Melbourne Cup 2016: Joao Moreira in crucial familiarisation gallop on French stayer Heartbreak City
FOILED by Hong Kong’s extreme weather last week, Joao Moreira will fly to Melbourne on Friday to partner Melbourne Cup runner Heartbreak City in a familiarisation gallop.
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FOILED by Hong Kong’s extreme weather last week, champion jockey Joao Moreira will fly to Melbourne on Friday to partner intriguing Melbourne Cup runner Heartbreak City in a crucial familiarisation gallop.
Backed from $151 to equal fourth favourite at $13, Heartbreak City is trained by masterful Irish handler Tony Martin.
Martin, who is renowned for meticulous planning and executing huge betting coups, engaged Moreira on the condition the star hoop travelled from Hong Kong to ride the gelding in trackwork at Werribee.
Other conditions are that the Brazilian acquainted himself with Heartbreak City’s racing style by studying replays and took some rides on Derby Day.
COX PLATE: WHEN DAYLIGHT REALLY IS SECOND
Moreira lost the Cox Plate mount on Vadamos after Hong Kong Jockey Club stewards grounded him and Sam Clipperton because of concerns weather would prevent the pair from returning to Hong Kong for Sunday’s Sha Tin meeting.
VICTORIA DERBY: SACRED ELIXIR THRIVING AFTER “SOFT WIN”
Godolphin raider Second Wave will require veterinary clearance before racing again after his dismal ninth in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup.
Solidly backed, Second Wave raced three-wide without cover before finishing 35 lengths behind Grand Marshal.
A post-race veterinary examination revealed a slow recovery and an endoscopy detected a degree of exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage.
Godolphin will probably run Francis Of Assisi in Wednesday’s Bendigo Cup, hopeful of a top-three result that would enable him to pass the Melbourne Cup first ballot clause.
Several Cup contenders, including Bondi Beach and Curren Mirotic, worked at Werribee on Sunday.
Slug query for Marshal
A MELBOURNE Cup penalty will be considered on Monday for Moonee Valley Gold Cup winner Grand Marshal.
Racing Victoria chief handicapper Greg Carpenter will assess the merit of Grand Marshal’s victory before Cup second declarations on Monday.
The Chris Waller charge lumped 58kg in downing stablemate Who Shot Thebarman on Saturday as several other Cup contenders struggled in the conditions.
Grand Marshal drops to 53.5kg for the Cup.
Bidding to become the first horse since Kingston Rule to complete the Moonee Valley Gold Cup-Melbourne Cup double, he is 16th in the order of entry and has already secured a Cup start.
Second declarations are on Monday, with final declarations on Saturday.
MELBOURNE CUP ORDER OF ENTRY
Flemington, Tuesday week
SECOND DECLARATIONS MONDAY,
FINAL DECLARATIONS SATURDAY
1 Jameka (C Maher) 53.5kg
2 Almandin (R Hickmott) 51kg
3 Preferment (C Waller) 56.5kg (doubtful)
4 Big Orange (M Bell, Eng) 56kg
5 Our Ivanhowe (L & A Freedman) 56kg
6 Curren Mirotic (O Hirata, Japan) 55.5kg
7 Tarzino (M Price) 54kg (doubtful)
8 The United States (R Hickmott) 55.5kg (doubtful)
9 Hartnell (John O’Shea) 55kg
10 Who Shot Thebarman (C Waller) 55kg
11 Wicklow Brave (W Mullins, Ire) 55kg
12 Bondi Beach (A O’Brien, Ire) 55kg
13 Exospheric (L & A Freedman) 55kg
14 Scottish (C Appleby, Eng) 54.5kg
15 Tally (J O’Shea) 52.5kg (doubtful)
16 Grand Marshal (C Waller) 53.5kg
17 Gallante (R Hickmott) 53.5kg
18 Almoonqith (D & B Hayes and T Dabernig) 53.5kg
19 Real Love (D Weir) 52kg
20 Sir John Hawkwood (J Thompson) 53.0kg
21 Heartbreak City (T Martin, Ire) 53kg
22 Howard Be Thy Name (D Weir) 51.5kg
23 Beautiful Romance (S bin Suroor, Eng) 51.5kg
24 Excess Knowledge (G Waterhouse & A Bott) 52.5kg
25 Fanatic (G Sanders, NZ) 50kg (doubtful)
26 Zanteca (D Weir) 50kg (retired)
27 Assign (R Hickmott) 51kg
28 Sacred Master (C Waller) 51kg (doubtful)
29 Secret Number (S bin Suroor, Eng) 51kg
30 Grey Lion (Matt Cumani) 51kg
31 Qewy (C Appleby, Eng) 50.5kg
32 Pentathlon (J Wheeler, NZ) 50.5kg
33 Antonio Giuseppe (C Waller) 50kg (doubtful)
34 Rose Of Virginia (L & S Hope) 50kg
35 Aloft (R Hickmott) 50kg (doubtful)
36 Vengeur Masque (M Moroney) 50kg
37 Pemberley (C Maher) 50kg (doubtful)
38= Manndawi (Darren Weir) 50kg
38= Oceanographer (C Appleby, Eng) 50kg
40 Arab Dawn (J O’Shea) 50kg (doubtful)
NOT PASSED BALLOT
Tosen Stardom (D Weir) 53kg
Set Square (C Maher) 51.5kg
Dandy Gent (T & K O’Sullivan) 50kg
De Little Engine (D O’Brien) 50kg
Foundry (R Hickmott) 50kg
Francis Of Assisi (C Appleby, Eng) 50kg
Master Zephyr (D Weir) 50kg
Second Wave (C Appleby, Eng) 50kg
The Bandit (J Sadler) 50kg
Tom Melbourne (L & A Freedman) 50kg
White Dollar Sign (J Thom) 50kg
BETTING
Flemington, Tuesday week
$4.60 HARTNELL
$5.50 Jameka
$10 Almandin
$13 Bondi Beach, Heartbreak City
$15 Big Orange, Exosphere, Scottish
$17 Almoonqith, Grand Marshall, Wicklow Brave
$21 Curren Mirotic, Oceanographer, Qewy, Who Shot Thebarman
$26 Grey Lion, Our Ivanhowe
Odds: TAB
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