The Melbourne Cup will be run on the first Tuesday in November despite all the COVID19 chaos, but without the huge crowds that normally grace Flemington on Cup Day.
The one thing that hasn’t changed about the 2020 Melbourne Cup is the horses.
Once again The Cup has brought together and elite field of Melbourne Cup horses to contest the two mile race for $7.75 Million.
The locally trained, Northern Hemisphere bred entire Russian Camelot is the ex-factor in the race, and may be being somewhat overlooked after two last start defeats at Group 1 level when favourite. It’s been no secret, he has been set for this race for a long time, and Danny O’Brien will no doubt have him peaking on Tuesday. His win in the South Australian Derby suggested he is an out and out stayer, while his win in the Underwood Stakes over 1800m early in the Spring made it look more as though he might be too excellent to be a Cups horse. Damien Oliver knows what it takes to ride a Melbourne Cup winner, and he has been booked for a long time now. Barrier 16 will see the entire settle midfield and be chiming in at the business end. He does look more effective with his toe in the ground.
Can Russian Camelot win The Cup?
There’s no doubting that he is a top four chance in this, and he has never been out of the numbers at Group 1 level. Flemington has been his Kryptonite. He’s a leading chance.
Russian Camelot 3rd to Sir Dragonet – 2020 Cox Plate