Consistent mare Single Gaze is still at long odds for the Group 1 $6.25m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on Tuesday despite having some strong lead up form.
Single Gaze, above, will take her plaace in the 2017 Melbourne Cup at Flemington. Photo by Steve Hart.
The Nick Olive trained Single Gaze has been around the money at her last three starts in Melbourne but is listed at $41 for the Melbourne Cup at Ladbrokes.com.au even though she ran a brave second to the bolter Boom Time in the Group 1 $3.15m BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield on October 21.
“Everything is just ticking along nicely. She has improved with every run she has had down here,” Olive said.
“The horse stepping up to the 2400m in her last start in the Caulfield Cup was the best run of her career. Who knows, the 3200m she might like it a little bit more.”
In-form jockey Kathy O’Hara has partnered Single Gaze for the majority of her starts throughout her career and will be aboard the five year old mare again in ‘The Race That Stops A Nation’.
O’Hara is riding full of confidence at the moment and chalked up another winner at Goulburn today after riding a winning treble at Rosehill on Saturday.
Single Gaze has drawn barrier eleven in the twenty-four horse Melbourne Cup field and Oliver would like O’Hara to give the mare a quiet run just off the pace.
“She will be ridden a little bit quieter than in the Caulfield Cup,” Oliver said.
“I was just going to leave it up to Kathy because she knows the horse well but I would like to see her have a bit more of a quiet run, have a nice run and be able to hit the line strong instead of having to do all of the work
“She rode a treble at Rosehill. They have a great relationship, they trust each other, they have a great affinity. It just seems to work for them.”
Last year’s winner Almandin is a drifting $8.50 favourite just ahead of Marmelo at $9, Humidor at $9.50 and Johannes Vermeer at $10.
