Today marks the beginning of a new era in Melbourne Cup history, with the big New Zealander, Michael Moroney, taking out his first Cup. And, you mark my words, there'll be many more because this guy will be to the 21st century what Bart Cummings was to the 20th century.
After the magnificent NZ campaign of Second Coming last summer, Moroney has got the chocolates with his second stringer, the lightly weighted Brew, which was perfectly ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, who overcame a horror draw to have the horse perfectly positioned throughout. He came with a well-timed run to be beat the gallant Yippyio, also ridden a perfect race by the Preacher, with Moroney's stable star, Second Coming, hanging on for an excellent third after covering a ton of extra ground and being forced to go to the lead way too soon.
The three placegetters were all proven two-milers. They were not hard to pick, for that very reason. Other more fancied runners like Freemason and Diatribe were unproven at the distance ... and their backers suffered accordingly.
And once again the highly fancied northern hemisphere horses have bombed out. I decided to gamble against them this time because there have just been too many that have come here with huge wraps over the years and failed miserably.
It's obvious that Moroney targeted this race ... and good luck to him. To train 1st and 3rd in a Melbourne Cup is a splendid achievement.
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**floreat pica**
[This message has been edited by AlfAndrews (edited 07 November 2000).]
After the magnificent NZ campaign of Second Coming last summer, Moroney has got the chocolates with his second stringer, the lightly weighted Brew, which was perfectly ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, who overcame a horror draw to have the horse perfectly positioned throughout. He came with a well-timed run to be beat the gallant Yippyio, also ridden a perfect race by the Preacher, with Moroney's stable star, Second Coming, hanging on for an excellent third after covering a ton of extra ground and being forced to go to the lead way too soon.
The three placegetters were all proven two-milers. They were not hard to pick, for that very reason. Other more fancied runners like Freemason and Diatribe were unproven at the distance ... and their backers suffered accordingly.
And once again the highly fancied northern hemisphere horses have bombed out. I decided to gamble against them this time because there have just been too many that have come here with huge wraps over the years and failed miserably.
It's obvious that Moroney targeted this race ... and good luck to him. To train 1st and 3rd in a Melbourne Cup is a splendid achievement.
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**floreat pica**
[This message has been edited by AlfAndrews (edited 07 November 2000).]
