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Maher & Eustace’s Cup Power

Maher & Eustace’s Cup Power
(© imago images) RACING VICTORIA DERBY, Trainers Ciaron Maher right and David Eustace are seen after Jockey John Allen rode Hitotsu to victory in race 6, the Penfolds Victoria Derby, during Victoria Derby Raceday at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Saturday, October 30, 2021. 

The training partnership of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace have a fantastically strong hand for the 2022 Melbourne Cup. Five of theirs are already qualified, while in Saturday’s Bart Cummings they look to make that six.

Meanwhile, old champ Vow And Declare takes on Maher & Eustace at Flemington, looking to recapture his old form and book a place in the line-up on November 1.

Trainers Hoping for Six of the Best

Even when you’ve already got five confirmed stayers heading to the Cup, you’d surely still want a sixth for good measure? That’s the way Ciaron Maher and David Eustace are thinking anyway.

Their runner Interpretation is now as short as $4.60 for the Bart Cummings. The Group 3 on Saturday offers ballot exemption for the Cup to the winner. Their High Emocean is also in with a shout, a $10 poke.

The training pair already have Gold Trip, Persan, Le Don De Vie, Grand Promenade and Mankayan between 3rd and 24th in the Order of Entry for the Melbourne Cup.

Interpretation currently sits 37th and High Emocean 51st. The ‘golden ticket’ offered by the Bart Cummings is the big draw though. The trainers think the favourite especially has a very good chance of landing the handicap.

Conditions appear to be ideal for Interpretation. Maher and Eustace may be the ones to watch for now, but there is a Melbourne Cup old boy looking to spoil the party for them on Saturday.

Could Former Champ Vow And Declare Book a Dream Ticket?

We all remember Vow And Declare coming wide to win an extraordinary Melbourne Cup in 2019 (see results of the race in 2019). Injury has curtailed his efforts since, but there is now just a chance of the old boy coming back to do it all again.

Danny O’Brien’s stable favourite is showing some positive signs of coming right back to form. He hasn’t won a race since landing the Cup three years ago. On September 10 however, he was third to High Emocean, his for placing since the Australian Cup in 2021.

Before that, he ran a fair race under a big enough weight over 1600 metres at Caulfield. There are clear signs of a revival here.

On the back of these performances, Danny O’Brien thinks a return to the big one is on. A win in the Bart Cummings would guarantee it.

Duais Takes in Turnbull Stakes

Later on the card after the Bart Cummings is the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes. Though run over the shorter 2000m trip, it too is a great trial. This time around, Duais runs in that race and she looks to get right back to form as one of the favourites for the Melbourne Cup.

Read more news about the Melbourne Cup.

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Gary Christie
135 articles
For more than 20 years, Gary has been immersed in the worlds of sports writing and betting. As well as writing on the subjects of sports and horse racing, Gary has spent years privately handicapping horse races around the world in order to bet professionally. While having appeared on TV and spoken publicly at racecourses, Gary has a passion for writing. He produces articles every day for various territories including North America, UK, Europe and Australia.
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18+ | Please play responsibly | What are you really gambling with? | Terms and Conditions apply | Commercial content