Trainer Chris Waller has two confirmed Melbourne Cup runners at Flemington on Tuesday after Youngstar was promoted into the top twenty-four following the withdrawals of Angel Of Truth and Raheen House.
Finche, above, is joined by stablemate Youngstar in the 2019 Melbourne Cup at Flemington. Photo by Steve Hart.
Youngstar has been scratched from Saturday’s Group 3 $300,000 Lexus Hotham Stakes (2500m) at Flemington and will join last year’s fourth placegetter and stablemate Finche in the Group 1 $8m Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) and Waller could have a third runner if Patrick Erin can win the Hotham Stakes.
Both Finche and Youngstar galloped worked at Flemington on Tuesday morning and Waller couldn’t fault their work.
“Very happy with both of them. Youngstar was nice and sharp. Tom Berry was aboard her and he was wrapped with her work and she pulled up very clean in the wind,” Waller said.
“Finche, Kerrin McEvoy was aboard. Kerrin was wrapped with his action and his work and most importantly they both pulled up well.”
Following the withdrawal of Angel Of Truth and Raheen House. Finch is now seventeenth in the Melbourne Cup order of entry and Youngstar is safely in the field at number twenty.
Finche is on the third line of betting for the Melbourne Cup at $11 with Ladbrokes.com.au and is coming off a solid Melbourne Cup preparation while Youngstar is marked as a $34 chance.
The French import was a second up winner in the Group 3 $160,000 The Agency Real Estate Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on September 21 and then was runner up to his stablemate Kings Will Dream in the Group 1 $500,000 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 5.
Finche then ran a brave race from a wide barrier when fifth to Mer De Glace in the Group 1 $5.15m Stella Artois Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield on October 19.
Youngstar hasn’t won since claiming the 2018 Group 1 $500,000 Treasury Brisbane Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Doomben but did finish sixth behind Cross Counter in last year’s Melbourne Cup but did regain some encouraging form with a last start third in the $500,000 St Leger Stakes (2600m) at Randwick on October 19.
Betting for the 2019 Melbourne Cup at Ladbrokes.com.au: $7.50 Constantinople, $8.50 Mer De Glace, $11 Finche, $12 Il Paradiso, Vow And Decalre, $14 Surprise Baby, $17 Latrobe, Master Of Reality, Raymond Tusk, $18 Mustajeer, $19 Magic Wand, Prince Of Arran, $26 Southern France, $34 Downdraft, Mirage Dancer, Youngstar, $41 Hunting Horn, $51 Steel Prince, $61 Rostropovich, True Self, Twilight Payment, $81 or better the rest.
