Jameka Primed For Cup Double

Jameka | Bronwen Healy

Jameka (Aus) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) has been a big contributor to a dream year for rising trainer Ciaron Maher, and a win in Tuesday's A$6-million G1 Emirates Melbourne Cup would certainly mark a career high for all involved. A victory in the 'Race That Stops a Nation' certainly isn't a pipdream for the 4-year-old mare; Jameka was the dominant winner of the G1 Caulfield Cup two weeks ago, and boasts winning form at this carnival having taken the G1 Crown Oaks last year. The A$8.50 second choice is partnered by jockey Nick Hall, who told Racing.com on Thursday, “After riding her this morning, I'm really confident–probably the most confident I've been going into a Melbourne Cup. She's improved from her run at Caulfield. We thought she would, we always thought we had some up her sleeve and I think she'll be peaking at the right time.”

Hall also addressed Jameka's early race keenness at Caulfield, adding, “There was a bit of narrative about the way she was throwing her head early in the race. We had her pretty well going into that, because we wanted to leave some in the tank heading towards the Melbourne Cup. I think she's come back a notch, and really settled into herself now, and enjoying it much more. I think you'll see a much more relaxed, focused mindset from her going into this race.”

Jameka also received a vote of confidence from Damien Oliver, who rode her in the Crown Oaks. Oliver rides import Exospheric (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}) on Tuesday, but said of the mare, who gets a weight-break of up to five pounds from the top weights, “I think she can [run out the 3200 metres]. She's always shown she's been a true stayer. She certainly represents the stronger Australian hopes in the field, for sure.”

While he was bred in Britain, the home team now also includes Hartnell (GB) (Authorized {GB}), who only has the great mare Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) standing between him and an otherwise flawless prep. Second to her on seasonal debut in the G2 Warwick S. and in the G1 Cox Plate Oct. 22, the 5-year-old Godolphin flagbearer in between won the G2 Chelmsford S., G2 Hill S. and G1 Turnbull S., the latter over Jameka.

Hartnell is one of five to be sent out by Godolphin, the others all shippers from the Newmarket yards of Saeed bin Suroor and Charlie Appleby. The latter trainer appears to hold the better hand, with Qewy (Ire) (Street Cry {Ire}) having bested Oceanographer (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the G3 Geelong Cup–a significant pointer for this race–Oct. 19 before the latter came back to win Saturday's G3 Lexus S. Both geldings get in low in the weights and get the services of top local riders in Chad Schofield and Craig Williams.

Fielding almost as many runners as Godolphin is local owner Lloyd Williams, whose chief hope is the Aidan O'Brien-trained Bondi Beach (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), whom he races in partnership with the Coolmore triumvirate of Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier and Michael Tabor. The 4-year-old had no luck last year when checking in 16th of 24 here, and after starting out this season with a pair of wins including the G3 Vintage Crop S. at Navan, he has managed only third in his two most recent efforts. His merits receive an automatic boost, however, with the presence of the seemingly magic combination of O'Brien and jockey Ryan Moore, and thus he cannot be discounted.

Of his locally trained runners, Williams interestingly has spoken highest of the longest shot, the A$71 Gallante (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), who was formerly campaigned by the Coolmore partners with Andre Fabre. Williams told Racing.com on Saturday of last season's G1 Sydney Cup winner, who was seventh last out in the G2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup after setting the pace, “I think he's a horse, as long as it's not absolutely rock hard, he'll be just fine. He worked on the course proper at Bendigo [Saturday] morning. Anyone who saw it, there couldn't have been anything more impressive.”

“He's certainly the one of ours that's greatly over the odds,” Williams added. “I think you get a big, black texta and put a line through [the Moonee Valley Gold Cup]. It was a victim of circumstance. I'm not sure how they ended up in that situation, the jockeys, but these things happen in the heat of battle. I can tell you the horse has bounced off it, he's flying.”

A constant feature of the Melbourne Cup is the presence of highly formidable European shippers, and one who fits that bill is Big Orange (GB) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}), who was fifth in this last year and appears to be improving with age at five, having won the G2 Princess of Wales S. at Newmarket July 7 and the G2 Goodwood Cup three weeks after that. He has been off since then and carries co-top weight of 125 pounds with rider Jamie Spencer, but trainer Michael Bell has spoken very bullishly of the bay in the leadup to Tuesday.

“He was four last year and we were all on a learning curve,” Bell told Racing.com. “He's become a man since he's been here.” Bell also noted, however, “He has to buck a trend for English horses in this race and he's got top weight so he's got to be significantly the best horse to win the race.”

Dominant Irish jumps trainer Willie Mullins nearly pulled off the Melbourne Cup last year with Max Dynamite (Fr) (Great Journey {Jpn}), who had to settle for second behind Prince of Penzance (NZ) (Pentire {GB}), and Mullins is back this year with the G1 Irish St Leger upsetter Wicklow Brave (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}). The 7-year-old gelding has drawn widest of all and is partnered with Frankie Dettori.

Mullins isn't the only Irish jumps trainer to take a shot. Tony Martin sends forward Heartbreak City (Fr) (Lando {Ger}), who won a pair of hurdles races in May and July followed by York's coveted Ebor H. going 14 furlongs on the flat. Martin spoke positively of his charge, who landed just inside Wicklow Brave in gate 23, but was full of praise for his rival, telling Racing.com, “The man who trains him is one of the two best trainers in the world–Willie Mullins and Aidan O'Brien. Whatever Willie does with them, he's a genius.”

“He looks exceptional,” Martin added. “I saw him here the other morning and a good man that knows the ropes in David Casey, who was here last year with Max Dynamite, deep down they are cocky about him and they are entitled to be. He looks absolutely wonderful. My respect for the man is unreal.”

The result of the Melbourne Cup will appear in Wednesday's TDN.

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