Belmont Gold Cup winner The Grey Wizard a late entry for the 2024 Melbourne Cup
A race in Nashville in Wednesday will play a part in which a qualified Melbourne Cup late entry makes the trip to Australia to race at Flemington on the first Tuesday in November.
A US stayer that has already qualified for the great race is a late entry for the Melbourne Cup.
The Grey Wizard earned a Melbourne Cup ballot exemption for his win in the Grade 2 Belmont Gold Cup (2m) at Saratoga in June.
Trainer Graham Motion said after the Belmont Gold Cup that making the trip to Melbourne was a tough exercise but he was considering a crack at Australia’s greatest race.
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“I love the concept [of the Melbourne Cup],” Motion said.
“Ask me again in October. I’m huge about international racing. I love this idea. It’s a huge undertaking to do that, but it’s nice to think about.
It’s tough to get handicapped the right way, it’s tough to do the shipping, it’s tough to do the quarantine. But this (winning the Belmont Gold Cup is an incentive.”
The Grey Wizard comfortably won the $US200,000 Cape Henlopen Stakes at Delaware Park and is likely to start favourite in Wednesday’s inaugural Nashville Cup at Kentucky Downs.
THE GREY WIZARD wins the Grade 2 Belmont Gold Cup and a Golden Ticket to the Melbourne Cup at @FlemingtonVRC under @ljlmvel for @GrahamMotion! pic.twitter.com/CCXepGsUED
— Belmont Stakes (@BelmontStakes) June 6, 2024
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While The Grey Wizard is assured of a Melbourne Cup start if connections decide to make the trip, another spot in the $8m race will be on the line in the Group 3 Archer Stakes on Saturday.
Previously the last chance to make the Melbourne Cup field on Victoria Derby Day, The Archer has been brought forward seven weeks to the Makybe Diva Stakes card in 2024.
The 2019 Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare tops the 14 entries for the Archer Stakes while promising stayer Berkshire Breeze is one of three nominations from the Ciaron Maher camp.
TAB posted Berkshire Breeze as the $3 favourite in its ‘all-in’ betting ahead of $4.50 chance Horrifying, who has won his past two starts.
Originally published as Belmont Gold Cup winner The Grey Wizard a late entry for the 2024 Melbourne Cup
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