Sounding the Battle Cry

SOUNDING THE BATTLE CRY 
The Melbourne Cup is indeed ‘The Race That Stops a Nation,’ but that nation could be Japan if Admire Rakti (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}) can defy his 129 pound impost and provide the country with its second G1 Melbourne Cup. The Japanese stormed onto the Melbourne Cup scene and put up the exacta in the 2006 renewal with Delta Blues (Jpn) (Dance in the Dark {Jpn}) and Pop Rock (Jpn) (Helissio {Fr}), and with the strength of the Japanese breed having only increased in the interim, it would not be a surprise to see Admire Rakti justify favoritism. The 6-year-old entire has been far from a superstar in his native country, but he hasn’t been a slouch, either. He put up a career best when fourth, beaten just a length, behind Gentildonna (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Japan Cup last November, and while he was soundly beaten when 11th in the G1 Arima Kinen a month later, he returned this year to be second behind multiple Group 1 winner Gold Ship (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) in the G2 Hanshin Daishoten on seasonal debut Mar. 23. Admire Rakti couldn’t keep up the momentum in the G1 Tenno Sho Spring May 4, finishing 13th, but he underscored the quality of Japanese-breds when running away with the G1 Caulfield Cup in his lone Australian outing thus far Oct. 18. Hung about eight-wide coming off the turn on that occasion, Admire Rakti stormed down the middle of the track to win ultimately geared down under top weight of 128 pounds. The Caulfield Cup distance of 2400 meters is a different story than Melbourne’s 3200 meters, however, and heavyweights haven’t fared well in recent years, with the legendary Makybe Diva (GB) (Desert King {Ire}) being the only horse in the last 30 years to carry anything close to Admire Rakti’s weight to victory in this marathon–she carried 128 pounds to her third straight win in 2005. Amongst the beaten heavyweights in recent years are Dunaden (Fr) (Nicobar {GB}), who was victorious in 2011 then faltered under top weight in 2012 and last year, and Americain (Dynaformer), who suffered the same fate in 2011. So You Think (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}) faltered to third under 123 pounds in 2010 less than two weeks after winning his second G1 Cox Plate, and three days after taking the G1 Mackinnon S. 
Admire Rakti was handed a favor in Saturday’s barrier draw, however, when landing in gate eight of 24. 
“I am very pleased,” trainer Tomoyuki Umeda told Racing and Sports. “Number eight is lucky. It is a good barrier for him and the same as he drew in the Caulfield Cup. I have a little concern with the weight at the distance, but he’s a staying horse and should be good at the distance.” 

Home Team High On Quality… 
Underscoring the growing international nature of the Melbourne Cup, just two horses bred in Australia have captured that nation’s most famous race in the last 14 years. Looking to buck the anti-Australian trend will be second-choiceFawkner (Aus) (Reset {Aus}), whose rock-solid recent form includes a victory in the G1 Caulfield S. Oct. 11, and a runner-up effort in the G1 Cox Plate Oct. 25. The 7-year-old gelding burst to prominence when winning last year’s Caulfield Cup prior to finishing sixth in the Melbourne Cup. Fawkner ran just once in the Australian autumn, finishing seventh over much too short in the G1 William Reid S. over 1200 meters in March, but proved to be at his best this campaign when resuming with a second, beaten a short head, in the 1600 meter G1 Makybe Diva S. Sept. 13. The Robert Hickmott trainee earned his second Group 1 victory when stepped up to 2000 meters for the Caulfield, and lost nothing in defeat when missing by a short head to Adelaide (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the Cox Plate after stumbling at the start. Fawkner certainly hails from the right barn to win the Melbourne Cup–his owner, Lloyd Williams, is the winningest owner of the Melbourne Cup with four trophies on his mantle, and Williams’ two most recent winners, Efficient (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) in 2007 and Green Moon (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) in 2012, both used the Cox Plate as a springboard to the first Tuesday in November. 

“We’re confident Fawkner has the right foundation this year,” Lloyd Williams’ son, Nick Williams, told Racenet.com.au. “Things didn’t go the way we wanted them to last year but he still ran a very good race. Aside from his stumble in the Cox Plate, he’s been beginning very well this year. We feel he can settle in a more prominent position and that should prove beneficial in the run home.” 

In the last 14 years, three New Zealand-breds have crossed the Tasman to claim the Melbourne Cup, but none since Efficient in 2007. Lucia Valentina (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}) has a strong chance to add her name to that honor roll, however, as well as become the first filly to win since Makybe Diva. A Group 3 winner in her native country as a 2-year-old, Lucia Valentina won the G1 Vinery Stud S. last season in her third start after relocating to Australia prior to finishing third in the G1 Australian Oaks. Victorious in the G2 Tramway S. over 1400 meters to kick off her 4-year-old campaign Sept. 6, Lucia Valentina was sixth in the G1 George Main S. two weeks later before winning the G1 Turnbull S. a further two weeks later. A luckless run in the Caulfield Cup saw her chase Admire Rakti home in an admirable third. The marathon distance of the Melbourne Cup is an unknown for Lucia Valentina, but trainer Kris Lees expressed confidence after a workout Oct. 28. 

“Whether she can run the two miles, I’ll know next week,” he told Racenet.com.au. “My gut says she will based on the way she switches off in the run and attacks the line in her races. As long as she gets the right type of run and can suck through them I’m as confident as I can be.” 

