Melbourne Cup 2016: Ciaron Maher buoyant about his mare after Hartnell’s heavy defeat

TAB MARKETS: MELBOURNE Cup favourite Hartnell’s Cox Plate thrashing has given Ciaron Maher more confidence Jameka is perfectly placed to fulfil his Cup dream.

MELBOURNE CUP favourite Hartnell’s Cox Plate thrashing has given Ciaron Maher more confidence Jameka is perfectly placed to fulfil his Cup dream.

After running a brave eight-length second to super mare Winx at Moonee Valley on Saturday, Hartnell is a $4.80 top pick with UBET for next Tuesday’s $6 million race.

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Caulfield Cup winner Jameka is second favourite at $6.

Hartnell had three straight wins by a combined 17 lengths going in to the Cox Plate, including the Turnbull Stakes by three lengths from Jameka, before Maher’s four-year-old mare came out and put a strong Caulfield Cup field to the sword.

Maher said although Cox Plate winner Winx “overshadowed” everything else, he didn’t think the Hartnell camp would be buoyed going in to the Melbourne Cup.

“Obviously it’s not going to get a lot of confidence out of that run,” he said at Flemington yesterday. “I’ll take any little advantage we can get.”

Maher worked Jameka at Sandown on Saturday and said his stable star’s preparation was right on track.

“We aimed to peak her for these two races (Caulfield and Melbourne Cups),’’ he said.

“She improved into the Caulfield Cup and, hopefully, she improves again. She had a few easy days on Mordialloc beach and seems nice and bright. She did a piece of work at Sandown on Saturday. Her work was good and strong.’’

Hartnell has retained support despite the margin of the Cox Plate defeat, partly because the import has a Royal Ascot win over the Melbourne Cup distance of 3200m and a fourth in last year’s Sydney Cup over the same trip.

Nick Hall celebrates as Jameka crosses the line to effortlessly win the Caulfield Cup. Picture: Getty Images

Jameka has not been tested beyond the 2500m she travelled to win last’s year’s VRC Oaks, but Maher was adamant the Cup distance would not be an issue.

“She gives every indication to me she will run two mile,’’ he said. “Her breeding doesn’t suggest that, but she doesn’t know that and she is an exceptional athlete.

“Two miles, I think, is a speciality distance. Not a lot of horses get it.

“She definitely has all the attributes and qualities needed to run the trip, I think.”

After second acceptances on Monday, five of the top 10 horses in the betting are internationals, with Jameka leading the local charge.

Maher said the mare was strong enough to carry the hopes of the nation.

“She’s a strong girl. She has big shoulders. She’ll probably need them,” the Caulfield trainer said.

“But I am happy to carry it.”

FLEMINGTON MARKETS

COOLMORE STUD STAKES

1200m, Saturday

$3.50 Astern

$3.50 Extreme Choice

$4.20 Star Turn

$6 Russian Revolution

$7 Flying Artie

$11 Capitalist

$21 Derryn

$31+ others

MYER CLASSIC

1600m, Saturday

$4.40 First Seal

$5 Don’t Doubt Mamma

$6.50 Dixie Blossoms, Whispering Brook

$7.50 Heavens Above

$9 Danish Twist, Rising Romance

$13+ others

CANTALA MILE

1600m, Saturday

$4.50 The United States

$6 Seaburge

$7 He’s Our Rokkii, Palentino, Mackintosh

$11 Hey Doc, Le Romain, McCreery, Vadamos, Voodoo Lad

$15+ others

Hartnell (blue silks) is beaten up badly by Winx in Saturday’s Cox Plate. Picture: George Salpigtidis

VICTORIA DERBY

2500m, Saturday

$3.20 Sacred Elixir

$7 So Si Bon

$8 Good Standing

$9 Rocketeer

$10 Inference

$11 Prized Icon, Swear

$13+ others

WAKEFUL STAKES

2000m, Saturday

$3 Tiamo Grace

$4.20 Sebring Dream

$6 Pretty Punk

$6.50 Missrock

$8.50 Bella Sorellastra

$13 Waterloo Sunset

$17 Alliterate

$21+ others

MELBOURNE CUP

3200m, next Tuesday

$4.60 Hartnell

$6 Jameka

$10 Almandin

$13 Bondi Beach

$14 Heartbreak City

$15 Big Orange, Exospheric, Scottish

$17 Almoonqith, Wicklow Brave

$21 Curren Mirotic, Grand Marshal, Who Shot Thebarman

$26 Oceanographer, Our Ivanhowe, Qewy

$35 Beautiful Romance, Grey Lion, Real Love, Secret Number, Sir John Hawkwood, Tally

$51 Assign, Excess Knowledge, Gallante, Howard Be Thy Name, Pentathlon

$101 others

Odds: TAB

Ciaron Maher says Jameka’s in ideal order for her Melbourne Cup challenge. Picture: AAP