By MIKE DILLON
Clever English trainer James Fanshawe looked at the broad expanse of Flemington Racecourse yesterday and observed: "Isn't everything so green."
Which is bad.
Well, he's not quite sure.
Green, you see, is the death colour for the superstitious.
And Fanshawe says, like most European horse people, he's extremely superstitious.
On the other hand, green is very good in the grass for Fanshawe's chance of seeing his horse Arctic Owl lift tomorrow's $A3.3 million Melbourne Cup.
"He likes it nice and green with plenty of give in it, whereas I'd be happy never to see green."
Fanshawe says he's a little better now.
"When I went over for the Irish St Leger I was waiting outside my hotel for a hire car to take me to the races and in front of me were these 30 fishermen, who were taking car after car.
"In the finish there was only one car left for me and it was green - I wasn't going to get into it, but we were running late."
Fanshawe won the St Leger with Arctic Owl and says perhaps it's time to re-evaluate.
Fellow English trainer Martin Pipe admitted he is also extremely superstitious. He and Fanshawe refused to be photographed with the $A35,000 Melbourne Cup, which was taken to the press conference for photographic opportunities.
"I hate jockeys to use green saddles on my horses and I always stand in exactly the same spot in each of the saddling enclosures in England," said Pipe, who has brought Far Cry for the Cup.
The Irish St Leger is a good guide to the Melbourne Cup. Vintage Crop, still the only Northern Hemisphere horse to win the Cup, won the St Leger before heading to Australia.
Fanshawe made his debut Australian trip last year and went home with fifth prizemoney with Travelmate, who he rates as inferior to Arctic Owl.
Pipe is best known as a jumping trainer. He bought Far Cry as a potential jumper after the horse's previous owners thought he had reached his level on the flat and won a hurdle race with him this time last year.
In late June, Far Cry ran the race of his life when he chased home probably the world's most talented long distance stayer, Kayf Tara, in the 4023m Ascot Gold Cup, a race in which Arctic Owl was disappointing.
Pipe described Far Cry as a very laid back horse who takes nothing to heart until the colours go up raceday.
He describes Far Cry as a horse who loves a scrap.
Pipe and Fanshawe acknowledge that their Cup chances depend on the one factor they cannot judge in advance of their horses racing in the Cup - how much the long trip has taken out of their horses.
John Oxx, who travelled Enzeli from England, joins the fray.
"They say horses are tough and that they don't worry about travel - it worries them more than you think. One in five that travel more than 12 hours on an aircraft gets a temperature and you never know how they have been affected until raceday."
Pipe said it was a hellish trip to get the horses to Melbourne from England.
"You know quite a few horses from our way have tried this race now, and some have been very disappointing. It's not easy. Vintage Crop is still the only one to win it."
Remarkably, Pipe is fitting Far Cry with a set of blinkers for the first time, as he feels the horse may be too dour without them.
"I feel it will sharpen him just a little. I save these things for just the odd major race."
Pipe is known for his unconventional approach. Yesterday he susprised everyone by sending Far Cry over 1000m at speed three times.
"I wanted him to get used to going past the winning post at a good clip."
Fanshawe gave Arctic Owl a short break after his below-par Ascot Gold Cup run and in two starts since has won the weight-for-age Shargar Cup Classic (2414m) and the Irish St Leger.
Enzeli has been bought by Lloyd Williams and his mate Kerry Packer.
Oxx said he had not met Packer, but spoke to him by telephone yesterday.
"They don't know much about the horse and I don't know much about the Melbourne Cup, so we're all very confused."
But you get the impression Oxx is more ahead of the play than he lets on.
Cup rider Greg Hall was presumably not greatly impressed when he rode Enzeli in trackwork midweek, but tht could also be part of the plan.
All three say they know nothing of the local horses or form.
Oxx: "I really wouldn't have a clue who is the horse to beat, but the only horse that caught my eye at Flemington yesterday was Freemason. He's a lovely big, strong type and although he didn't get a lot of room, he had, I'm sure, the race his connections would have wanted."
Oxx would not confirm whether he was superstitious about the colour green.
He's Irish, you see.
Racing: Superstition rears its green head at Flemington
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