Fox Sports expert Robert ‘Crash’ Craddock has selected the Aidan O’Brien trained Irish stayer Johannes Vermeer as his 2017 Melbourne Cup tip.
Ben Melham, above, will ride Johannes Vermeer in the 2017 Melbourne Cup at Flemington. Photo by Adrienne Bicknell.
Craddock, who is also the chief sports writer for The Courier-Mail Newspaper is copping the tip from O’Brien, the world’s number one trainer at the moment, that Johannes Vermeer has the credentials to win the 2017 Group 1 $6.25m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington today.
“Named after a Dutch painter, Johannes Vermeer has raced extremely well since landing in Australia with a blank canvas and master trainer Aidan O’Brien reckons he has all the attributes of a Melbourne Cup winner,” Craddock wrote in The Courier-Mail.
Craddock has selected another Irish galloper to run second, Rekindling, who is trained by O’Brien’s son Joseph O’Brien and he has stuck with the European visitor’s with Red Cardinal to run third.
“Rekindling won the Curragh Cup in Ireland recently and is owned by Cup powerhouse Lloyd Williams.”
Prominent Victorian owner Lloyd Wiilliams has a share in both Johannes Vermeer and Rekindling as well as four other Melbourne Cup runners, Almandin, Bondi Beach, US Army Ranger and Gallante.
Johannes Vermeer has had two runs in Australia for two placings and after running second to Gailo Chop in the Group 1 $1m Ladbrokes Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on October 14 finished third behind Boom Time and Single Gaze in the Group 1 $3.15m BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield on October 21.
Johannes Vermeer has drawn in close in barrier three in the twenty-three horse Melbourne Cup field and will be ridden again by Ben Melham while Rekindling will jump from gate four with Corey Brown in the saddle.
Melbourne Cup betting at Ladbrokes.com.au on race morning has Johannes Vermeer at $10, firming in from $12 over the weekend and Rekindling has also firmed in from $17 to $14 while Red Cardinal is listed as a $17 chance.
Hugh Bowman’s mount, English stayer Marmelo, has been backed in to be the $7.50 favourite ahead of last year’s winner Almandin at $9.50 with the Darren Weir trained Humidor also prominent in the betting at $11.
