The Chris Waller trained European import Finche sits at the top of the betting for the 2019 Group 1 $8m Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 5 after second acceptances were taken today.
Finche, above, is the favourite for the 2019 Melbourne Cup after 2nd acceptances. Photo by Steve Hart.
A total of sixty-four stayers remain in contention for the ‘Race That Stops A Nation’ with Finche being one of the seven horses from the Waller stable in the list.
Waller’s other Melbourne Cup hopefuls are Oaks winners Verry Elleegant and Youngster, 2019 Sydney Cup winner Shraaoh, Turnbull Stakes winner Kings Will Dream and 2018 Metropolitan quinella Patrick Erin and Brimham Rocks.
Finche had three wins on his record in Europe prior to being taken over by Waller before running fourth to Cross Counter in the 2018 Melbourne Cup and is currently the $9 favourite for this year’s race on the first Tuesday in November.
The six year old son of Frankel has already found winning form during the 2019 Spring Carnival with a second up win in the Group 3 $160,000 The Agency Real Estate Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on September 21.
Finche then took that good form into the Group 1 $500,000 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 5 for a nose second to his stablemate King’s Will Dream.
Last year’s winner, the Charlie Appleby trained Cross Counter, and stablemate Ispolini are two of 19 internationally trained horses among the second acceptances for the 2019 Melbourne Cup.
The Paul Preusker trained Surprise Baby is on the second line of betting at $10 and heads the order of entry for the Melbourne Cup and is exempt from the ballot for his win in the Group 3 $500,000 The Bart Cummings (2520m) at Flemington on October 5.
The Hughie Morrison trained English stayer Marmelo was runner up to Cross Counter last year and will be trying to go one better at Flemington on November 5.
“I’m pretty realistic and everything went perfectly for him last year as he got there in tip-top condition, he was working really well and the rain came in time for him,” Morrison told the Racing Post.
“He ran a magnificent race, but to go one better this year would be a surprise, although that’s our goal. To finish in the first four in that race is an achievement in itself.”
Third acceptances for the Melbourne Cup will close at 10am (AEDT) on Monday, 28 October.
Early betting for the 2019 Melbourne Cup at Ladbrokes.com.au: $9 Finche, $10 Surprise Baby, $13 Mermelo, $15 Constantinople, $16 Cross Counter, $17 Vow And Declare, $18 Master Of Reality, $19 Il Paradiso, Prince Of Arran, $21 Ispolini, Mustajeer, Raymond Tusk, $26 Mer De Glace, Southern France, The Chosen One, $31 Rostropovich, Steel Prince, $34 Gold Mount, Kings Will Dream, Latrobe, Magic Wand, Twilight Payment, $51 or better the rest.
Second acceptances for the 2019 Melbourne Cup
| # | Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Ballot | Weight | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1514132×41 | SURPRISE BABY (NZ) | G | 5 | Paul Preusker | 1= | 53.5kg | 7 |
| 2 | 2x11111x46 | STEEL PRINCE (IRE) | G | 6 | Anthony Freedman | 1= | 52.5kg | 6 |
| 3 | 12x1x1x434 | CROSS COUNTER (GB) | G | 5 | Charlie Appleby | 3 | 57.5kg | 2 |
| 4 | 11511×4214 | AVILIUS (GB) | G | 6 | James Cummings | 4 | 57.5kg | 2 |
| 5 | 2x2x15521x | MARMELO (GB) | H | 7 | Hughie Morrison | 5 | 56kg | 3.5 |
| 6 | 6x2172x126 | HOMESMAN (USA) | G | 6 | Liam Howley | 6 | 56kg | 3.5 |
| 7 | 37×3264413 | SOUTHERN FRANCE (IRE) | H | 5 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 7 | 55.5kg | 4 |
| 8 | 12x0x1322x | MIRAGE DANCER (GB) | H | 6 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 8 | 55.5kg | 4 |
| 9 | 7250×14335 | MASTER OF REALITY (IRE) | H | 5 | Joseph O’Brien | 9 | 55.5kg | 4 |
| 10 | 531x21222x | CONSTANTINOPLE (IRE) | H | 4 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 10 | 52.5kg | 4 |
| 11 | 322×17135 | IL PARADISO (USA) | H | 4 | Aidan O’Brien | 11 | 52.5kg | 4 |
| 12 | 220×344216 | LATROBE (IRE) | H | 5 | Joseph O’Brien | 12 | 55kg | 4.5 |
| 13 | x16511x658 | ANGEL OF TRUTH | G | 4 | Gwenda Markwell | 13 | 53.5kg | 4.5 |
| 14 | 4x1x72351x | MUSTAJEER (GB) | G | 7 | Kris Lees | 14 | 55kg | 4.5 |
| 15 | 2251557×79 | ROSTROPOVICH (IRE) | G | 5 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 15 | 55kg | 4.5 |
| 16 | 44x21124x1 | ISPOLINI (GB) | G | 5 | Charlie Appleby | 16 | 55kg | 4.5 |
| 17 | 7x2111x941 | VERRY ELLEEGANT (NZ) | M | 4 | Chris Waller | 17 | 52kg | 4.5 |
