Year after year, the royal blue colours of Godolphin have been a regular fixture of the Melbourne Spring Carnival as the world-wide breeding operation spared no expense in trying to win one of the world’s greatest thoroughbred races that has always remained frustratingly, just out of their reach.
They’ve filled places in the cup with the likes of Central Park, Mahler and Crime Scene but in 2016, they may just finally get their hands on the Melbourne Cup.
Godolphin has five runners in this year’s Cup including Hartnell and Oceanographer who sit first and secondly respectively, in current betting markets.
Out to win his fourth Melbourne Cup is Melbourne owner Lloyd Williams who will have an interest in four runners.
Just A Dash, Efficient and Green Moon have been successful for Williams in the past and most of his horses are specifically set for the Melbourne Cup, year round.
Bondi Beach and Almandin are his best hopes according to the market, with Bondi Beach have been aimed at this race since unsuccessfully competing in last year’s edition.
He’ll be spot on for his return despite not having competed for 48 days with all his racing this year, having been planned around his return attempt.
International visitors include Big Orange – who carries top weight of 57kgs – the only horse to carry more than 56.5kgs to victory in the past thirty-three years, has been Makybe Diva – when she won her third consecutive Melbourne Cup carrying 58kgs.
Big Orange has solid form behind him though, a good draw and jockey aboard – he’ll get his chance.
Hartnell failed in last year’s Cup, and in the Sydney Cup when a short-priced favourite, but twelve months on, he appears a much more mature animal.
- BONDI BEACH
- HARTNELL
- BIG ORANGE
- JAMEKA
