The iconic Melbourne Cup is just two weeks away, and provides one young colt a chance to gallop into the history books on November 5th. Jan Brueghel can become the first unbeaten horse to ride to victory in the Melbourne Cup in 141 years, and the odds suggest he’s in with a strong shout. Coming off the back of a hugely impressive win at St. Ledger, he’ll also become the first British Classic winner to join the “race that stops a nation” in the same season.
Legendary trainer Aidan O’Brien will be searching for his elusive first Cup win, but will be bolstered by the man upstairs (so to speak), with 2014 Cup-winning jockey Ryan Moore partnering with his steed. So, can Jan Brueghel make history at Flemington? Let’s take a look.
Jan Brueghel has Arrived
Not just in terms of his performances, but physically in Australia, Jan Brueghel has touched down and is training for the event. He flew in on the 12th with plenty of time to settle and acclimatise in Werribee. “He travelled over great, exercised on the track yesterday and again this morning,” travelling foreman Kieran Murphy told the VRC. “He’s eating and drinking, and we couldn’t be happier.”
But Jan Brueghel has also arrived metaphorically. Despite his inexperience, he has won each of his four races so far, including the prestigious meeting at St. Ledger, the oldest of the UK classics on the calendar. He becomes the first classic winner to travel overnight to the Melbourne Cup, and will become the first unbeaten winner to win the Cup since Martini-Henry in 1883 should he emerge victorious — and local bookmakers are full of confidence for the Irish steed’s prospects. As is trainer O’Brien, who looks to match his son Joseph’s achievements — the younger O’Brien already has two Melbourne Cups in his trophy cabinet.
At the Reins
Partnering with Jan Brueghel is the vastly experienced English jockey, Ryan Moore. The ride gives him a great chance to take his second Melbourne Cup victory, having powered to the line in 2014 on Protectionist. He will need all that racing nous to guide the inexperienced colt to the finish though, he’ll know that Jan Brueghel is a stayer, mustn’t quicken, and has to last two furlongs (400m) more than at St. Ledger.
Jockey Ryan Moore brings the 2014 #MelbourneCup hero Protectionist back to scale after his gem of a ride pic.twitter.com/baHcKJI1H3
— Racing Victoria (@RacingVictoria) November 4, 2014
Moore will also be riding at one of his lightest weights (54kg) on November 5th, and as he is tipped to ride City Of Troy in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar in the US, he’ll only reach Australia the night before the Melbourne Cup.
Stopping the Nation: The Melbourne Cup
Since 1861 the Melbourne Cup has been hosted at Flemington Racecourse and is Australia’s most famous and prestigious race. It regularly draws in crowds of 90,000, who brave what can be unpredictable weather conditions (we’ve witnessed snow and hail storms before), and global TV audiences of millions. Not only that, it attracts top international thoroughbreds to compete across 3,200 metres (shortened from two miles when Australia adopted the metric system). The race is a test of endurance, speed, and strategy, and an iconic fixture on the racing calendar. It’s also one of the world’s richest two-mile handicaps, with a prize pool above $8 million AUD.
Known as the “race that stops a nation”, the Melbourne Cup in many ways transcends the sport, becoming a cultural event that appeals to Australians far beyond the world of racing, much in the same way as the UK’s Grand National. Millions of spectators tune in, and many have a flutter on the ponies, even if they aren’t regular gamblers. And with elaborate fashion on display through events like the Fashions on the Field, it’s as much a social gathering as it is a race. Melbourne Cup Day is also a public holiday in Victoria.
Who Else Could win the Cup?
The bookmakers may have spoken, but this is a horse race after all, and anything can happen — we’ve seen many an upset over Cup history. O’Brien will be gunning for his maiden Melbourne Cup win, but the rest of the field has strength and depth, and Jan Brueghel is untested at this distance, and on foreign soil.
Another legendary trainer, Chris Waller is represented by 13 horses including Via Sistina. New addition Kinesiology is also likely to start. Vauban and Absurde arrived at the same time as Jan Brueghel, for another attempt at the Cup. Multiple Group 1 winning jockeys William Buick (Vauban) and Kerrin McEvoy (Absurde) have been booked to ride for the Willie Mullins stable with McEvoy aiming to take home the honours at the Melbourne Cup for the fourth time.
Can Jan Brueghel make history in Melbourne? That remains to be seen, but what is certain is that the 164th running of the Cup will be as exciting as ever for fans and bettors alike.