‘He might just Runaway with it’
GAI Waterhouse remains confident Geelong Cup winner Runaway can cause an upset in the Melbourne Cup next week after a solid workout at Flemington yesterday morning.
“Anyone who has trained a Cup winner would say their horse has to come right at the right time, and he has,” she said of the Rosemont Stud bred and part-owned galloper.
“Why wouldn’t you have something on Runaway, he might just run away with it.
“You can never have enough Cups, they are like diamonds, they are a girl’s best friend.”
Meanwhile Waterhouse has put lightweight jockey Michael Dee on standby to ride Thinkin’ Big in this year’s Melbourne Cup if the colt wins Saturday’s Victoria Derby and connections opt to back him up in the $7.3 million race next Tuesday.
Waterhouse remains confident the firming $2.90 Derby favourite has the same staying credentials and resilience as Nothin’ Leica Dane, who won the 1995 Derby for her before running second in the Melbourne Cup just three days later.
Thinkin’ Big is related to Nothin’ Leica Dane on his dam’s side, and Waterhouse says the pair were almost identical, though the former is a more striking horse.
“It’ll be disappointing if he doesn’t win (the Derby) because he looks the goods and is spot on,” Waterhouse said. “He has ticked every box.”
Elsewhere, the Lindsay Park team believes Bart Cummings runner-up Jaameh can be a live Melbourne Cup hope if he can win his way into the field by winning Saturday’s Hotham Handicap.
Already with Ventura Storm in the race, Ben Hayes says Jaameh’s formlines can see him become a serious player if the horse can win the last ticket into the race. “I am hoping he wins the Lexus (Hotham) and he will definitely be backing up,” Hayes said.