Melbourne’s autumn championship sees a stellar field of stayers lining up in today’s Australian Cup. Join The Roar from 3.45pm AEST for a full preview, live blog and post-race analysis.
The Australian Cup has drawn a disappointingly small field but packed in that field a plenty of talent, including the two most recent Melbourne Cup winners in Fiorente and Green Moon.
Fiorente leads the market as the deserved favourite after a comfortable win in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes where he has picked up where he left off in spring.
Showing his clinical turn of foot, the punters assume he can only get better as he steps up in distance. Throughout the years, Melbourne Cup winners have had an excellent record in this race and Fiorente looks likely to continue the trend.
His biggest challenger comes from three-year-old Shamus Award who was clinical in his Australian Guineas victory last week.
Winning Melbourne’s spring weight-for-age championship, the Cox Plat where he defeated Fiorente, Shamus Award has to be given a huge chance and the bookies certainly think so too.
The biggest query will be whether or not the colt can back up off a seven day break to take down Fiorente who comes of the standard two week break.
As the likely leader, Shamus Award should have no problem finding his way to the front to be the bunny they try to catch. The 2000m here looks ideal for the youngster who will stake his claim for best horse in the country if he can upset the older stayers here.
Everyone loves seeing three-year-olds take on the older horses and Shamus Award is joined by Thunder Fantasy who too is backing up from the Australian Guineas.
Mark Zahra couldn’t get out with Thunder Fantasy until quite late in the race and was one of the strongest to the line to suggest the colt will appreciate the added 400m on offer here.
He may not be proven in this company but he is the biggest wildcard in the race and should have no problem travelling the trip after running fourth in the VRC Derby.
Foreteller was his honest self in the Peter Young but couldn’t get going until it was too late. He returns to Flemington where he claimed the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes in spring but he has failed to finish ahead of Fiorente in the two times they have met.
Mourayan turned the clock back two weeks ago when he finished second to Fiorente in the Peter Young and is another who gets better with distance. However, his lack of consistency makes it quite difficult to back him and his stablemate Green Moon is the better chance here.
Voleuse De Couers is the most interesting runner in the field but the bookmakers give her no chance. Purchased for a hefty price following her five length win in the Irish St Leger, she didn’t turn up in the Melbourne Cup but Mike Moroney insists she is just as good as her price tag suggests.
She has a good first-up record but with barely any rain in Melbourne over the past fortnight, she may find the ground a touch too firm.
The Australian Cup will jump at 4.00pm AEST.
Roar racing writers’ autumn tipping competition
Alfred Chan – Roar Guru and today’s live blogger
1. Fiorente
2. Foreteller
3. Thunder Fantasy
4. Shamus Award
Justin Cinque – Roar Racing Editor
1. Shamus Award
2. Thunder Fantasy
3. Fiorente
4. Foreteller
Cameron Rose – Roar Expert
1. Thunder Fantasy
2. Fiorente
3. Shamus Award
4. Foreteller
Brad Durrant – Roar Guru
1. Foreteller
2. Shamus Award
3. Fiorente
4. Thunder Fantasy
Brent Ford – Roar Guru
1. Fiorente
2. Voleuse de Coeurs
3. Shamus Award
4. Thunder Fantasy
Big Philou – Roar Expert
1. Fiorente
2. Shamus Award
3. Thunder Fantasy
4. Star Rolling
Richard Hosnell
Roar Pro
Bondy
Guest
Good observation JC.
Alfred Chan
Expert
So there we have it. What a fantastic day of racing we've seen today. Lankan Rupee blew the Newmarket field apart to win by a dominant two lengths. in Sydney, Boban returned to form with a mighty impressive win to upset It's A Dundeel which may be the talk of Monday. The Melbourne autumn came to an end with a phenomenal performance by Fiorente to reign in Green Moon and claim the Australian Cup as Gai Waterhouse prepares the Melbourne Cup winner for a crack at $4million in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Roarers. That's for joining us as we look forward to next week as the Sydney carnival rolls forward towards The Championships.
Luke Andrews
Guest
I might be talking through my wallet but that was outstanding. The question is where to next? The Ranvet is looking like a cracker race and we could get Fiorente Vs IADD round 1. Also the Sydney Cup is shaping as the best in years. VDC was enormous first up, Mourayan got dropped when they sprinted but stormed home late and I hope they keep Green Moon's autumn going as he is in great form. Just about ready to sack this year's 3yr olds.
Alfred Chan
Expert
Going to be interesting to see how many more runs Fiorente has before the Queen Elizabeth. There's the option of running in both the Ranvet and the BMW which would make the Queen Elizabeth Fiorente's fifth run of the campaign.
Alfred Chan
Expert
With Gai Waterhouse, "His will to win! He has this enormous will to win." "We've been really privileged to see this horse run today." "He puts a tingle down your spine."
Alfred Chan
Expert
With Damien Oliver, "He's really stamping his authority. It's a great honour to be a part of his journey." "He moved into the race just real nice. He was chiming in beautiful at the clock tower." "He's a dream to ride and has a great attitude, especially for a stallion."
Justin Cinque
Expert
Outstanding from Fiorente. The slow pace meant he was really close and he just killed them. He's only going to be harder to beat from here on in.
Alfred Chan
Expert
Voleuse De Couers was very good getting up for fifth.
Alfred Chan
Expert
Interesting to note that Gai usually overhypes her horses before the races. She said Fiorente still has plenty of improvement left in him so it's hard to see him getting beaten this season.
Justin Cinque
Expert
Guineas form quite questionable. Interesting that Moment of Change who bashed up some good three-year-olds was well beaten today too.
Alfred Chan
Expert
If you compare that to It's A Dundeel's run today - Fiorente just wins the Queen Elizabeth.
Alfred Chan
Expert
Green Moon gave Fiorente something to catch and between the 150m mark and the 50m mark, it looks like Green Moon was going to kick again but Fiorente was just too good. Great to see the two Melbourne Cup winners run first and second.
Alfred Chan
Expert
Shamus Award couldn't keep going and he finished 6th. Thunder Fantasy never got into it. Nice run by Mourayan to finish fourth. He's still got plenty of racing in him.
Cameron Rose
Expert
Very good win from Fiorente. Thunder Fantasy awful. Shamus disappointing. Guineas form now questionable.
Alfred Chan
Expert
And we're off in the Australian Cup!!!!! Fiorente jumps poorly and goes to the back, Shamus Award flew out and gets the easy lead, Green Moon up there too with Star Rolling, Mourayan behind them, The pace is very slow, Fiorente at the back with Foreteller and Let's Make Adeal last, Shamus Award still leads, Green Moon on his outside second, Star Rolling third, Thunder Fantasy behind them, Fiorente now being niggled along, Shamus Award will leads, Mourayan making a move now, At the 800, Green Moon making a move, Shamus Award still leads, Fiorente now pulls to the outside, Shamus Award still leads at the 200, Green Moon coming Fiotente harder, Fiorente comes up harder and just gets hold of Green Moon at the 50m mark. Foreteller flashes home for third! Fiorente wins the Australian Cup though!
Bondy
Guest
Both three yr olds miss a place,great run Green Moon..
Cameron Rose
Expert
Walking.
Alfred Chan
Expert
Fiorente now into $1.90. Loading in now.
Alfred Chan
Expert
I suspect he just might. He doesn't have the turn of foot to accelerate under hard riding based on what we've seen. If he can't get an easy lead, Craig Williams will let him roll a long way from home.