Melito will challenge Black Caviar in the BTC Cup

Melito is arguably the forgotten horse in the 2011 BTC Cup but Glen Colless is not afraid of taking up the challenge against Black Caviar this Saturday at Doomben in the BTC Cup.

She’s not alone either, all up there are 15 competitors looking for a shot at the wonder mare creating a buzz around Brisbane with more than 20,000 expected on race day.

Melito tried and failed against Black Caviar in the spring getting blown off the track and forcing Gerald Ryan to give her an early spell.

She returned this Autumn amid much greater expectations but has failed to make an impact, not helped but persistent wet weather.

It’s common knowledge she can’t win on anything softer than Dead so her third to Aloha on a slow surface in the Coolmore Classic and her fourth to Hay List in the All Aged Stakes probably weren’t too bad results.

“She went to Brisbane last week and worked well on Saturday morning,” Ryan said.

“We have booked Glen Colless. Both Corey Brown and Hugh Bowman will be riding at the Scone meeting so we were pleased to get Glen.”

She fell agonisingly short of success during last year’s Brisbane Winter Carnival when beaten by a whisker to Albert The Fat in the BTC Cup

For this year’s contest Black Caviar is the obvious odds on favourite ahead of Hay List with a big gap back to Melito and Buffering equal on the third row.

Ryan has plenty of hope for a good Brisbane campaign though and it was kicked off in style by Hot Snitzel on the weekend when he won on the Gold Coast by more than six lengths.

His other big hope Saramenha will be looking for similar success with a debut Queensland run at Doomben.

“She has also done very well and Jim Byrne rides her on Saturday,” Ryan said.

“Saramenha and Hot Snitzel will be kept apart and race on alternate weeks until maybe the Sires’ Produce depending on how they go.”