An Admirable Mission

AN ADMIRABLE MISSION 
Admire Rakti (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}) took on the role of favorite for the A$6 million G1 Melbourne Cup after storming on the Australian scene to take the G1 Caulfield Cup Oct. 18, and the 6-year-old firmed into $5.00 favoritism after last night’s barrier draw, which saw him land favorably in post eight. Trainer Tomoyuki Umeda was pleased with the draw, but respectful of the task ahead of his charge if he is to hand Japan a second Melbourne Cup while shouldering top weight of 129 pounds. 

“I am very pleased,” 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.” 

No horse since 1983 has carried 129 pounds to victory in ‘The Race That Stops a Nation’, and the heaviest impost carried in the last 30 years was Makybe Diva’s 128 pounds when winning her third renewal in 2005. 
Breaking just to the outside of the favorite will be last year’s Caulfield Cup winner Fawkner (Aus) (Reset {Aus}), whose spring campaign has thus far included a G1 Caulfield S. victory and runner-up efforts in the G1 Cox Plate and G1 Makybe Diva S. The 7-year-old gelding gets four pounds from Admire Rakti, as does the lovable Red Cadeaux (GB) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}), who will try the Melbourne Cup for the fourth time from the 15 hole. While not the most favorable, it is worth noting that Red Cadeaux was second last year from gate 23. He was eighth in 2013 exiting barrier 18, and recorded his best finish–second, beaten a pixel–in 2011 when also breaking from the 15. 

The German raider Protectionist (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) made a good showing when fourth, beaten a length, in his local debut in the G2 Herbert Power S., and Christoph Berglar’s dual group winner is listed at $7.50 in the betting after landing in gate 11. He gets the services of world-class jockey Ryan Moore, who landed last weekend’s G1 Cox Plate on Adelaide (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). 

Lucia Valentina (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}) was forced agonizingly wide alongside Admire Rakti when chasing that rival home admirably in the Caulfield Cup, but the filly should have no such problems Tuesday, as she exits barrier two as the $7.00 second choice. She carries a big advantage in the weights, giving the favorite 12 pounds–she gave him 11 in the Caulfield Cup.