A sparkling work-out at Flemington yesterday morning has confirmed Kiwi galloper Sir Charles Road is ready to tackle his greatest challenge at Flemington on Tuesday.
The Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott trained five-year-old had his place confirmed in Tuesday's A$7m group one Melbourne Cup (3200m) late on Saturday afternoon as owner David Archer agonised as to whether he would get the opportunity to have his second runner in Australasia's great race.
Talented stayer Gallions Reach finished midfield for Archer in the 2009 Cup won by Shocking, with the Auckland businessman noting the build-up and atmosphere around this year's running of the race that stops a nation as markedly different to the one he experienced nine years ago.
"I'm not sure what it is but coming back here this time has been very different to what it seemed back then," he said.
"I think it probably has something to do with the influx of European horses as everything seems bigger and far more intense. One thing that you really notice is the large number of people who congratulate you just on making the field, let alone actually doing well in the race itself.
