By David Nagel
Cranbourne training partners Ciaron Maher and David Eustace will saddle up a remarkable five runners in today’s $7,750,000 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m).
The Maher-Eustace camp had four runners qualified ahead of Derby Day on Saturday, with the Ozzie Kheir-owned Interpretation being one of the last horses to make up the full field of 24 runners.
The field has already been reduced to 23 runners on Cup eve, with the Robert Hickmott-trained Point Nepean being scratched on Monday due to elevated blood levels.
Gold Trip and Smokin’ Romans appear to be the best chances of giving the Maher-Eustace camp their first win in the race that stops the nation.
Gold Trip, beaten less than three lengths by Anamoe in the Cox Plate, will be ridden by Mark Zahra and jump from barrier 14.
Smokin’ Romans has drawn barrier 16 as he looks to provide star-jockey Jamie Kah with her first victory in the famous Flemington two-miler.
High Emocean will jump from barrier eight for Teo Nugent, while Interpretation has drawn perfectly for Craig Newitt in barrier six.
Grand Promenade, the roughie of the field at $101, will look to wind back the clock when Harry Coffey bunts him out from barrier one.
Grand Promenade will wear the same colours worn by Prince of Penzance when he and jockey Michelle Payne won from the same barrier, in the same colours, in 2015.
But win or lose today’s cup, Eustace is already proud of having five runners in the great race.
He puts it all down to teamwork.
“I’m really proud of the team,” Eustace said after the Melbourne Cup barrier draw.
“To have five runners in a race like this is testament to the staff and the work they’ve done over the past six months to get the horses there.
“They go there in really good order and we can’t wait for the race.
“I think they have all drawn quite well.
“Probably Smokin’ Romans, we would have liked him to draw in and roll forward.
“He’s the one horse that may not have drawn quite so well.”
The gates spring back for the Melbourne Cup at 3pm this afternoon.
FULL FIELD
LEXUS MELBOURNE CUP (3200m)
TUESDAY 1 NOVEMBER, 2022, 3PM
GROUP 1
PRIZEMONEY: $7,750,000
1. GOLD TRIP (14) 57.5kg
Form: 33529
Jockey: M Zahra
Trainer: C Maher and D Eustace
Odds: $17
2. DUAIS (10) 55.5kg
Form: x0688
Jockey: H Bowman
Trainer: E Cummings
Odds: $26
3. KNIGHTS ORDER (23) 55.5kg
Form: x1343
Jockey: T Clark
Trainer: G Waterhouse and A Bott
Odds: $17
4. MONTEFILIA (11) 55.5kg
Form: 8×434
Jockey: J Collett
Trainer: D Payne
Odds: $11
5. NUMERIAN (7) 55.5kg
Form: 1×225
Jockey: T Berry
Trainer: A Neasham
Odds: $61
6. WITHOUT A FIGHT (18) 55.5kg
Form: 311×2
Jockey: W Buick
Trainer: Simon and E Crisford
Odds: $10
7. CAMORRA (17) 55kg
Form: 551×8
Jockey: B Melham
Trainer: Ben and JD Hayes
Odds: $51
8. DEAUVILLE LEGEND (9) 55kg
Form: 2121x
Jockey: K McEvoy
Trainer: J Ferguson
Odds: $3.50
9. STOCKMAN (2) 54kg
Form: 64418
Jockey: S Clipperton
Trainer: J Pride
Odds: $26
10. VOW AND DECLARE (4) 54kg
Form: x5356
Jockey: B Shinn
Trainer: D O’Brien
Odds: $26
11. YOUNG WERTHER (20) 54kg
Form: 8×430
Jockey: D Lane
Trainer: D O’Brien
Odds: $34
12. HOO YA MAL (15) 53.5kg
Form: 22318
Jockey: C Williams
Trainer: G Waterhouse and A Bott
Odds: $15
13. SERPENTINE (22) 53.5kg
Form: x0902
Jockey: J Allen
Trainer: R Hickmott
Odds: $61
14. DAQIANSWEET JUNIOR (13) 53kg
Form: 3×070
Jockey: D Moor
Trainer: P Stokes
Odds: $41
15. GRAND PROMENADE (1) 53kg
Form: 7×594
Jockey: H Coffey
Trainer: C Maher and D Eustace 7×594
Odds: $81
16. ARAPAHO (19) 52.5kg
Form: 12382
Jockey: R King
Trainer: B Baker
Odds: $81
17. EMISSARY (3) 51.5kg
Form: x1581
Jockey: P Moloney
Trainer: M Moroney
Odds: $34
18. LUNAR FLARE (12) 51.5kg
SCRATCHED
19. SMOKIN’ ROMANS (16) 51.5kg
Form: 92117
Jockey: J Kah
Trainer: C Maher and D Eustace
Odds: $17
20. TRALEE ROSE (21) 51.5kg
Form: 9×700
Jockey: D Yendall
Trainer: S Wilde
Odds: $71
21. POINT NEPEAN (20)
SCRATCHED
22. HIGH EMOCEAN (8) 50kg
Form: 34161
Jockey: T Nugent
Trainer: C Maher and D Eustace
Odds: $34
23. INTERPRETATION (6) 50kg
Form: x6536
Jockey: C Newitt
Trainer: C Maher and D Eustace
Odds: $41
24. REALM OF FLOWERS (5) 50kg
Form: 6×033
Jockey: D Thornton
Trainer: Anthony and S Freedman
Odds: $10