| 18 | x2x5322022 | MAGIC WAND (IRE) | M | 5 | Aidan O’Brien | 18 | 53.5kg | 4.5 |
| 19 | x334446588 | HUNTING HORN (IRE) | H | 5 | Aidan O’Brien | 19 | 55kg | 4.5 |
| 20 | 423x2411x7 | TWILIGHT PAYMENT (IRE) | H | 7 | Joseph O’Brien | 20 | 55kg | 4.5 |
| 21 | 6013x10x07 | YUCATAN (IRE) | H | 6 | Liam Howley | 21 | 54.5kg | 5 |
| 22 | 41x9x00x80 | MUNTAHAA (IRE) | G | 7 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 22 | 54kg | 5.5 |
| 23 | x112131x30 | MR QUICKIE | G | 4 | Phillip Stokes | 23 | 52.5kg | 5.5 |
| 24 | 5x1x34x512 | FINCHE (GB) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 24 | 54kg | 5.5 |
| 25 | 14941×2058 | QAFILA | M | 4 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 25 | 51kg | 5.5 |
| 26 | 500x15610x | RED VERDON (USA) | G | 7 | Ed Dunlop | 26 | 54kg | 5.5 |
| 27 | 1x6x237x4x | RAYMOND TUSK (IRE) | H | 5 | Richard Hannon | 27 | 54kg | 5.5 |
| 28 | 546884x12x | GOLD MOUNT (GB) | G | 7 | Ian Williams | 28 | 54kg | 5.5 |
| 29 | x92321x000 | SHRAAOH (IRE) | G | 7 | Chris Waller | 29 | 53.5kg | 6 |
| 30 | 02113×5559 | GLORY DAYS (NZ) | M | 7 | Bill Thurlow | 30 | 52kg | 6 |
| 31 | 2008326×75 | BIG DUKE (IRE) | G | 8 | Kris Lees | 31 | 53.5kg | 6 |
| 32 | 6x059x8787 | YOUNGSTAR | M | 5 | Chris Waller | 32 | 52kg | 6 |
| 33 | 12x30x8070 | NEUFBOSC (FR) | G | 5 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 33 | 53.5kg | 6 |
| 34 | x00x048x07 | SOUND (GER) | H | 7 | Michael Moroney | 34 | 53.5kg | 6 |
| 35 | 470141×591 | THE CHOSEN ONE (NZ) | H | 4 | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | 35 | 52kg | 6.5 |
| 36 | 11x36621x4 | VOW AND DECLARE | G | 4 | Danny O’Brien | 36 | 52kg | 6 |
| 37 | 71x196112x | DOWNDRAFT (IRE) | H | 5 | Joseph O’Brien | 37 | 53.5kg | 6 |
| 38 | 38x49x5832 | PRINCE OF ARRAN (GB) | G | 7 | Charlie Fellowes | 38 | 53kg | 6.5 |
| 39 | 43236Px581 | KINGS WILL DREAM (IRE) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 39 | 53kg | 6.5 |
| 40 | 46797×9006 | PATRICK ERIN (NZ) | G | 8 | Chris Waller | 40 | 53kg | 6.5 |
| 41 | x111x1276x | TRUE SELF (IRE) | M | 7 | William Mullins | 41 | 51.5kg | 6.5 |
| 42 | 54x44x2396 | RAHEEN HOUSE (IRE) | G | 6 | William Haggas | 42 | 53kg | 6.5 |
| 43 | 44740×7053 | SIR CHARLES ROAD | G | 6 | Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott | 43 | 52.5kg | 7 |
| 44 | 0x5516x042 | GALLIC CHIEFTAIN (FR) | H | 7 | Archie Alexander | 44 | 52.5kg | 7 |
| 45 | 322287182x | RED GALILEO (GB) | G | 9 | Saeed Bin Suroor | 45 | 52.5kg | 7 |
| 46 | 2468223×76 | DAL HARRAILD (GB) | G | 7 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 46 | 52.5kg | 7 |
| 47 | 1x6112x940 | GREY LION (IRE) | G | 8 | Matthew Smith | 47 | 52.5kg | 7 |
| 48 | 8112×51320 | HAKY (IRE) | G | 6 | John Hammond | 48 | 52kg | 7.5 |
| 49 | 87400×0919 | BRIMHAM ROCKS (GB) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 49 | 51.5kg | 8 |
| 50 | 11890×8390 | ETYMOLOGY | G | 7 | James Cummings | 50 | 50.5kg | 9 |
| 51 | 8830611×05 | AZURO (FR) | G | 6 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 51 | 50.5kg | 9 |
| 52 | 239×166218 | HUSH WRITER (JPN) | G | 5 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 52 | 50kg | 9.5 |
| 53 | 772231×671 | VALAC (IRE) | G | 8 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 53 | 50kg | 9.5 |
| 54 | 56252×9923 | SULLY (NZ) | G | 5 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 54= | 50kg | 9.5 |
| 55 | 12x216x202 | SUPERNOVA (GB) | H | 5 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 54= | 50kg | 9.5 |
| 56 | 3531320×56 | TOP OF THE RANGE (NZ) | G | 6 | Michael Moroney | 56 | 50kg | 9.5 |
| 57 | 1x211x1853 | WOLFE (JPN) | G | 5 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 57 | 50kg | 9.5 |
| 58 | 3145×14327 | ATTENTION RUN (GER) | M | 5 | Kris Lees | 58 | 50kg | 9.5 |
| 59 | 17333×0005 | HUMIDOR (NZ) | G | 7 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 59 | 56kg | 3.5 |
| 60 | x211x11x1x | MER DE GLACE (JPN) | H | 5 | Hisashi Shimizu | 60 | 55kg | 4.5 |
| 61 | 300x1170x5 | RED CARDINAL (IRE) | G | 8 | Kris Lees | 61 | 52.5kg | 7 |
| 62 | x4614x9317 | ALFARRIS (FR) | G | 6 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 62= | 50kg | 9.5 |
| 63 | 92x322x231 | MASTER OF WINE (GER) | G | 5 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 62= | 50kg | 9.5 |
| 64 | 20x0404x84 | WALL OF FIRE (IRE) | G | 7 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 62= | 50kg | 9.5 |
The post Finche heads the 2019 Melbourne Cup betting after second acceptances appeared first on HorseRacing.com.au.
