HISTORY AWAITS
JOHN Gosden will chase British training history and farewell Muntahaa at the same time when the stayer contests today’s Melbourne Cup.
Bidding to become Sheik Hamdan Al Maktoum’s third Cup winner after At Talaq (1986) and Jeune (’94), Muntahaa is rated as one of the classiest gallopers Shadwell Stud has sent to Australia.
Gosden, who has enjoyed a stellar season in the northern hemisphere, would become the first British trainer to win the Cup if Muntahaa salutes.
Ebor Handicap winner Muntahaa will have his final race for Gosden before transferring to Lindsay Park.
“A horse like this, he’s a five-yearold gelding, he’s got little mileage on the clock and he’s got a lot of talent,” Shadwell racing manager Angus Gold said.
“The racing here, A, it’s fantastic but, B, there’s huge prizemoney compared to what we have in Europe. To me it makes a lot of sense for him to stay here. If he takes to it mentally, he’s the sort of horse who could win a fair bit of prizemoney.”
To be ridden by Jim Crowley, Muntahaa shapes as a serious Cup player based on his emphatic Ebor win.
“He’s a talented horse,” Gold said. “We’ve won it twice, once with At Talaq, once with Jeune. Both of those horses came back and won the C.F. Orr next time over 1400, a Group 1. So, to me, you need a class horse.
“We’ve had a lot of horses run in the race who wouldn’t have the class of his horse.
“Whether he does it or not, is up to the horse. That’s the whole point. He’s a staying horse with a touch of class and so many of the Europeans who come down don’t necessarily have that. He won the Ebor with such a display of authority. He had his old class back.”
Muntahaa started favourite in the 2016 English St Leger, finishing fourth before losing form.
“If he reproduced that [the authority he showed in the Ebor], I think he’ll be there in the shake-up [today],” Gold said.
McEVOY’S INSPIRATION AND MORE ON THE MELBOURNE CUP
KERRIN McEvoy credits Sheik Mohammed and Charlie Appleby for being a big part of the success he has enjoyed through his career and would dearly love to win his third Melbourne Cup for the pair on Cross Counter today.
McEvoy rode Beekeeper into third place for the Sheik in the 2002 Melbourne Cup and soon after landed a contract to ride for him in Europe, at which time he met Appleby.
“Charlie was one of the head lads when I first started at Godolphin in England,’’ McEvoy said.
“He was instrumental in helping me to settle in when I first went to England.
“We used to travel to a lot of race meetings together, particularly in the north of the country.
“If I could win this race for Sheik Mohammed and Charlie Appleby, it would be a huge buzz.
“Sheik Mohammed has played a huge part in my career. He gave me the opportunity to enjoy some lifetime memories on and off the track.
“It would be a huge thrill to repay the faith he had in me and win the Melbourne Cup for him.
“His first Melbourne Cup would be a dream come true. He’s been trying to win the race for 20 years now, so it would be an honour to win it for him.
“He’s been a great supporter of mine, so it will be good to have the blue colours on again.”
Appleby said he had been set two main goals after being appointed by Sheik Mohammed to train for him.
One was to win the English Derby, which he did this year with Masar, and the second was to win the Melbourne Cup.
“I hope we’ve got a live shot in Cross Counter,” Appleby said.
McEvoy’s faith in Appleby led to him accepting the Cup ride even without sitting on the horse.
“Charlie pinpointed the horse out to me three or four months ago. He always had this one as his lightweight chance,” he said.
“Unfortunately he had that little setback, which hindered my chances of getting on him earlier.
“He was nice and sharp the other morning, travelling along well in his work.
“He’s got a turn of foot. His stakes wins show that, and so was his placing at York. If he can progress and enjoy the two miles, he’s going to be right there in the finish.
“He’s lightly raced, but he’s got the ability to travel well and quicken off that. We all know that can help when it comes to the Melbourne Cup.”