After missing out on a start in last weekend’s Caulfield Cup field the talented Charlie Fellowes-trained raider Prince Of Arran is tipped to win the Geelong Cup 2019 this Wednesday on way to another shot in next month’s Melbourne Cup.
Prince Of Arran is tipped to win the 2019 Geelong Cup this week ahead of his second run in a Melbourne Cup field. Photo: Steve Hart.
Michael Walker partners the Shirocco seven-year-old for his second run down under this prep aboard the favourite in the always popular Group 3 $400,000 Geelong Cup (2400m).
The key Melbourne Cup lead-up race – held just 13 days out from the $8 million two-mile classic at Flemington – attracted a final field of 11 this season.
The Geelong Cup has long been heralded as one of the best guides to the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) with three horses completing the double in the same year: Media Puzzle (2002), Americain (2010) and most recently Dunaden (2011).
Each year the Geelong Cup winner is eligible for a Melbourne Cup weight penalty, the world’s richest handicap held on Tuesday November 5 this year.
Last Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival after arriving down under Prince Of Arran ran third in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m).
He then won his way into the ‘race that stops a nation’ with his Group 3 Lexus Stakes (2500m) victory on VRC Derby Day.
Three days later he lined-up in the 24-horse Melbourne Cup field and finished an eye-catching third behind fellow internationals Cross Counter (1st) and Marmelo (3rd).
He has not won again since his Derby Day triumph in 2018 but went one better than his Herbert Power Stakes result last year finishing runner-up to The Chosen One in the 2400m clash at Caulfield on October 12.
Despite the outside barrier (11 of 11) he is now the $3.20 favourite in Geelong Cup betting at Ladbrokes.com.au to return to winning form ahead of the Melbourne Cup race, for which he pays $31 in all-in markets to take out.
“Someone really doesn’t want Prince of Arran to run in this year’s Melbourne Cup. Barrier draw 11 of 11 for the Geelong Cup,” Fellowes said on Twitter.
Currently sitting 38th on the Melbourne Cup order of entry, Prince Of Arran is in desperate need of a penalty-earning win to get him into the final field.
Further adding to the international status of the 2019 Geelong Cup field are the Saeed Bin Suroor-trained Ebor Handicap runner-up for Godolphin Red Galileo, Willie Mullins’ smart mare True Self and Haky for John Hammond.
Like Prince Of Arran, True Self was an emergency for last Saturday’s $5 million Caulfield Cup – won by Japanese stayer Mer De Glace – who failed to gain a run along with fellow Geelong Cup contender Neufbosc for Lindsay Park.
Drawn the rails, True Self is a $5.50 shot in the Geelong Cup odds, while Red Galileo representing the same connections of the late Red Cadeaux is a $7.50 shot in barrier four.
The danger according to the bookies meanwhile is the Anthony Freedman-trained Steel Prince ($5), Damien Oliver’s mount already assured of a Melbourne Cup run sitting equal first on the ballot.
He comes off a sixth in Caulfield’s Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m) and is tipped to atone here getting up over his pet distance (6:3-3-0).
Geelong Cup Horses: Where are they on the Melbourne Cup Ballot?
- Muntahaa (24th)
- Neufbosc (34th)
- Prince Of Arran (38th)
- Red Cardinal (Not ed first ballot clause)
- Dal Harraild (46th)
- Grey Lion (47th)
- Red Galileo (45th)
- Steel Prince (=1st – Exempt)
- Haky (48th)
- True Self (41st)
- Supernova (=54th)
Click here for the latest Geelong Cup 2019 odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.
2019 Geelong Cup Final Field & Barrier Draw
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | H. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 41x9x00x80 | MUNTAHAA (IRE) | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Luke Nolen | 9 | 58kg | 105 |
| 2 | 12x30x8070 | NEUFBOSC (FR) | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Luke Currie | 6 | 58kg | 105 |
| 3 | 38x49x5832 | PRINCE OF ARRAN (GB) | Charlie Fellowes | Michael Walker | 11 | 58kg | 105 |
| 4 | 300x1170x5 | RED CARDINAL (IRE) | Kris Lees | Kerrin McEvoy | 10 | 58kg | 105 |
| 5 | 2468223×76 | DAL HARRAILD (GB) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Mark Zahra | 5 | 57.5kg | 104 |
| 6 | 1x6112x940 | GREY LION (IRE) | Matthew Smith | Craig Williams | 2 | 57.5kg | 104 |
| 7 | 322287182x | RED GALILEO (GB) | Saeed Bin Suroor | Patrick Cosgrave | 4 | 57.5kg | 104 |
| 8 | 2x11111x46 | STEEL PRINCE (IRE) | Anthony Freedman | Damien Oliver | 8 | 57.5kg | 104 |
| 9 | 8112×51320 | HAKY (IRE) | John Hammond | Ms Linda Meech | 3 | 57kg | 103 |
| 10 | x111x1276x | TRUE SELF (IRE) | William Mullins | John Allen | 1 | 56.5kg | 106 |
| 11 | 12x216x202 | SUPERNOVA (GB) | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Dwayne Dunn | 7 | 54kg | 95 |
