Danny O’Brien confident Vow And Declare can repel Melbourne Cup’s 11 international challengers
Faced with 11 international Melbourne Cup challengers, trainer Danny O’Brien he has the horse to repel the overseas marauders – and he wants Australians to get behind the hometown story.
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Faced with 11 international Melbourne Cup challengers, Flemington trainer Danny O’Brien is confident Vow And Declare can repel the overseas marauders and complete the fabled treble of Victorian spring majors.
O’Brien has tasted Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate glory, but not the Melbourne Cup at his own home-track.
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“This is the one … it is a very elusive target, more and more so with the internationalisation of the race in the last decade,” O’Brien said.
“There are very few Australian connections that even get a look at it these days.
“It would be nice to think the public was keen to see an Australian horse win it, and our horse ticks every box.
“He is bred in Australia, he is owned by Australians, he is ridden (Craig Williams) and trained by Australians, I think he is the only one in the race who can say that."
Declaring the barrier draw for Tuesday’s $8 million feature redundant after Caulfield Cup runner-up Vow And Declare landed in barrier 21, O’Brien believes he has the firepower to turn the tables on Japan’s Mer De Glace.
“He was too sharp for us at Caulfield,” he said.
“We dragged him into the race and he sprinted past us.
“Our hope is that we’re going an extra 800m in the Cup and our stamina can hopefully blunt his brilliance.
“If he sprints at the end of two miles like he did at the end of a mile and a half, we’re in trouble.
“Two big pluses for us – 3200m and Flemington.”
Mer De Glace is now TAB $7 Cup favourite after drawing barrier two, while Constantinople (gate seven) eased slightly to $8.
Mer De Glace’s trainer Hisashi Shimizu said he is worried about the gun stayer running out the 3200m trip at his first attempt beyond 2400m.
Damian Lane is chasing a clean sweep of Melbourne racing majors after winning the Caulfield Cup on Mer De Glace and the Cox Plate aboard Lys Gracieux.
Lindsay Park’s Ben Hayes was elated with Constantinople’s draw.
“I had a good fist pump,” he said.
“The ideal barrier that I wanted was in between five and ten.
“He is smack bang in the middle and from that gate he can just jump and get into a lovely position.”
Ciaron Maher said Southern France represents his best ever chance of Cup glory after drawing barrier 14.
The former Aidan O'Brien-trained stayer will make his Australia debut on Tuesday but Maher hasn't got any concerns.
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“He's in good order, he had a nice gallop this morning and he's ready to go," Maher said.
“He's got the right weight and he's a big strong horse.”
Maher said master trainer O'Brien had been "superb" in helping the stable with Southern France, a $26 chance with TAB, for the Cup.
Charlie Fellowes described Prince Of Arran's draw of gate 8 as “the perfect draw”.
“If I could have picked somewhere, it would have been between five and 10," he said.
“Hopefully we roll forward a little bit and get a bit of cover and get to the rail if we can … get a wide trip, hopefully.
“It should be relatively straightforward.”
– with GLENN McFARLANE, GILBERT GARDINER and LAUREN WOOD
CUP FIELD AND BARRIERS
1. CROSS COUNTER (GB) — 57.5KG – BARRIER 5
2. MER DE GLACE (JPN) — 56KG – BARRIER 2
3. MASTER OF REALITY (IRE) — 55.5KG – BARRIER 1
4. MIRAGE DANCER (GB) — 55.5KG – BARRIER 13
5. SOUTHERN FRANCE (IRE) — 55.5KG – BARRIER 14
6. HUNTING HORN (IRE) — 55KG – BARRIER 11
7. LATROBE (IRE) — 55KG – BARRIER 22
8. MUSTAJEER (GBR) — 55KG – BARRIER 6
9. ROSTROPOVICH (IRE) — 55KG – BARRIER 12
10. TWILIGHT PAYMENT (IRE) — 55KG – BARRIER 19
11. FINCHE (GB) — 54KG – BARRIER 4
12. PRINCE OF ARRAN (GB) — 54KG – BARRIER 8
13. RAYMOND TUSK (GB) — 54KG – BARRIER 3
14. DOWNDRAFT (IRE) — 53.5KG – BARRIER 15
15. MAGIC WAND (IRE) — 53.5KG – BARRIER 24
16. NEUFBOSC (FR) — 53.5KG – BARRIER 23
17. SOUND (GER) — 53.5KG – BARRIER 10
18. SURPRISE BABY — 53.5KG – BARRIER 20
19. CONSTANTINOPLE (IRE) — 52.5KG – BARRIER 7
20. IL PARADISO (IRE) — 52.5KG – BARRIER 17
21. STEEL PRINCE — 52.5KG – BARRIER 16
22. THE CHOSEN ONE — 52KG – BARRIER 18
23. VOW AND DECLARE — 52KG – BARRIER 21
24. YOUNGSTAR — 52KG – BARRIER 9