Melbourne Cup dreams on line in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup on Friday night

The Moonee Valley Gold Cup will make or break the prospects of up to seven Melbourne Cup hopefuls on Friday night.

A number of Moonee Valley Gold Cup runners face a make or break scenario Friday night.

Up to seven starters, including favourite Francesco Guardi, must win – or place – to boost Melbourne Cup ambitions.

Francesco Guardi and Haaracaine at a minimum must place to satisfy the first ballot clause.

Second or third would be enough for Francesco Guardi, with 52kg in the Melbourne Cup, to scrape into the field on the first Tuesday in November at Flemington.

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Haaracaine must claim the $450,000 first prize to leapfrog 50kg entries in the order of entry.

Positivity (29th), Saint George (32nd), Brayden Star (34th), Okita Soushi (36th) and Manzoice (37th) could move up the Cup ranking with additional prizemoney earned on Friday night.

Francesco Guardi and Manzoice were scratched from last Wednesday’s Geelong Cup due to wide barriers and saved for the MV Cup.

Just Fine, $5 second favourite with Ladbrokes for the MV Cup, is qualified for the Melbourne Cup, while NZ import Sharp ‘N’ Smart, $20 outsider Friday night, is safely inside the top 24.

Serpentine, a $7 chance, isn’t nominated for the Melbourne Cup.

Saint George will aim to boost his Melbourne Cup ambitions on Friday night in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup. Picture: George Sal/Racing Photos via Getty Images

Saint George, while close enough 32nd in the order of entry, must rebound from a “pass mark” run last start at Flemington in the Group 3 Bart Cummings.

Saint George finished ninth in the 2520m Cup qualifier 4½ lengths behind Just Fine.

The imported Ciaron Maher-trained stayer was luckless at Caulfield three starts back and peaked on a run second-up, fourth in the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m).

Assistant trainer Jack Turnbull said Saint George has benefited from extra work since the Bart Cummings.

“Saint George is trying to get into the Melbourne Cup,” Turnbull said.

“Last start was a pass mark we thought, he had a big blow going up in trip, we have been pretty hard with him and he’s responded well I believe.

“We needed to (change a few things) but got to take on trust he’s got ability, like (last Saturday’s Caulfield Cup winner) Duke (De Sessa), at some point he’s going to show it.

“We’re probably running out of time beyond that, you’ve only really got the Bendigo Cup then (before) the Melbourne Cup and it’s also a bit close (for him).

“Hopefully he bounces back and you’re into the big one.”

Originally published as Melbourne Cup dreams on line in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup on Friday night