Precedence has been included in the 2014 Moonee Valley Gold Cup Field and has the chance to become the first horse in history to win the Group 2 event on three occasions.
Precedence has the chance to make history in the 2014 Moonee Valley Gold Cup this weekend. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Precedence (barrier four) had his first start in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup when he defeated Above Average and Capecover to take out the 2010 edition of the race and took out the race for the second time by beating Shoreham and Gotta Take Care last year.
The Zabeel gelding started his 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign with a 12th place finish in the Listed The Sofitel (1400m) at Flemington on September 13 before finishing an unlucky fifth in the Group 3 JRA Cup (2040m) at Moonee Valley on September 26 and he will run in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup on Saturday as his final lead-up run for the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 4.
The most interesting runner in the 2014 Moonee Valley Gold Cup field is Andre Fabre-trained Au Revoir, who will be making his Australian racing debut in the $250,000 race on Saturday.
Au Revoir (barrier six) has not been seen at the races since he finished fourth behind the likes of Ruler Of The World and Flintshire in the Group 2 Prix Foy (2400m) at Longchamp on September 14, but he has been a consistent performer at Group level in Europe over the past 12 months.
The Singspiel entire remains in the entries for the Melbourne Cup and can enhance his chances of earning a start in ‘the race that stops a nation’ by winning the Moonee Valley Gold Cup and receiving a weight penalty by Racing Victoria Chief Handicapper Greg Carpenter.
The only horse taking Group 1 form into the Moonee Valley Gold Cup this weekend is Chris Waller-trained Opinion (barrier nine), who finished a tough second behind Junoob in the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Royal Randwick on October 4.
Opinion has been an inconsistent performer since arriving in Australia and has only recorded one win from 12 starts, but is a proven stayer who was second behind The Offer in the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) earlier this year.
Leading Melbourne trainer Darren Weir has been one of the form trainers during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival to date and he has included both Prince Of Penzance and Black Tycoon in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup field.
Prince Of Penzance (barrier ten) returned to a semblance of his best form with a close second in the Moe Cup (2050m) last week, while Black Tycoon (barrier eight) has failed to fire since joining the Weir stable, but will be suited by the step-up in trip.
Mr O’Ceirin (barrier seven), Le Roi (barrier one), Anudjawun (barrier two), Epingle (barrier three) and Albonetti (barrier five) round out the Moonee Valley Gold Cup field.
