Abbey Marie is the latest confirmed non-acceptor for the 2017 Melbourne Cup field bringing the William Mullins-trained Thomas Hobson one step closer to a start in the two mile classic next Tuesday.
Group 1 winning mare Abbey Marie is a confirmed non-acceptor for the 2017 Melbourne Cup field. Photo: Jenny Barnes.
The updated order of entry for the Group 1 $6.25 million Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) has Irish raider Thomas Hobson in the No. 24 position and a $15 chance through Ladbrokes.com.au in futures betting to not only make the starting line-up, but salute.
The Halling eight-year-old, a dual winner over the Melbourne Cup distance, could still be balloted out if the Lexus Stakes winner on Saturday is below him on the order of entry.
A dour stayer and sometimes jumps horse, Thomas Hobson could be the third Mullins-trained runner in the capacity 24 horse Melbourne Cup field.
Already confirmed for the stable are the 2015 runner-up Max Dynamite and last year’s unplaced contender Wicklow Brave.
Both horses had Italian hoop Frankie Dettori aboard for their mixed Melbourne Cup results from the past two years.
Dettori replaces the suspended Damien Oliver in the saddle of the reigning Melbourne Cup winner and current pre-field favourite at Ladbrokes.com.au Almandin ($6.50).
Mullins has locked in the services of Zac Purton for Max Dynamite and Joao Moreira is on standby for the Thomas Hobson ride, while a jockey is yet to be announced for nine-year-old Wicklow Brave.
The ‘Magic Man’ Moreira rode last year’s Melbourne Cup runner-up Heartbreak City for the close placing and was on Wicklow Brave first-up for the 12th to Boom Time in Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m).
One international today getting the assured Melbourne Cup start due to the current attrition rate is the Hugo Palmer-trained Wall Of Fire.
Second in the Group 2 Ladbrokes Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) on October 14, the Canford Cliffs entire from the UK has been elevated to No. 23 on the Melbourne Cup ballot and Craig Williams is booked for the ride.
Above him the Godolphin-raced Bendigo Cup winner on Wednesday Qewy has officially been ruled out by trainer Charlie Appleby, last year’s Melbourne Cup fourth placegetter No. 21 before his removal.
“It was definitely a tough decision,” Appleby’s stable foreman Chris Connett said on Friday from Werribee.
“It’s disappointing to see him miss the race because he would have been sticking on and might have been right there, but we’ve got to do the right thing by the horse.
“We know he ran so well last year, but it might be just a bit too soon after Bendigo and it was a hard run on Wednesday. There’s a couple of options now and we’ll let the horse tell us how he’s going.”
Options include the $300,000 Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) won by stablemate Francis Of Assisi, who also took out last spring’s Bendigo Cup, at Flemington on Emirates Stakes Day Saturday week or the Listed $150,000 Sandown Cup (3200m) at Ladbrokes Park on November 18.
Cranbourne horseman Mick Kent has also confirmed they would not be paying the $49,500 final acceptance fee for No. 25 on the ballot, Abbey Marie.
The five-year-old Redoute’s Choice mare was last seen dead-heating with Marmelo for sixth in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) and was a $41 roughie for the Melbourne Cup.
Check out the likely Melbourne Cup 2017 field below, heading to Ladbrokes.com.au for the best all-in odds on the race before Saturday’s final acceptances.
Latest 2017 Melbourne Cup Field
| Ballot | Horse | Wgt (kg) | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BOOM TIME | 53 | Cory Parish | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 2 | AMELIE’S STAR | 51 | Dean Yendall | Darren Weir |
| 3 | HARTNELL (GB) | 57.5 | Damian Lane | James Cummings |
| 4 | ALMANDIN (GER) | 56.5 | Frankie Dettori | Robert Hickmott |
| 5 | JON SNOW (NZ) | 54.5 | Stephen Baster | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman |
| 6 | HUMIDOR (NZ) | 56 | Blake Shinn | Darren Weir |
| 7 | TIBERIAN (FR) | 55.5 | Olivier Peslier | Alain Couetil |
| 8 | REKINDLING (GB) | 51.5 | Corey Brown | Joseph O’Brien |
| 9 | RED CARDINAL (IRE) | 55 | Kerrin McEvoy | Andreas Wohler |
| 10 | MARMELO (GB) | 55 | Hugh Bowman | Hughie Morrison |
| 11 | SINGLE GAZE | 53 | Kathy O’Hara | Nick Olive |
| 12 | JOHANNES VERMEER (IRE) | 54.5 | Ben Melham | Aidan O’Brien |
| 13 | WHO SHOT THEBARMAN (NZ) | 54 | Tommy Berry | Chris Waller |
| 14 | MAX DYNAMITE (FR) | 54 | Zac Purton | William Mullins |
| 15 | VENTURA STORM (IRE) | 54 | Glen Boss | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 16 | WICKLOW BRAVE (GB) | 54 | TBA | William Mullins |
| 17 | BONDI BEACH (IRE) | 54 | TBA | Robert Hickmott |
| 18 | US ARMY RANGER (IRE) | 53.5 | TBA | Joseph O’Brien |
| 19 | BIG DUKE (IRE) | 53.5 | Brenton Avdulla | Darren Weir |
| 20 | GALLANTE (IRE) | 53 | TBA | Robert Hickmott |
| 21 | LIBRAN (IRE) | 53 | Dwayne Dunn | Chris Waller |
| 22 | NAKEETA (GB) | 53 | Glyn Schofield | Iain Jardine |
| 23 | WALL OF FIRE (IRE) | 53 | Craig Williams | Hugo Palmer |
| 24 | THOMAS HOBSON (GB) | 52 | Joao Moreira | William Mullins |
| 25 | HARLEM (GB) | 51.5 | – | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 26 | ALOFT (IRE) | 51.5 | – | Robert Hickmott |
| 27 | FOUNDRY (IRE) | 51 | – | Robert Hickmott |
| 28 | VENGEUR MASQUE (IRE) | 50.5 | – | Michael Moroney |
| 29 | PENTATHLON (NZ) | 50.5 | – | John Wheeler |
| 30 | COOL CHAP | 50 | – | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| =31 | CISMONTANE (NZ) | 50 | – | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
| =31 | KELLSTORM (IRE) | 50 | – | Darren Weir |
| 33 | GUARDINI (FR) | 53 | – | Darren Weir |
| 34 | ALWARD (IRE) | 50 | – | Chris Waller |