Signoff (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) was bred in Ireland but has done all his racing Down Under, and he was a late addition to the Melbourne Cup lineup after winning Saturday’s G3 Lexus S. at Flemington, which grants the winner automatic entry into the A$6 million Spring carnival showpiece. The winner of four straight races at the handicap and benchmark level last season, the Darren Weir-trained 5-year-old showed a new dimension when second in the G2 Herbert Power S. at Caulfield Oct. 11. He was third in the G3 David Jones Cup a week later, and sneaks into the lineup as the lightweight with 112 pounds, which will include world-renowned rider Joao Moreira, who steered him to victory Saturday. The last horse to complete the Lexus/Melbourne Cup double was Shocking (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) in 2009. 

Euros After ‘Vintage’ Success… 
Melbourne has been a popular hunting ground for the Europeans since Dermot Weld sent over Vintage Crop to win off the plane in 1993, and while a handful of European-bred imports have since clinched the prize, Vintage Crop remains the only international to win the Melbourne Cup without a local prep run. A team of seven shippers looks to join Vintage Crop on that lofty list, including Red Cadeaux (GB) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}), the globetrotting 8-year-old gelding who is no doubt a fan favorite of racegoers the world over. The Ed Dunlop charge will contest the Cup for the fourth straight year, and with two runner-up finishes under his belt–in 2011 and last year–he cannot be discounted. Red Cadeaux was last seen finishing second in the G3 September S. at Kempton Sept. 6, and Dunlop admitted that a victory by the Ron Arculli colorbearer would likely be a career highlight. 

“It would probably be the greatest victory of my training career, but I think a huge amount for Ronnie Arculli,” Dunlop said. “It was his dream to try to win the Melbourne Cup with Red Cadeaux–he kindly paid and is about to do it four times. I think it would be an amazing day.” 

Dunlop added, “[Red Cadeaux] is as good as he’s been since he’s been here. His weight’s good, and being drawn in 15 means we can do what we like. I think it’s more open, the horse that just got in down the bottom [Signoff] is interesting. Whether there’s the strength in depth, I doubt it. He’s been second twice, and was very unlucky not to win the first time. Let’s hope he gets a good passage and that it’s a truly run race and not a sprint.” 

Fledgling trainer and former internationally renowned jockey Johnny Murtagh saddles a pair for the race in last-out Ebor H. winner Mutual Regard (Ire) (Hernando {Fr}) and the ever-reliable 2012 G1 Irish St Leger winner Royal Diamond (Ire) (King’s Best), and Murtagh said he is pleased with the draw and hopes to channel the luck of the Irish. 

“The Irish have a good record in the race, so let’s hope it keeps going,” he said. “I wanted to get middle draws and we got six and 12, so that was good. Mutual Regard has been in better form this year–he’s the Ebor winner–but Royal Diamond has won an Irish Leger and has class on his side. He has done well since he has been down here.” 

Young Newmarket trainer Roger Varian has enjoyed a career-best year thanks to Group 1 winners Kingston Hill (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), Cursory Glance (Distorted Humor), Belardo (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and Vert de Grece (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}), and it would not be a surprise to see his current hot streak continue with the quirky but talented mare My Ambivalent (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}). Racing as Ambivalent overseas, the 5-year-old mare tasted Group 1 glory in last year’s Pretty Polly S. at The Curragh. Her lone overseas voyage thus far has been a strong third in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic Mar. 29, and My Ambivalent won this season’s G2 Middleton S. prior to finishing third in the G1 Coronation Cup. She was last seen finishing fourth while attempting to defend her title in the Pretty Polly June 29. Varian noted that he had intended to run his mare in the Caulfield Cup, but she was forced to the sidelines with a setback. 

“Sometimes things happen for a reason,” he noted. “She does run well after a break and although she’s not straightforward, she behaves on the track and she’s fit and well.” 

Saeed bin Suroor saddles a pair of Godolphin runners in Cavalryman (GB) (Halling) and Willing Foe (Dynaformer). The former didn’t quite measure up in this race when 12th two years ago, but bin Suroor noted the 8-year-old, who has won this year’s G2 Princess of Wales’s S. and G2 Goodwood Cup, is in top form. 

“Cavalryman is a different horse–he has won Group 2s at a mile-and-a-half and two miles,” the conditioner noted. “He’s doing well and is very happy here.” 

A trio of European raiders have taken the route of prepping in Australia, and one of those is Andreas Wohler’s German shipper Protectionist (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), who will attempt to hand his late sire back-to-back runnings after Fiorente (Ire) (Monsun {Ger})’s success last year. Winner of the G2 Hansa Preis over 12 furlongs and the 15-furlong Prix Kergorlay in Germany and France, respectively, this summer, Protectionist finished fourth, beaten a length, in the G2 Herbert Power S. Oct. 11. 

“He needed the prep run and could not be in better form,” Wohler noted of the $7.00 co-third choice. “I think he’s fairly handicapped and hopefully he will prove it. I was impressed by Admire Rakti in the Caulfield Cup and he looks to be the main danger.” 

The Melbourne Cup goes off at 11 p.m. Eastern time tonight. The full result will appear in Wednesday’s TDN.