Family hopes to hooroo hoodoo
ish in the opening Bold Trease heat with just 0.03 lengths separating the three placegetters, Tornado Tears snuck through to make it into his 12th Group 1 final.
Tornado Tears has drawn box four and has opened up $6. Barring a late flurry of money this will be the first time in 40 starts that he will not run as the favourite, dating back to April 2018.
While TAB has confidence Boom Down can win his first Group 1 in the $145,000 Bold Trease, the odds are a bit longer for Jaro Bale in the Melbourne Cup, who drew box six and is the ranked outsider at $34.
“Box six has done him no favours, there are good dogs in every box, and it will be hard going,” Dailly said.
“Hopefully he can step cleanly and get into the race in the early stages.”
ANAKIE’S Angela Langton and Jeffrey Britton will be attempting to shatter a family hoodoo in the $435,000-tothe-winner Group 1 TAB Melbourne Cup (515m) at Sandown Park tonight.
The Britton family — Allan, Robert, Jeff, Linda and Angela — have had 18 Melbourne Cup finalists and been runner-up four times in their perennial quest for the sport’s Holy Grail.
This year, Western Envoy (box five) is Langton’s second Melbourne Cup finalist. She prepared third placegetter Black Illusion in 2015, who also exited from box five.
Meanwhile, Oakvale Beauty (box seven) is Britton’s third Melbourne Cup finalist.
He trained Cosmic Wise (fifth) and Star Recall (seventh) in 2014.
Angela, who is partners with Britton, said Western Envoy, a three-time Group 1 finalist, did it tough early in his heat and had to come from behind, but dug deep to get there.
She is also concerned with the yellow draw, and matter of fact about his chances in the final.
“It’s not a great box, but he’s probably not the best dog in the race either. So, I’m not expecting too much and if he runs a place it’s a bonus,” she told RSN927’s Simone Fisher.
“But he’s a super little chaser and gives his best, and he’s exciting to watch because he tries all the time. He’s just a lovely dog.”
The sole female in this year’s final, Oakvale Beauty is making her Group 1 debut and Langton, speaking on behalf of Britton, said she’s going to find the assignment difficult.
“She definitely needed the inside, and it’s a step up for her,” she said. “It’s going to be tough for her out there (box seven), but it’s great to see her make the final.
“She’s done a terrific job; she’s very young and hopefully there’s more to come for her.”
The Geelong region has enjoyed plenty of Melbourne Cup success, producing winners the ilk of Satan’s Shroud, Fair Sentence and Kantarn Bale, and more recently Dyna Tron, Dyna Double One and My Redeemer.
Western Envoy and Oakvale Beauty are $34 and $51 respectively on the TAB Fixed Odds market.