Two of Australasian racing’s greatest jockeys … whether you are looking at it from a current or an historical perspective … will be perched on some vantage point at Flemington tomorrow watching the big race instead of riding for their lives to try and secure further personal Melbourne Cup glory.
The wheel of fortune took a sharp downturn for Damian Oliver and James McDonald when both of their runners, the Caulfield Cup winner Durston and Loft, were withdrawn from the Cup for reasons related to the results of a mandatory scan to and to injury respectively.
Oliver has won the Cup three times … most notably in that emotionally charged win on Media Puzzle, just a week after he had lost his brother in a riding accident … and McDonald saluted last year in stunning fashion aboard Verry Elleegant, but while they will not get their names on the honour roll this year, it should be the turn of another Australasian rider to claim his or her moment of fame.
Certainly, they have the numbers … overwhelmingly so, in terms of the jockeys involved … with the bookmakers suggesting Kerrin McEvoy is in the pound seats … or, to be more precise, in the saddle aboard the raging $3.50 race favourite, the James Ferguson trained Deauville Legend.
McEvoy will be looking to ease ahead of Oliver in terms of winning Melbourne Cup rides … victory here would take him to four wins … after having previously saluted on Brew, Almandon and Cross Counter.
The Brew win came in 2000 when McEvoy was just twenty years of age. To salute again twenty-two years later would be a phenomenal achievement in its own right.
Other pointers from the betting boards put jockeys Damian Thornton (Realm Of Flowers – $9), Jason Collett (Montefilia – $10) and Mark Zahra (Gold trip – $15) right in the mix.
The added plus for Australasian’s racing identity here is that Thornton, Collett and Zahra are all riding horses trained by Australia based trainers.
There is always somebody trying to spoil the local party though and this year Without A Fight ($10) will take on the role of the villain, in that sense, being trained by visitors Simon and Ed Crisford and ridden by British champion jockey, William Buick.
Nobody is out of it though. Remember Prince Of Penzance’s win at $101 … or more likely you will remember that as Michelle Payne’s historic win rather than Prince of Penzance’s odds.
On that point of history, what a moment it would be if Jamie Kah were to take the honours aboard Smokin’ Romans.
There are certainly story angles aplenty.
The Cup, with its twenty-four runners, is always a great spectacle when the field charges down the home straight for the first time.
The cheers will be just as loud, or louder, when they come around again with the battle on in earnest as they chase hard to the finish line … but there can only be one winner … or can there?
Any chance of a dead-heat.
How good would that be!