Owners Nick and Lloyd Williams will still have three runners competing in the tomorrow’s Mackinnon Stakes en-route to Tuesday’s $6m Group 1 Melbourne Cup after today’s scratching of Linton in both events.

Midas Touch, Efficient and Mourayan will fly the Macedon Lodge flag and according to Nick Williams have a good chance in Group 1 $1m event.

Irish import Midas Touch will be having his first run in six weeks since a good third in the Underwood Stakes (2000m) behind Lion Tamer.

While stablemate, At First Sight missed a similar time period due to a virus, he says Midas Touch wasn’t effected.

“He has been okay, the European horses don’t have to run every week like the Australian horses, that was our plan and he is ready to go,”  Williams said.

Midas Touch will be going into the Melbourne Cup just having covered 8500m short of the old Bart Cummings’ rule of 10,000m.

“I agree he is going into the Melbourne Cup on what is considered a light preparation but the international horses are different,” he said.

“People were saying Green Moon went into the Caulfield Cup on a light preparation because he hadn’t run in five weeks, he finished  a great second.

“These horses just don’t need it, we can pour all the work we need in them at our property at Mt Macedon.”

Williams said that he expects Midas Touch to race well in the Mackinnon.

“I think he will run very well, I’m not sure if he will win, but he will run very well.”
Williams said Efficient is good order and primed for the Mackinnon Stakes stepping towards the Group 2 $350,000 Zipping Classic (2400m).

The 2007 Melbourne Cup winner is not entered in Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup with the Zipping Classic always his main target.

Efficient’s Flemington record is better than all having won the Victoria Derby, Turnbull Stakes and the Cup at the track.

His run in last week’s Cox Plate was full of merit when buffeted on the home turn and fighting on for sixth.

Williams reported At First Sight is in “great order” after his Bendigo Cup second on Wednesday.

It was the eye catching performance of the race and sent bookmakers shortening his price for Tuesday’s Cup to around $14.

“It is simple with Green Moon, he has to win the Lexus (on Saturday at Flemington) to get into the Cup and if he doesn’t he will run the following Saturday (Queen Elizabeth Stakes).”

Asked which is his best Melbourne Cup chance, Williams said he would know by Saturday night.

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