Irish trainer believes local knowledge key

IRISH trainer Willie Mullins has booked riders with Australian experience for his three Melbourne Cup runners.

In previous trips to the Cup, Mullins has enlisted European jockeys but has switched to Hong Kong-based Zac Purton (Max Dynamite) and Joao Moreira ( Thomas Hobson), with local rider Stephen Baster picking up the Wicklow Brave mount.

“My intention was I wanted to get jockeys from down here and then out of the blue Joao Moreira rang looking for the ride on Thomas Hobson,” Mullins said.

“At the time we thought he’d be in the balance and could ride him if he got in, and I had been chatting to Zac Purton about riding Max Dynamite a few years ago.

“I thought I’d book two jockeys and if I needed a third one I’d find one, and Stephen Baster has been on fire down here.

“I’m very pleased to have these jockeys but it wasn’t the way I was when I first came down.”

Mullins’ first runner in the Cup was Holy Orders, ridden by David Condon, in 2003. He returned a decade later with Simenon, fourth for Richard Hughes, before Frankie Dettori rode Max Dynamite, second in 2015, and Wicklow Brave, 22nd, last year.

Mullins is happy with his entrants and says it’s like heading to a Grand National Steeple- chase knowing anything can happen.

“The Melbourne Cup is such an open race and probably more open this year,” Mullins said. “I’m hoping we can catch a cheque with one, maybe two and if not all three, but it’s very hard to fancy any one of them to win it.”

Mullins said Thomas Hobson had not been blessed by a good draw but noted Moreira finished second on Heartbreak City in last year’s Cup from barrier 23.