Top hope weigh to go
CRAIG Williams is brimming with Melbourne Cup confidence, declaring a 5kg weight drop will make English stayer Wall Of Fire a force to be reckoned with in today’s $6.2 million race.
Williams has a mantle full of trophies but has never won the Cup.
The six-time Victorian premier jockey could not be happier with the ride he has today.
Williams said that Wall Of Fire ticked plenty of Melbourne Cup boxes and pointed to the big weight drop from his second in last month’s Herbert Power Stakes as the most significant.
The five-year-old beat Caulfield Cup winner Boom Time in that race.
Wall Of Fire continued to be backed yesterday, with several four-figure bets, but was steady at $13 with TAB. Fellow international Marmelo ($8) retained favouritism.
“I love his international form, he has a nice acceleration that comes with that, and most importantly he ticks the boxes that he has had one race in Australia and he competed really well,” Williams said yesterday of Wall Of Fire.
“Then a week later in the Caulfield Cup his form was franked by Boom Time. When he competed in the Herbert Power he had 58kg and he has dropped to 53kg for the Melbourne Cup.
“When you look at him, he competed so well with that weight. But to drop down 5kg, at two miles, he’s going to be a force to be reckoned with.
“He is a horse that does get back and always seems to need a little luck in running. But he’s the right horse getting the right run that he will show his presence late.”
English trainer Hughie Morrison said Marmelo’s preparation had gone to plan and it was now over to jockey Hugh Bowman to do the rest.
“I don’t think I’ll give Hugh Bowman instructions,’’ he said.
“He’s ridden the horse at home, he’s ridden it in a race. I think in a 23-runner race you let the jockey make up his mind as the race unfolds.
“We’ve drawn wide enough (barrier 16). I don’t think he’ll be panicking because two miles is a long way for any horse and I expect they’ll go a good gallop. I’m sure Hughie will get it right.’’
Darren Weir is doing his part to hold off the international invasion with three runners.
The trainer received the re- port he wanted yesterday morning from stable foreman Jarrod McLean, who rang from Warrnambool to tell him all three were “great”.
Weir has Humidor, Amelie’s Star and Big Duke trying to give him a second Melbourne Cup and said Humidor was the pick.
“I think his weight and the distance are the unknown factors. I think he can run the trip, but everybody else doesn’t seem to,” Weir said.
“He’s got the right form line but you don’t know whether they can run out the trip until they do so.”