Melbourne Cup Winner Green Moon Will Wear Blinkers

Former Melbourne Cup winner Green Moon will wear blinkers in the 2013 edition of the race at Flemington on Tuesday; with owner Lloyd Williams hopeful that the gear change will increase the chances of the Montjeu entire joining Archer, Rain Lover, Think Big and Makybe Divaas back-to-back winners of the Melbourne Cup.

Green Moon will wear blinkers when he defends his title in the 2013 Melbourne Cup.

Green Moon will wear blinkers when he defends his title in the 2013 Melbourne Cup. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Green Moon has never previously worn blinkers but Williams is leaving no stone unturned in his quest to win a fifth Melbourne Cup at Flemington tomorrow.

The leading owner, who has six runners in the 2013 Melbourne Cup field, told TVN that he has studied the history of ‘the race that stops a nation’ and believes that the application of blinkers will help Green Moon find the improvement he leads to lump 57.5kg to victory.

“I put them on the day before I won the Cup on What A Nuisance and Bart Cummings put them on the day before he won the Cup with Hyperno,” Williams said.

“Old blokes like myself think about these ideas and we have a lot of experience.

“We thought with an older chap you wanted to save the blinkers until last.”

Green Moon has raced consistently this campaign without breaking through for his first race win since his memorable triumph over a strong field in last year’s Melbourne Cup.

The seven-year-old resumed with an eye-catching third behind Atlantic Jewel in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) and had no luck when battling home for ninth in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) that was not run to suit.

He contested the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) for the second year in a row but was stuck at the tail of the field during the run and was unable to make much ground when jockey Brett Prebble took him wide coming around the final turn.

Green Moon is one of the least fancied Williams-owned runners in 2013 Melbourne Cup betting markets at odds of $41; with the highly-rated Sea Moon ($14), The Metropolitan winner Seville ($16), Caulfield Cup winner Fawkner ($18) and tough stayer Masked Marvel ($31) all finding plenty of support.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.