MISSION TO CLAIM CUP AGAIN
Elegant move by winning owners to go back-to-back
MELBOURNE Cup-winning owners Brae Sokolski and Ozzie Kheir have effectively landed themselves a free shot at winning the great race again next year.
Sokolski and Kheir were among the ownership groups of the Melbourne Cup quinella Verry Elleegant and Incentivise.
But they have now secured the third placegetter Spanish Mission in a surprise deal.
The spring deeds of Incentivise and Verry Elleegant more than covered the price of acquiring Spanish Mission.
Incentivise and Verry Elleegant won more than $9m between them in their previous two starts apiece.
Sokolski said Spanish Mission’s owners approached him with the deal while announcing the stayer would join Incentivise in the Peter Moody camp.
“I am pleased to announce that following his outstanding performance in this year’s Melbourne Cup, Spanish Mission will remain in Australia to be trained by Moody,” Sokolski’s statement read.
“I finalised a deal to secure Spanish Mission to race in partnership with Ozzie Kheir, Jonathan Rosham and our warm circle.
“I would like to thank the former owners of Spanish Mission, Gary Barber and Brian Irwin, who specifically approached me and gave me the opportunity to purchase their wonderful horse and keep him on our shores.
“Spanish Mission is a world class stayer, and importantly still on an upward trajectory with so much more to come.
“We will advise of future plans with him in due course.”
It made sense for the ownership group to secure Spanish Mission as the former Andrew Balding-trained galloper immediately became their best chance to win another Melbourne Cup in 2022.
The Chris Waller-trained Verry Elleegant is almost certain to be weighted out of next year’s Cup after posting her 10th Group win in the famous Flemington event.
Verry Elleegant carried 57kg, 1kg below Makybe Diva’s weight-carrying record for a mare, but the mare still strolled to a four-length win in the Melbourne Cup.
If she wins more Group 1 races in Sydney during the autumn, Verry Elleegant could end up with 59kg or more for next year’s Melbourne Cup.
Incentivise is set to stick to weight-for-age ranks in 2022 after he also carried 57kg in his brave Cup second.
TAB posted Incentivise as an $11 favourite for the 2022 Melbourne Cup with Verry Elleegant the second pick at $13 despite the pair unlikely to be at Flemington on the first Tuesday of next November.