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Summary The Australian rider will also be chasing his third Melbourne Cup victory.
American-bred, French-trained galloper Americain will carry favoritism into Tuesdays $6.2 million Melbourne Cup as it attempts to win Australias richest and most prestigious horse race for the second time.The eight-year-old stallion, trained by Alain de Royer Dupre and ridden by popular Australian jockey Damien Oliver, was quoted by bookmakers on Monday at around 6-1, narrowly ahead of the defending champion Dunaden.Americain won the 150th edition of the two-mile turf handicap in 2010 and finished fourth behind Dunaden last year after starting favorite and carrying top weight of 58 kilograms (128 pounds).Dunaden, trained at Chantilly by Mark Delzangles and ridden by Australian Craig Williams, carries this years top weight of 59 kilograms (130 pounds), in a 24-horse field.Williams was due to ride the horse in last years Cup before incurring a suspension and conceding the winning mount to Frenchman Christophe Lemaire.Dunaden, which was bought as a weanling for only 1,500 Euros ($2,300), will take its stake earnings past $10 million if it can win the race for a second time.To do so Dunaden, which won the Caulfield Cup in its latest preparation, will have to overcome a barrier draw of 16. Owner Sheikh Al Thani said he was less concerned by the draw than the fact trainer Delzangles arrived in Australia after winning the juvenile Breeders Cup at Santa Anita in the United States.I hope my trainer hasnt used up all my luck in America, he said. The barrier is okay, 59 kilograms is a worry. Were hoping he can do it again.Oliver won the ride on Americain when the horses owners, Australian businessmen Gerry Ryan and Kevin Bamford, sacked French rider Gerald Mosse after the horse finished fourth behind Dunaden in the Caulfield Cup.The Australian rider will also be chasing his third Melbourne Cup victory, 10 years after winning his second in 2002 on Media Puzzle, only days after his brother died in a fall from a horse.Hes an amazing horse, Oliver said of Americain. Hes in great condition. Hes in great form. Its a great opportunity.Americain also has in its favor the fact that 34 of the 151 previous winners of the race have been favorites.Overseas-trained horses dominate the field and the betting market for the 152nd running of the Melbourne Cup. Only six of the 24 runners in this years race are trained in the southern hemisphere.Six-year-old gelding Mount Athos, trained by Luca Cumani, was on the third line of favoritism on Monday, just ahead of Red Cadeaux, which was beaten by a nose by Dunaden last year in the closest finish in Cup history.Maluckyday, which finished second to American two years ago, was the fourth favorite Monday at 11-1.Mount Athos, which is coming off a hattrick of wins and is fresh after last racing in mid-August, has drawn barrier eight and will carry only 54 kilograms.We wanted to draw as close to 10 as possible and we are right where we wanted to be, owner Marwan Koukash said. The horse has traveled well and we have a good barrier, so I cant wait for Tuesday.The race, at 3pm local time at the Flemington racetrack, is expected to draw a crowd well in excess of 100,000. A total of 105,979 people watched Dunaden win last year, short of the record crowd in 2003 of 122,736.
