Last chance for NZ horses to qualify for Melbourne

Media Release
29 October 2009

Last chance for New Zealand horses to qualify for the Melbourne Cup!

This weekend will provide the last opportunity for two New Zealand trained horses to qualify for the prestigious Melbourne Cup on Tuesday.

The Paddy and Trent Busuttin trained Six O’Clock News will line up in The Lexus Stakes race over 2500m at Flemington in Melbourne at 1:50pm (NZ time) on Saturday but will have his work cut out for him after drawing barrier 15 of 16.

Six O’Clock News needs to win this race as he is currently sitting at 32 on the entry list for the Melbourne Cup, with only 24 horses set to run round the track on Tuesday. He’s paying Fixed Odds of $81 to win the Melbourne Cup.

The Ian Shaw trained Hoorang also lines up in The Lexus Stakes in a bid to make the field for the Melbourne Cup. He is sitting at 33 on the entry list and has drawn barrier 10 for Saturday’s race. Hoorang is also paying Fixed Odds of $81 to win the Melbourne Cup.

The New Zealand owned and former New Zealand trained Dandaad, who is now trained by Australian master trainer Bart Cummings, will also line-up in The Lexus Stakes and has drawn barrier 14. He’s currently paying Fixed Odds of $41 to win the Melbourne Cup.

The winners of The Lexus Stakes over 2500m (Race 2 at 1:50pm NZ time) and The Mackinnon Stakes over 2000m (Race 5 at 4:05pm NZ time) at Flemington on Saturday will get automatic entry into Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup.

Two other New Zealand trained horses - Harris Tweed and Daffodil - are already assured of a start in Melbourne Cup so will rest this weekend in preparation for the big race on Tuesday.

Spin Around, Gallions Reach and Capecover are on the cusp of making the Melbourne Cup, sitting at 24, 25 and 27 on the entry list respectively so are likely to make the field. Spin Around and Gallions Reach are paying Fixed Odds of $101 to win the Melbourne Cup while Capecover is paying $41.

The Melbourne Cup is Australasia’s richest horse race with a purse of A$5.5 million (NZ$6.8m) and is set to race at 5pm (NZ time) next Tuesday (3 November). The field for the race will be confirmed this Saturday at about 9:30pm (NZ time).

Last year, 10 per cent of all New Zealanders had a bet on the Melbourne Cup through the TAB, with a total of $7.6 million wagered on the race itself.

A New Zealand trained horse has not won the Melbourne Cup since 2001 when the Sheila Laxon trained Ethereal got up in the last few strides to win by three-quarters of a length.

All the races from the Melbourne Cup Carnival will be broadcast live on Trackside Television (SKY Digital Channel 35) and TV3 will also broadcast the Melbourne Cup itself, with coverage starting at 4:30pm.

For the latest New Zealand TAB Fixed Odds available on the Melbourne Cup visit: http://www.tab.co.nz/sport?option=190

ENDS

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