SEVERAL CHASING PENALTY FOR WIN IN GEELONG CUP

THE race to secure a start in the $5.65m Emirates Melbourne Cup heads to Geelong tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon for the running of the Group 3 centrebet.com Geelong Cup (2406m).

With the early scratching of The Sportsman, no less than 15 of the 17 runners guaranteed starts at
Geelong are entered for the Melbourne Cup which means much more is at stake than the lion’s
share of a $200,000 purse.

Victory in the 4pm feature will attract the attention of the Racing Victoria Ltd handicappers and
hopefully a subsequent penalty to lift the horse up the elimination order.

One horse that doesn’t need to win to take its place at Flemington on the first Tuesday in November
is the topweight Crime Scene who sits 21st on the order of entry and thus is all but assured of a start.

The Saeed bin Suroor-trained and Godolphin-owned galloper, who has raced in the UK and Dubai
this year with success, is one of two Northern Hemisphere-trained runners in tomorrow’s field.

The other is Basaltico who will be striving to give UK trainer Luca Cumani and champion local jockey
Damien Oliver back-to-back victories after the win of Bauer in last year’s Geelong Cup.

Basaltico, who will carry 55.5kgs – two less than Crime Scene – sits 33rd on the Melbourne Cup
elimination order and thus needs a win to guarantee himself a start.

The international flavour doesn’t stop there though. The Kiwis will provide more than a third of the
field with six New Zealand-trained gallopers amongst the starting line-up.

They are Galleons Reach (31st in Melbourne Cup order of entry), a stablemate of 2006 cup winner
Mandela, along with Spin Around (29), Young Centaur (37), Sterling Prince (46), Hoorang (49) and
Six O’Clock News (45).

Of the Trans-Tasman raiders, Sterling Prince, who’ll be ridden by in-form jockey Hugh Bowman, is
the wildcard having been placed in Group 1 company two starts back behind star mare Daffodil.

Master trainer Bart Cummings gets his chance at another feature race victory with first emergency
Dandaad (66) securing a start in the 2406m handicap with the early scratching.

Cummings, fresh from his win in Saturday’s BMW Caulfield Cup, will be hoping for another
withdrawal with the second emergency Think Money (52) also prepared by his stable.

Adding depth to the field is the presence of the past two Perth Cup winners, Guyno (30) and Cats
Fun (35), along with former VRC Oaks winner Arapaho Miss (42).

The other Melbourne Cup entrants amongst the starting line-up are Completion (57), Leica Ding (67)
and promising South Australian stayer Maestro Of Murano (80), with the latter two both needing a
win to pass the first ballot clause.

The $100,000 Chargold Project Management Geelong Classic (2206m) headlines the support program on a 10 race card that commences at 12 noon and concludes at 5.20pm.

The Listed feature brings together a terrific collection of three-year-old stayers hoping to further their
credentials for the Group 1 AAMI Victoria Derby on Saturday week, 31 October at Flemington.

The highly promising Rockferry (Danny O’Brien), dual winner Keep Control (Darren Weir), promising
Sydney stayer Southern Skye (Paul Perry), Kiwi visitor Our Heir Apparent (Mark Walker) and the
lone filly Well Rounded (Lee Freedman) are those expected to figure prominently.

Gates open for the meeting at 10am with adult admission $25 and concession $15.

INTERNATIONAL INVADERS GEARED FOR GEELONG CUP START
The connections of internationals Basaltico and Crime Scene inspected the Geelong track
yesterday in preparation for tomorrow’s $200,000 Group 3 centrebet.com Geelong Cup (2406m).

Charlie Henson, foreman for the Luca Cumani-trained Basaltico, said the going was firm in places,
but he expected the track would have more give after being watered this evening, particularly with
today’s warm weather and strong winds.

‘’It looks to be a good galloping track with a long run in and it should suit our horse as long as it is
not too firm,’’ Henson said.

Cumani and jockey Damien Oliver won the race last year with Bauer before he was beaten a nose
by Viewed in the Emirates Melbourne Cup.

Oliver will be aboard Basaltico tomorrow and was impressed with the international when he rode
stablemate Cima De Triomphe in a track gallop alongside him at Sandown last week.

Godolphin representative Dianna Cooper said she was happy with Crime Scene going into the
Geelong Cup.

“Crime Scene is in great order and he does race well fresh,’’ Cooper said today.

At this stage, Basaltico and Crime Scene are well placed to make the Melbourne Cup field without
winning tomorrow, although a start would be assured with a win and subsequent penalty.

Cooper said stable headliner Kirklees had recovered well from his seventh placing in the Caulfield
Cup and all being well Godolphin would have two starters in the Melbourne Cup.

In other international news, Glen Boss was at Sandown this morning to ride Changingoftheguard for David Hayes and said the lightly-raced four-year-old was an impressive mover.

‘’He seems to do everything you ask of him very easily and it will be interesting to see how he goes
on Thursday when he gallops with Bankable and Mourilyan,’’ Boss said.

RACING VICTORIA MEDIA RELEASES

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