Caulfield Cup winner Jameka sits at the top of the order of entry for the 2016 Group 1 $6m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 1 after thirty-two horses remained in contention following the second acceptances today.
Caulfield Cup winner Jameka, above, is at the top of the list of the Melbourne Cup 2nd acceptances. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
The Ciaron Maher trained Jameka earned automatic entry into the Melbourne Cup as well as a 1.5kg penalty for winning the Group 1 $3m BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield on October 15.
Jameka’s re-handicapped weight of 53.5kg will be increased again by 1kg at final acceptance time on Saturday when Big Orange and Our Ivanhowe’s weight of 56kg is lifted to the mandatory 57kg top weight required for the Melbourne Cup, forcing all the weights to be raised 1kg.
The Robert Hickmott – Lloyd Williams owned Almandin is second in the order of entry with 51kg after receiving a 1kg penalty for winning the ballot exemption Group 3 $300,000 The Bart Cummings (2500m) at Flemington on October 2.
Williams could have up to four runners in the Melbourne Cup with stablemates Assign and Gallante as well as the Aidan O’Brien trained Irish stayer Bondi Beach also among the second acceptances.
The powerful international thoroughbred organisation of Godolphin have seven horses among the thirty-two second Melbourne Cup acceptances under the banner of three different trainers.
Godolphin has five English stayers, Scottish, Qewy and Oceanographer from Charlie Appleby’s Newmarket stables and Beautiful Romance and Secret Number who are prepared by Saeed Bin Suroor while his their Australia trainer John O’Shea is likely to saddle up the favourite Hartnell and Turnbull Stakes third placegetter Tally.
Scottish has performed well already in Australia with a second to Jameka in the Caulfield Cup while Qewy and Oceanographer finished first and third in the Group 3 $300,000 Geelong Cup (2400m) at Geelong on October 19.
Hartnell sits at the top of the Melbourne Cup market order at $4.60 with Ladbrokes.com.au after finishing second to Winx in the Group 1 $3m Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley last Saturday which followed a hat trick of Spring Carnival wins which included a win in the Group 1 $500,000 Yellowglen Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 2.
The Chris Waller trained Grand Marshal and Who Shot Thebarman are also second acceptors for the Melbourne Cup after running the quinella in the Group 2 $300,000 Antler Luggage Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) at Moonee Valley last Saturday.
Five second acceptances that are outside of the top twenty-four in the order of entry, De Little Engine, Pentathlon, Rose Of Virginia, The Bandit and Tom Melbourne, could find themselves in the final field for the Melbourne Cup if they can win the exempt free Group 3 $300,000 Lexus Stakes (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Early Melbourne Cup market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.60 Hartnell, $7 Jameka, $10 Bondi Beach, $11 Heartbreak City $13 Almandin, , $15 Scottish, $17 Big Orange, Exospheric, Wicklow Brave, $19 Almoonqith, $21 Curren Mirotic, $26 Grand Marshall, Who Shot Thebarman, $31 Qewy, Grey Lion, Our Ivanhowe, Real Love, Secret Number, $41 Oceanographer, Beautiful Romance, Gallante, Tally, $51 Assign, $61 Excess Knowledge, Howard Be Thy Name, De Little Engine, $81 Pentathlon, Sir John Hawkwood, Tom Melbourne, $201 Vengeur Masque, $301 Rose Of Virginia, The Bandit.
