Racing: O'Brien makes first Melbourne Cup bid

MELBOURNE - World-renowned Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien is set to have his first Melbourne Cup runner with topweight Yeats among the declarations yesterday.

Yeats was among the 262 nominations taken on August 1 for the Melbourne Cup and yesterday, when first acceptors closed, was among 157 remaining in the November 7 race.

Among the New Zealand-trained horses remaining in the Melbourne Cup are Envoy, Kerry O'Reilly, Pentane, Zabeat, King Johny, Zarius, Mandela, Bling Bling, Lilakyn, Miles, Black Panther and Sculptor.

Bookmakers report strong support over the past few days for Yeats, recent winner of the Ascot Gold Cup in England.

TAB Sportsbet's Glenn Munsie said Yeats had come in for steady support since markets opened and was at $15.

"Apart from the promotion we did early, offering double the odds for Headturner and Railings, only three horses have had more invested on them," Munsie said.

"Eremein, On A Jeune and Pentane are the only other runners who have had more invested on them."

O'Brien also has Ace entered for the Cox Plate with 81 horses left, seven from outside Australasia, when first acceptors also closed yesterday for the October 28 weight-for-age event.

Yeats received 59kg when weights were released last week, 1kg more than Eremein, who is the Cox Plate favourite.

There were 17 horses from beyond Australasia left in the Melbourne Cup entries and 138 horses, nine from outside Australasia, were left in the Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 21.

Eremein has been paid up for all three races and El Segundo was still in the Caulfield Cup as well as the Cox Plate.

Five horses remain in the features from the Dubai-based Godolphin stable as Sheikh Mohammed's operation tries to win its first Australian group one race.

Among the Godolphin entries is Imperial Stride, who has not raced since winning his fourth successive race at Newmarket last September.

Godolphin also has Cherry Mix, who won a group one over 2400m in Germany last month, and Kerashan aimed for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups. Librettist, a winner of his last five starts, targets the Cox Plate alongside Utopia.

The John Hawkes-trained Headturner remained favourite at $7 for the Melbourne Cup, ahead of stablemate Railings and Eremein, $12.

Eremein headed Cox Plate betting at $4, ahead of El Segundo at $5.

* French jockey Olivier Doleuze is so keen on the prospect of riding Zabeat in the Melbourne Cup, he is emailing trainer Donna Logan almost every day.

Hong Kong-based Doleuze has ridden Zabeat twice for second placings in the Auckland and Sydney Cups and would love for Logan to provide him the chance of riding in a Melbourne Cup.

Said Logan: "I sent an email back saying, 'you realise Olivier that Zabeat has 52kg in the cup?'.

"And he replied, 52.5kg would be better.

"I said 'stop eating croissants and you will be fine'."

- NZPA, AGENCIES