Yucatan leads O’brien bid to secure first Cup success

Aidan O’brien is hoping he can go one better than last year in tomorrow’s Lexus Melbourne Cup at Flemington (4am GMT), having been pipped 12 months ago by his son Joseph’s Rekindling.

The Ballydoyle trainer has saddled nine runners in the race and last year’s effort by Johannes Vermeer, who was caught close home, was the nearest he has come to success. This year he has three entries in the 24-horse field, including the 9-2 favourite Yucatan.

Yucatan, by Galileo, has to start wide from stall 23, normally thought to be a disadvantage, but the improving colt showed his class by winning the Herbert Power Stakes in style four weeks ago to secure a place in the big race.

“It is a very difficult race to win,” O’brien told local radio station RSN 927 on Sunday. “You have to have a horse on a nice mark. You have to have class and you have to stay.

“Yucatan looks to be on a very good mark. Rostropovich also looks to be on a very good mark. We’re happy with Cliffsofmoher, but he’s a very well exposed horse.”

Victory has also proved elusive for Godolphin, and this year’s race marks 20 years since Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum made his first attempt to win Australia’s most famous race.

Saeed Bin Suroor’s Best Solution landed the Caulfield Cup recently and is drawn well in stall six. His main issue will be top weight of 57.5kg [9st 1lb]. Only two horses, Think Big (1975) and three-times winner Makybe Diva (2005), have carried a bigger weight to victory. Godolphin also run Cross Counter and Avilius.