Three times winner Glen Boss has snapped up the ride on the Lindsay Park trained Ventura Storm in the Group 1 $6.25m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on Tuesday.
Jockey Glen Boss, above, will ride Ventura Storm in the 2017 Melbourne Cup at Flemington. Photo by Adrienne Bicknell.
Up and coming jockey Regan Bayliss was booked to be re-united with Ventura Storm but had to forfeit the Melbourne Cup ride after pleading guilty to causing interference approaching and passing the winning post in the last race of the day at Bendigo on Wednesday on the winner Saddle The Sun.
Bayliss was suspended for seven meetings and will be free to ride on November 11, the last day of the four day Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Bayliss was aboard Ventura Storm two starts back when second to Winx in the Group 1 $500,000 Seppelt Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 7 while Damien Oliver had the mount last start when the European import finished thirteenth to stablemate Boom Time in the Group 1 $3.15m BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield on October 21.
Boss is currently riding in Singapore but will be returning to the scene of his most famous victories at Flemington where he partnered the great Makybe Diva to three consectutive Melbourne Cup wins in 2003, 2004 and 2005.
Boss has ridden in five Melbourne Cups since with his best finishing effort being on the Chris Waller trained Who Shot Thebarman who ran third behind Protectionist and Red Cadeaux in 2014.
The David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig trained Ventura Storm is currently listed as a $34 chance for the Melbourne Cup at Ladbrokes.com.au who have last year’s winner Almandin a $6.50 favourite to win back to back Cups.
Early betting for the 2017 Melbourne Cup at Ladbrokes.com.au: $6.50 Almandin, $8.50 Humidor, Marmelo, $11 Johannes Vermeer, Red Cardinal, Wall Of Fire, $15 Rekindling, Max Dynamite, $17 Thomas Hobson, $21 Big Duke, Tiberian, Hartnell, $26 Amelie’s Star, Nakeeta, Qewy, Single Gaze, $34 Boom Time, Harlem, Bondi Beach, Ventura Storm, $41 Who Shot Thebarman, Jon Snow, Abbey Marie, US Army Ranger, Wicklow Brave, $61 or better the rest.
