Fiorente draws well for Melbourne Cup as Bart misses out
The Gai Waterhouse-trained Fiorente should remain favourite for the Melbourne Cup after drawing well in barrier five for Tuesday’s race, but Cup legend Bart Cummings’ gelding Precedence just missed out on a berth.
Waterhouse is seeking her first-ever Cup win, and she has Fiorente and another import Tres Blue (drawn 20) in the final field.
Lloyd Williams’ horses have drawn very well, with five – Green Moon (10), Sea Moon (seven), Fawkner (eight), Seville (nine) and Masked Marvel (two) – in barrier 10 or inside.
The only exception is Mourayan, which will start from barrier 19.
Of the internationals, 2011 winner Dunaden drew the inside gate, the Aga Khan’s first-ever challenger Verema drew number three, Caulfield Cup place-getter Dandino drew barrier four, the Michael Owen-owned Brown Panther drew six, Godolphin’s Royal Empire drew 11, Simenon drew 12, Voleuse De Couers will start from 21 and Red Cadeaux from 23.
The money has also come for Mount Athos, but the Luca Cumani-trained galloper will have a challenge after drawing barrier 22.
The winner of the Lexus, Ruscello, which will carry the bottom weight of 50kg for the race, drew the outside barrier.
Meanwhile, Cummings missed out on an 88th career runner in the Melbourne Cup, after Precedence finished 25th in the order of entry, one place away from a run.
Once the draw takes place, no horses can force their way into the field – any withdrawals will mean less than the maximum 24 runners will start on Tuesday.
Precedence, which was 29th in the order of entry going into Derby Day, came into the calculations after the withdrawal of Silent Achiever, My Quest For Peace and the Chris Waller pair Kelinni and Moriarty.
But when Lexus Stakes winner Ruscello paid up for the Cup, it denied a start for the eight-year-old.
Cox Plate-winning jockey Chad Schofield secured a ride in the Cup when he was booked for Ruscello.
The Ed Walker-trained gelding will carry 50kg in the big race, after handicapper Greg Carpenter declined to issue a penalty for winning the Lexus.
The winner of the Mackinnon Stakes, Side Glance, also qualified for the Cup, but connections decided against running the horse.
Number | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight (kg) |
1 | Dunaden | M. Delzangles | J. Spencer | 1 | 58.5 |
2 | Green Moon | R. Hickmott | B. Prebble | 10 | 57.5 |
3 | Red Cadeaux | E. Dunlop | G. Mosse | 23 | 56.5 |
4 | Sea Moon | R. Hickmott | S. Arnold | 7 | 56.5 |
5 | Brown Panther | T. Dascmobe | R. Kingscote | 6 | 55 |
6 | Fiorente | G. Waterhouse | D. Oliver | 5 | 55 |
7 | Foreteller | C. Waller | N. Rawiller | 15 | 55 |
8 | Dandino | M. Botti | R. Moore | 4 | 54.5 |
9 | Ethiopia | P. Carey | R. McLeod | 14 | 54.5 |
10 | Fawkner | R. Hickmott | N. Hall | 8 | 54.5 |
11 | Mourayan | R. Hickmott | B. Avdulla | 19 | 54.5 |
12 | Seville | R. Hickmott | H. Bowman | 9 | 54.5 |
13 | Super Cool | M. Kavanagh | C. Brown | 13 | 54.5 |
14 | Masked Marvel | R. Hickmott | M. Rodd | 2 | 54 |
15 | Moutn Athos | L. Cumani | C. Williams | 22 | 54 |
16 | Royal Empire | S.B. Suroor | K. McEvoy | 11 | 54 |
17 | Voleuse De Couers | M. Moroney | J. McDonald | 21 | 54 |
18 | Hawkspur | C. Waller | J. Cassidy | 18 | 53.5 |
19 | Simenon | W. Mullins | R. Hughes | 12 | 53.5 |
20 | Ibicenco | P. Moody | L. Nolen | 17 | 53 |
21 | Verema | A. Royer-Dupre | C. Lemaire | 3 | 53 |
22 | Dear Demi | C. Conners | C. Munce | 16 | 51 |
23 | Tres Blue | G.Waterhouse | T. Berry | 20 | 51 |
24 | Ruscello | E. Walker | C. Schofield | 24 | 50 |