.

BETS: Lumosty $31,250 @ $5

RACE FOUR

Ambience and Honesta were the two punters wanted to be with for most of the week, however, Dawn Of Hope ($9-$6) was the main mover today.

Ambience bottomed out at $2.30 but blew to $2.70 while Honesta was $3.20 to $3.50 on Saturday.

Dawnie Perfect was $41-$26.

BETS: Ambience $5000 @ $2.60

RACE FIVE

The late dump was for Lizard Island who was smashed from $5.50 into $4.20 favourite.

As a result of the heavy support for the favourite, Sacred Eye blew out badly from $3.70 out to $4.60 but despite the drift, landed the money.

Eclair Attack was fancied to figure in the finish and was tried at eachway odds ($21-$9.50-$11) while Ragnaar drifted late ($5.50-$7).

BETS: Sacred Eye $2300 @ $4.20

Stratum Star and Mark Zahra combine for a strong victory. Picture: Jay Town

RACE SIX

Dibiyani was smashed late from $9 into $7 but gave his punters little chance after going bush on the home turn.

Stratum Star ($3-$4.60) was the third best backed runner in the race behind Fenway ($6-$4.80) and Sadlers Lake ($4-$5.50).

Velox hovered around the $11-$10 mark throughout betting.

Leebaz was $14 into $8.50.

BETS: Fenway $2500 @ $4; Sacred Star $3500 @ $3.50

RACE SEVEN

Under The Louvre proved to be a costly second once again to TAB customers.

Backed from $3.50 into $2.35, Under The Louvre was one of the best supported runners anywhere in Australia all day.

Holding well over half of the total investment on the race, Under The Louvre attracted several big bets.

Vashka drifted from its opening price of $5 to start at $8, while Worthy Cause attracted a huge bet to run a place but just missed out.

BETS: Worthy Cause $70,000 @ $2.36 place; Under The Louvre $5000 @ $2.35

RACE EIGHT

Catkins went out as the popular elect with punters. Despite getting out from $3.60 to $4.50, it would start at $3.90 and hold 35 percent of the total investment.

Sabatini was solid at $5 throughout most of the afternoon and jumped at $6, while Jessy Belle was specked at eachway odds ($10.$9.50). Solicit was $13-$11 late.

BETS: Hazard $4000 @ $2.45 place

RACE NINE

Mongolian Khan was the punters pick right from the word go. $4.80 after Tuesday’s barrier draw and bottoming out at $4.20, it would blow out to as much as $5 at one stage today before some serious bets came in. It would jump at $4.80.

Snow Sky was the best backed to beat the favourite. After being $12 on Tuesday, it was crunched into $8 ($8.50 starting price). Hauraki ($10-$9) was tried throughout the day, Rising Romance drifted slightly ($10-$11) while Set Square was rock solid throughout the day at the $9 quote.

BETS: Mongolian Khan $10,000 e/w @ $5/$2, $10,000 @ $5

RACE 10

Afleet Esprit was heavily backed overnight and again on Saturday. For most of betting she was the most popular runner in terms of money taken. As much as $15 was offered and she bottomed out at $7 before drifting out to $11.

Vezelay was kept safe in betting and hovered around the $6-$5.50 mark throughout. The Messina Nymph was the most confidently-backed horse in the race, firming from $6-$4.40.

Brook Road ($5-$7.50) drifted alarmingly in the closing stages of betting.

FUTURES BETTING

VICTORIA DERBY

Get The Picture $15-$8 (after finishing fourth in Caulfield Classic)

Ragnaar $8.50-$15 (after finishing unplaced Caulfield Classic)

Ayers Rock $15-$26 (after finishing unplaced Caulfield Classic)

Etymology $18-$15 (after finishing third Caulfield Classic)

MARKET: TAB FIXED ODDS

MELBOURNE CUP

Fame Game $7-$5.50 (before Caulfield Cup) - now $4.60

Trip To Paris $16-$6 (after finishing 2nd Caulfield Cup)

Mongolian Khan $14-$7 (after winning Caulfield Cup)