Brayden Star could miss out on 2024 Melbourne Cup run after luckless Moonee Valley Gold Cup run

Things went awry in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup, leaving a Cranbourne stable with an anxious wait to see if an import sneaks in the Melbourne Cup field.

Trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young are preparing unlucky Moonee Valley Gold Cup runner Brayden Star like a Melbourne Cup chance despite anxiously hoping for a start in the great race.

Brayden Star was held up from the 400m to the 100m when fourth to Okita Soushi in last Friday night’s Moonee Valley Gold Cup.

That outing left Brayden Star 28th in line for a Melbourne Cup berth, needing some of the usual attrition to occur in the next few days to sneak into the field.

Busuttin said the six-year-old would have the routine of a Melbourne Cup runner for the next week.

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“He went and had a (bone) scan on Monday,” Busuttin said.

“We’ll pretend he’s in the race and we’ll see what happens.

“If he doesn’t get in, he’ll probably run in the 2800m race on the same day.”

Busuttin and Young have two runners in the top 24 in the Melbourne Cup ballot order with Muramasa and Mostly Cloudy qualified for the $8m race.

Co-trainer Trent Busuttin rated Muramasa as a top five chance in next Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup. Picture: Michael Klein

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Muramasa improved when a strong third to English galloper Onesmoothoperator in the Geelong Cup, an effort that convinced Busuttin the five-year-old could perform well in the Melbourne Cup.

“I thought Muramasa’s was a great run in the Geelong Cup but the winner was fantastic,” Busuttin said.

“We’ve just got to ride him quieter and he’s just got to draw a soft gate.

“I genuinely think he’s a top-five chance, that horse.

“We’re certainly not super confident but if he won, it would not surprise.”

That's Onesmoothoperator 😎

The import makes a mess of them in the 2024 Geelong Cup 🏆 @[e-mail]/OtrkUC6ka9

— Racing.com (@Racing) October 23, 2024

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Muramasa will drop 5.5kg to carry 51kg in the Melbourne Cup while Mostly Cloudy is weighted on the 50kg minimum.

Busuttin said Mostly Cloudy was unlikely to win the Melbourne Cup but he expected him to earn prizemoney for connections.

“Mostly Cloudy, he’ll go there as a top 10 chance,” Busuttin said.

“He’ll stay two miles.

“He’s not hopeless. Is he going to win the race? Probably not. But he’ll run well.”

Busuttin and Young have booked Hong Kong-based Karis Teetan to ride Mostly Cloudy.

Originally published as Brayden Star could miss out on 2024 Melbourne Cup run after luckless Moonee Valley Gold Cup run