2007 Melbourne Cup Thread

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Payne's way not the plain way

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Unorthodox: Trainer Andrew Payne with On A Jeune

THE youngest trainer in tomorrow's Melbourne Cup, in terms of both age and experience, is prepared to back his judgment.

On any reading, Andrew Payne's preparation with seven-year-old gelding On A Jeune is unorthodox, something he readily admits but is prepared to defend.

"I know it's unorthodox. People will say, 'Why didn't you run him in the Geelong Cup?' 'Why didn't you run him in the Moonee Valley Cup?' I know they are the more traditional paths into the race," said Payne, who turned 28 yesterday.

"I've told the owners that if we sacrifice those races we can be rewarded in a $5 million race. They don't come along every day."

"I want him to go into the race feeling strong and ready to go. I think this is the best way for him to win the race and I haven't changed from this belief."

Payne has had On A Jeune for only three runs and possibly no runner in history would be going into the Melbourne Cup on the back of runs in the Benalla Cup and Coongy Handicap.

He came fourth at Benalla over 2350m and then Payne dropped him back to 2000m and he finished sixth in the Coongy Handicap.

The results don't tell the real story, according to Payne.

Payne said jockey Nash Rawiller apologised after the Benalla Cup, saying nothing had gone right.

"I said to him never mind. More importantly, I asked him how he (On A Jeune) felt and he said super. Nash doesn't say a lot, so that was a good wrap, I thought."

Payne was very happy with both performances as on each occasion On A Jeune sprinted home quickly over the last 200m.

He also finished very strongly in the Coongy, running his last 200m in 11.54sec, the quickest for the race.

It is this sprint Payne is hoping the horse has preserved for tomorrow.

It is also the sprint On A Jeune produced in his benchmark run two years ago when he flew home to finish second to Makybe Diva in the 2005 Melbourne Cup.

"The horse is going very well. I want to leave something in the tank for the Melbourne Cup. I don't want to take his finishing sprint out of him, I don't know how he is going compared to then. Form analysts are telling me he is running equally as well as in 2005.

"I'm constantly checking myself but to me this is the best way for him into the race. I haven't changed my mind one bit and it's going perfectly to plan.
I am confident I have covered all bases."
 
Rain refreshes David Hayes' outlook on Melbourne Cup

ON SATURDAY night David Hayes thought he was making up the Melbourne Cup numbers.

Yesterday, after 12 hours of solid rain and more forecast, Hayes declared he was back in the race.

"I thought we were out of it, now I think I'm back in it," Hayes said.

He will run five horses tomorrow -- Tawqeet, Blue Monday, Black Tom, Lazer Sharp and The Fuzz.

While he believes Tawqeet is out of form and cannot win, and Black Tom out of form and outclassed, Hayes is warming to the chances of Blue Monday, Lazer Sharp and The Fuzz.

"I'm usually known as having a stable of dry trackers but I think I've got three who will really appreciate it," he said.

Flemington trackman Terry Watson yesterday guessed the track was slow but Hayes, who had taken a stroll on the surface in the morning, said it was closer to heavy.

Hayes said he rated Blue Monday, a $41 chance with TAB Sportsbet, the best of his wet-track trio. Lazer Sharp is at $51 and The Fuzz at $31.

Tawqeet, equal favourite in the Cup last year, is at $51 and Black Tom is a $151 chance.

"Blue Monday's racing extremely well and has wet form. I'll be disappointed if he doesn't run top four or five. I'm expecting it," Hayes said.

He had planned to bypass the Cup with Lazer Sharp, believing the horse not good enough, but with the rain came a brighter outlook.

"He's definitely in it if the rain keeps coming. I keep going back to the race (St Leger) where he first caught my eye. I think her's a very good wet-tracker."

The Fuzz, unbeaten on slow and heavy tracks in New Zealand, was nosed out in the Saab Quality on Saturday.
 
Omens are good for Corey

AFTER seven unsuccessful rides in the Melbourne Cup, champion jockey Corey Brown reckons his number has finally come up.

When Brown picked up the Sunday newspaper yesterday and studied the Cup field at the breakfast table, the coincidences struck him almost instantly.

"Maybe Better's (TAB) number seven, he's drawn barrier seven, he ran seventh in the Mackinnon on Saturday, the Cup is race seven, and seven is my lucky number," Brown said.

"I started thinking that it might be my year - the omens are there."

Brown was snapped back to reality when his mobile phone rang. It was Brian Mayfield-Smith, trainer of Maybe Better. The jockey suddenly felt nervous.

"I've been ringing Brian almost every day since the horse pulled up sore after the Caulfield Cup just to make sure everything was okay," Brown said.

"Brian hasn't rung me once in that time, so when I saw his number come up on my mobile phone, I was worried. I thought, 'This must be bad news'.

"But it was the exact opposite. Brian said that Maybe Better had come through the Mackinnon Stakes really well and the horse was in great shape."
 

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Tips For The Big Race

Master O'Reilly
Zipping
Purple Moon
On A Jeune

Efficient & Princess Coup big chances also

Good luck fellas :thumbsu:

Master O'Reilly is the most overrated favorite ever! You have all those people with no clue jumping on him I love it keeps the odds nice and high for the other gems. Yes he had a great Caufield Cup, but won't get that run again. Worse barrier and 3 kg more weight, don't like him.
My personal bet is Purple Moon (100 dollars EW). Proven over the distance ran a great Caufield Cup but was unlucky on the turn, class horse and got him at 10 dollar fixed odds:thumbsu:.
In my opinion Zipping is the class horse of the race, but reckon it might be hard for him from barrier 22, great lead up to it though.

Princess Coup is my other bet. 3rd in the Caufield, 2nd in the McKinnon and WOW in the Oaks. Can she make the distance? I guess we will find out (50 EW).
 
I feel sorry for the horse that was put down on the track. I hope the punters there remember the horses through this and how many of them have to be put down
 
I feel sorry for the horse that was put down on the track. I hope the punters there remember the horses through this and how many of them have to be put down

Everyone will be complaining about how if mared a glamorous day but its a reality... a really bad one... what they should be talking about is how we can prevent future instances of harm to the horses...

Scratchings are certainly putting a downer on the day... some people on class one of them as a winning hope but I have all 3 valid hopes... you only have to look beyond the top 2 and it opens up to them.

Zipping is probably my pick... could see him following Master O'Reilly all the way and then just burning him.
 

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2007 Melbourne Cup Thread

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