Melbourne Cup favourite Jan Brueghel steps out at Werribee quarantine centre

Melbourne Cup favourite Jan Brueghel has taken to the Werribee track as the unbeaten galloper settles in ahead of his bid to give Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien his first Melbourne Cup.

Melbourne Cup favourite Jan Brueghel has wasted little time getting acquainted with his temporary home at the Werribee quarantine centre.

Jan Brueghel, the latest contender for Irish master trainer Aidan O’Brien in his quest to win the Melbourne Cup, arrived in Melbourne on Saturday evening.

O’Brien’s travelling foreman Kieran Murphy said Jan Brueghel was out on the track in his new surroundings early on Sunday morning.

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“He travelled over great. Absolutely no problems,” Murphy said.

“He exercised on the track yesterday morning and again this (Monday) morning.

“He’s obviously observing everything and taking it in, which is good.”

Ladbrokes rated the unbeaten Jan Brueghel as a $6 chance to give O’Brien a Melbourne Cup success.

Dean Gallagher puts Jan Brueghel through his paces at Werribee. Picture: Michael Klein

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O’Brien has set the lightly-raced son of Galileo the task of winning the Melbourne Cup at only his fifth start.

The formula went within a head of being successful in 2021 when the O’Brien-trained Tiger Moth was narrowly beaten by Twilight Payment, prepared by the trainer’s son Joseph.

However, Jan Brueghel landed in Australia with stronger form than Tiger Moth after winning the Group 1 English St Leger at Doncaster at his most recent start.

Colossal performance! Jan Brueghel battles to glory in the @Betfred St Leger Stakes! 🔥

An eighth winner of the race for Aidan O’Brien… 🐐 pic.twitter.com/RWm3Eyv1ZB

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 14, 2024

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Murphy said O’Brien’s belief Jan Brueghel would continue to improve was part of the reason the camp earmarked the colt as his Melbourne Cup runner.

“He’s actually quite a young horse still and he’s only the four runs so everything is new to him still,” Murphy said.

“The way he won the Leger at Doncaster last time, he got the trip very well and we’re hoping he’ll get the extra two furlongs further.

“Aidan feels that he’s an improving horse.”

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Murphy said Jan Brueghel had overcome the first hurdles for any international traveller in the short period he had been in Melbourne.

“He’s in great form,” Murphy said.

“He travelled over great. Absolutely no problems.

“He’s eating and drinking. We couldn’t be happier.

“He’s back up where he was (weightwise) before so we’re happy at this stage.”

Murphy said it was his understanding O’Brien’s regular jockey Ryan Moore would head to Melbourne to ride Jan Brueghel in the Melbourne Cup.

Originally published as Melbourne Cup favourite Jan Brueghel steps out at Werribee quarantine centre