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Same horse, same barrier, same result, Japanese trainer Tomoyuki Umeda declared after favourite Admire Rakti drew barrier eight for Tuesday's Melbourne Cup.
The Japanese were delighted to come up with the same number gate as they had for their Caulfield Cup victory, even though Admire Rakti came into stall seven on that day because of the scratchings.
"It is a lucky number," Umeda said after Admire Rakti retained his place at the top of the Cup market. "There is no change in the horse and he is just as good as he was before the last run [in the Caulfield Cup]. He has had the one gallop since, he is still good."
Admire Rakti was a $5 favourite with Ladbrokes after the draw. He was not the only well-fancied candidate to do well in the barrier lottery. Lucia Valentina starts from gate two, Fawkner from nine, Protectionist comes out of gate 11, while Lexus Stakes winner Signoff will jump from 16.
Trainer Darren Weir had decided to wait to the last possible moment to qualify Signoff and even with a one-kilogram penalty he will carry only 51 kilograms. With such a featherweight many will regard the English-bred galloper (by Epsom Derby winner Authorized) as having beaten the handicapper.
Signoff had blinkers for the first time in the Lexus. He is now an $8.50 chance. "The gear change was the key," Weir said. "I don't think the 3200 metres is a problem, whether he can run it quick enough I don't know. He is very lightly raced and he has done a great job. His runs have been good to date and we have targeted him at this race. I don't know whether it [barrier 16] is good or bad but six would have been better."
Cox Plate runner-up Fawkner will be out to defend Australia's honour, Nick Williams said of their $8 hope. "As far as I can see, he is the only horse that is Australian-bred, reared, owned and raced, so I hope everyone gets behind him," Williams said.
Chris Waller will turn his attention to winning his first Melbourne Cup after dominating Victoria Derby day, including winning the feature with Preferment.
The Zabeel three-year-old sat three-wide without cover for the 2500-metre trip but was too good, prompting winning rider Damien Oliver to say: "He could be back here on Tuesday next year."
However, the Waller juggernaut might not have to wait that long to win a Melbourne Cup, with three runners – Who Shot Thebarman, Opinion and Junoob – representing the stable in the big race on Tuesday.
"It is a very important day today and to have a day like this is incredible. Hopefully we can continue the momentum on Tuesday," Waller said. "I have to say, I have been focused on this week and Tuesday has been playing second-fiddle to now, but I know we are taking in three horses that are very fit and well.
"Two of them have performed at 3200 metres before [Auckland Cup winner Who Shot Thebarman and Sydney Cup runner-up Opinion] and we have been waiting to get them to this trip. We will get them there on the day ready to run the two miles and if they run to their best I will be happy."
Waller has been the top trainer in the country for the past couple of seasons but he is still to win one of Australia's big four – the Golden Slipper, Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup. But he has already had seven group 1 winners this season and another eight placings from 39 runners at the top level after Preferment's Derby win and Brazen Beau's dominant display in the Coolmore Stud Stakes.
There were also near misses, with He's Your Man, beaten in the final stride of the Mackinnon Stakes, and Catkins, who was third in the Myer Classic.
"If I keep getting my horses ready the right way a major will come. I don't know if it will be on Tuesday or in 10 years – I just do my best and let the horses show their best," Waller said.
He will be an outsider to win the Cup, with Junoob a $21 chance after drawing barrier seven, Who Shot Thebarman at $26 from gate 13, and Opinion, at $51, drawing gate 14.
Melbourne-based OTI Racing has four entries, but endured a nightmare barrier draw, with three of its runners – Brambles, Gatewood and Au Revoir – drawing alleys 21, 22 and 23.
OTI's Simon O'Donnell was philosophical. "If lady luck is not on your side it doesn't matter where you draw," he said. "We have drawn 21, 22, 23 ... its not disappointing, they are there, horses have won from there, you have got to be glass half-full, not half empty. The jocks will see how the race pans out, and give them the best rides they can and if we are good enough we will be in the finish."
Something sideways: Google 'horse yoga' on YouTube... possibly one way of getting your horse in the right frame of mind to win the Melbourne Cup? http://bit.ly/1jnV4PM
