Hunter syndicators Australian Bloodstock hope speed on the outside of Gold Trip will help him gain an economical run from gate 14 in the Melbourne Cup (3200 metres) on Tuesday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Gold Trip, a close runner-up in the Caulfield Cup (2400m), will back up from a soft run in the Cox Plate (2040m) as Australian Bloodstock strive for their second win in the famous race at Flemington, which they claimed in 2014 with German stayer Protectionist.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Gold Trip was among final acceptances on Saturday for the 24-horse test after connections considered their options through the week.
Australian Bloodstock director Jamie Lovett believed Gold Trip was "in a good spot".
"There's a bit of speed outside him, so they'll cart him across and hopefully Mark can get in somewhere and find a nice spot midfield, or forward of midfield, put him to sleep and hopefully he can have an economical run and be good late," Lovett said.
He said the decision to push on to the $8 million race was the "logical choice" given Gold Trip was blocked for a run and not fully extended when ninth in the October 22 Cox Plate and the fact he missed a year of racing before debuting in Australia in July.
Carrying topweight of 57.5 kilograms and with Mark Zahra to ride, the six-year-old French-bred entire was a $13 TAB chance.
"He obviously didn't have a lot of luck in the Cox Plate so he's come out of it really well," he said. "He's in really good order so I think he's worth a throw at the stumps and I'm looking forward to it.
"We're not waiting for him. He's fit and we bought him to be a racehorse."
AAP reports: English trainer James Ferguson says he could not have picked a better barrier than the one given to Deauville Legend.
A long-time favourite to win Australia's greatest race, Deauville Legend will launch his bid for Cup glory from barrier nine.
"I'm pleased. I didn't want a very wide draw and I didn't want a low draw so nine is absolutely spot on for us," Ferguson said.
"With the pace being on the outside they are going to go some clip to get there.
"Ideally we can get into a nice position early doors and we don't have to work too hard to get there either."
Since the withdrawal of German stayer Loft, Deauville Legend has held a tight grip on favouritism and was rated a $3.60 hope.
He is the only runner quoted in single figures. Montefilia and Without A Fight share the second line of betting at $11 after they drew gates 11 and 18 respectively.
Melbourne Cup 2019 winner Vow And Declare will start from barrier four. Grand Promenade, one of five runners for the Maher and Eustace stable, has the inside gate.
Knights Order has drawn the widest.
Meanwhile, a timely return to something like the form that carried him to an Epsom Derby victory has given imported stayer Serpentine a Melbourne Cup lifeline.
Needing to run in the top-three placings in the Archer Stakes at Flemington, Serpentine finished second to Surefire after leading a depleted field.
The Archer Stakes serves as the final qualifying race for Tuesday's Melbourne Cup but only seven runners lined up on Victoria Derby day.
Serpentine had finished among the tailenders in four Australian starts for a syndicate of high-powered owners led by seven-time Melbourne Cup-winning owner Lloyd Williams.
He seemed a shadow of the horse that landed the 2020 Epsom Derby for champion Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien.
But even in defeat on Saturday, Williams's son Nick said there were encouraging signs to allow Serpentine to join stablemate Point Nepean in the Melbourne Cup after passing a ballot clause.
"We'll accept (in the Cup) for sure. It was a much-improved run today," he said.
"From that run you'd say further the better so we will accept with him and see how we go."
Serpentine sat 27th in the order of entry before the Archer and he is a $34 chance to go one better on Tuesday.
As the all-conquering Williams stable doubled its Cup representation, the world's best-known thoroughbred operation resigned itself to not having a Melbourne Cup runner.
Godolphin had high hopes that Alegron would improve on a Caulfield Cup misfire but the stayer failed for the second time in as many Melbourne starts in finishing sixth of the seven runners - almost eight lengths from the winner.
The Archer Stakes, run at Group Three level over 2500m, has lost its significance as a Melbourne Cup guide since Shocking completed the double in 2009.
Surefire, who gave jockey James McDonald an early Melbourne Cup carnival winner, isn't among the entries for Tuesday's $8 million race.
Craig Kerry
Craig Kerry is a sports reporter for the Newcastle Herald.
Craig Kerry is a sports reporter for the Newcastle Herald.
