Melbourne Cup Hopefuls on Track for Australia’s Biggest Race

Excitement is mounting among horse racing fans worldwide, with the 2024 Melbourne Cup now less than two months away.

Online bookmakers have been offering odds on the ‘race that stops the nation’ for several months, and the market is slowly beginning to take shape.

Crystal Black recently cemented his status as one of the favourites in the Melbourne Cup online betting with an emphatic victory in the Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown.

The six-year-old continued his rapid rise up the staying ranks by forging clear of his rivals in the Group 3 contest to record an emphatic five-length success at odds of 2.10.

His performance sparked interest from owners in Australia, who are eager to acquire the horse ahead of a possible tilt at the Melbourne Cup.

Trainer Gerard Keane said: “There is a bit of interest from Australia in him and there are negotiations going on that he might go for the Melbourne Cup.

“The lads (owners Wear A Pink Ribbon Syndicate) want to hold on to half of him, but we’ll know more in the next few days. If he was in the first three today that deal was on the table.”

“It’s a kind of a fairytale really. He just keeps improving and improving. He had issues when we got him first with allergies and this year has just been amazing. You are always afraid that you are one run away from going over the top.”

Crystal Black’s victory was particularly noteworthy given that the Melbourne Cup trophy was in Ireland last week as part of the 22nd annual global tour.

The 18-carat-gold trophy visited the Galway Races Summer Festival, two-time Melbourne Cup winning trainer Jospeh O’Brien and top Irish trainer Willie Mullins.

The latter saddled Absurde (7th) and Vauban (14th) in the 2023 Melbourne Cup and says the pair remain on course to have another crack at the race this year.

“It’s probably as big a race as we can win, except maybe the Ascot Gold Cup, you know, that we have staying types that can compete at that level,” Mullins said.

“I’d probably bring Vauban out a bit later – I’d probably race him more at home this year and then get him out there later.

“Maybe we get Absurde out a bit earlier and run in the Caulfield Cup. I think that would suit him and then he can come back for the Melbourne Cup.”

Yorkshire-based trainer Brian Ellison also has his sights set on the Melbourne Cup with 2024 Northumberland Plate winner Onesmoothoperator.

The six-year-old is scheduled to run in the prestigious Ebor Handicap at York later this month. The winner of that race is awarded an automatic spot in the Melbourne Cup.

Ellison won the Ebor with Moyenne Cornice in 2011 and believes Onesmoothoperator boasts a similar profile to that horse.

“He stays and he’s got a good turn of foot,” Ellison said. “Probably, Onesmoothoperator would be quicker. Ground would be a key. He wouldn’t want it too soft or anything.

Moyenne Corniche and stablemate Saptapadi finished down the field in the 2011 Melbourne Cup, and Ellison has yearned to have another runner in the big race.

Intriguingly, Onesmoothoperator finished just over four lengths behind impressive 2023 Melbourne Cup winner Without A Fight at York two years ago, highlighting why Ellison fancies his chances.

“He worked yesterday – he’s in great form,” Ellison added. He’s had an easy time since the Plate. We’ve learnt that he doesn’t need a lot of galloping and he likes his races spread out a bit.

“He was quite keen when we first got him. Mark Brown rides him every day and gets on well with him. He actually goes up there on a long rein now.

“His form might say that he’s better on the all-weather, but he has run well on grass. Where would I put him? I’m not saying he’s going to win (the Ebor), but I think he’ll be thereabouts.”