Why one of this year’s Melbourne Cup favourites might not run in the race

11 hours ago 4

One of the favourites for the Melbourne Cup, Buckaroo, is rated no better than a 50/50 chance to run in this year’s race.

The Cox Plate runner-up has passed Racing Victoria’s mandatory veterinary scans, but connections will wait right up to Saturday afternoon’s deadline for final acceptances before deciding whether Buckaroo will start in Australian racing’s most famous event.

Connections are yet to decide if Buckaroo will run in this year’s Melbourne Cup. He finished ninth in last year’s race.

Trainer Chris Waller has left the final call to the owners, headed by prominent owner Ozzie Kheir. Their decision will play a key role in shaping the Melbourne Cup market, as Buckaroo is fourth favourite, rated an $8 chance behind joint favourites Al Riffa and Half Yours.

Waller will be familiar with Buckaroo’s Cup situation after going through a similar episode with his 2021 winner Verry Elleegant.

Like Verry Elleegant, Buckaroo placed in the Cox Plate at his previous start, finished in the top 10 of the Melbourne Cup the year before after settling near the rear, and has a similar ownership group.

“[It’s] 50/50 at the moment,” Waller said on Tuesday morning at Flemington.

With six potential Cup runners, it’s no surprise the media was keen to hear from Chris Waller at Flemington on Tuesday.

“There’s a lot of discussions still going on. He had a tough race last year. He didn’t come through it that well, but there were reasons for it. He had covered a lot of ground and came from a long way back and just peaked on his run.

“He’s been with us for a long time, so we’ve just got to make sure we get it right, so we’re trying to go through an analytical approach to make sure that we know that he’s gonna not only run in the Melbourne Cup but be capable of winning a Melbourne Cup.”

Waller said Buckaroo had not been trained for the Melbourne Cup, but was instead set for the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate. However, he said he was confident the horse would have the stamina for the two-mile staying test.

Buckaroo ran superstar mare Via Sistina to a nose in the Cox Plate, which has proven a strong form race recently to the Melbourne Cup.

Asked how he thought Buckaroo would run in the Cup if he started, Waller said: “He’d go close, he’d go very close.”

Adding further intrigue to the decision, Buckaroo’s owners have an enticing fallback option – the $3 million Champions Stakes on the final day of the Flemington carnival – and they have two other runners in the Cup, the $7 third favourite Valiant King and outsider Birdman.

Both are trained by Waller, who could have as many as six starters. He also has Caulfield Cup runner-up River Of Stars, More Felons and Land Legend.

Valiant King stamped himself as a genuine Melbourne Cup hope by coming from last and finishing third in the Caulfield Cup. He worked at Flemington with Cup-winning hoop Jye McNeil aboard.

“Jye is buzzing, he said he’s he feels great,” Waller said. “He rode him this morning, he said his action’s fantastic. He’s a happy horse. He came off the track squealing, so [that’s a] great sign and we’re very happy with him.”

Jockey Craig Williams will ride either Buckaroo or Birdman.