Racing: Sheikh has stars at Flemington

This time last year Wall Street (second left) narrowly won the A$1 million Emirates Stakes at Flemington. Photo / Getty Images

Sheikh Mohammed might have picked the best raceday bar one to come to Australia.

The Melbourne Cup and the Kentucky Derby are the two races the ruler of Dubai has vowed to win one day, but results shouldn't be too shabby at Flemington today.

The Sheikh starts the day with Galah as the $1.65 favourite in the A$250,000 Carbine Club Stakes, moves on to a pride and joy in Sepoy, yesterday quoted at $1.28 for the A$500,000 Coolmore Stakes, then produces yesterday's best backed A$1.5 million Victoria Derby candidate Induna.

His A$400,000 Myer Classic and A$300,000 Salinger Stakes runners Dysphonia and Rarefied are both at double figure odds, but his runner in the last race, Launay, is strongly tipped to run favourite.

The Sheikh makes very rare trips to Australia and might have arrived just in time to see his maroon and white colours carried successfully several times.

Last night there were expectations New Zealander Wall Street would take his place in the A$1 million Mackinnon Stakes despite suffering a colic attack midweek.

Wall Street, at long odds, turned in a blinder to finish fourth in last week's Cox Plate after missing the start and having to make his run around the field from last at the 900m, confirming trainer Jeff Lynds' opinion that he has taken longer to find his best form this season.

At this stage of his preparation the 2000m at Flemington should prove ideal. This time last year Wall Street narrowly won the A$1 million Emirates Stakes at Flemington.

The Flemington programme, always a year highlight, looks fantastic today and everyone's hope is that the storm that was due to hit Melbourne last night did not drop enough moisture to affect the racing patterns of these races.

Most were strongly tipping against that happening.

•Gai Waterhouse has scratched Tullamore from today's Lexus Stakes with the gelding almost certain of a Melbourne Cup start with the scratchings of Linton and Sahara Sun.

Their withdrawals move Tullamore to 23rd in the order of entry for the 24-horse field with the winners of the Lexus and the Mackinnon guaranteed a start.

There is still a possibility he could miss a start if the winners of the last two exempt races are headed to the Cup. If he had to race in the Lexus, Tullamore would have fronted up three weekends in a row prior to Tuesday's Cup.

He is at $26 in Melbourne Cup betting with TAB Sportsbet.

Waterhouse still has Sydney Cup runner-up Older Than Time in the Lexus, with the mare already inside the top 24 in the Melbourne Cup order of entry.additional reporting

- AAP