Irish plunge on star import Hopewell Rock; Jockey cleared to ride in miracle Cup bid

Irish plunge on star import Hopewell Rock

Danny Russell

The Irish sent shockwaves through a packed Call of the Card luncheon on Monday, splashing out $1 million on Hopewell Rock to win almost $10 million if the highly rated import salutes in Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup.

Hopewell Rock firmed from $10 into $8.50 third favourite after the monster bet.

“We want to set a new (betting) record,” Irish punter Paul Byrne said when handed the microphone.

Byrne had travelled to Australia with Irish billionaire JP McManus, and the Irish table made a titanic splash right from the start in the packed Crown Palladium ballroom.

They forked out five separate bets to win $2 million – on Cup favourite Point Of Law at $8.50, Soul Of Spain at $34, Zakouma at $41, So You Are at $14 and Goodie Too Shoes at $26.

They also unleashed another $150,000 bet on James J Braddock to win $3 million.

But they saved the largest slice of their cache of cash for the George Boughey-trained Hopewell Rock

“We thought he had the best chance, and we thought the odds were generous,” JP McManus told Call of the Card broadcaster Racing.com.

McManus owns last year’s runner-up, Goodie Two Shoes, as well as second favourite Trustyourinstinct. Both are trained by Joseph O’Brien.

But the Irish businessman shied away from backing second-favourite Trustyourinstinct on Monday, probably because he stands to collect $4 million in prize money if the talented stayer wins the Cup.

The bookmakers were on their toes right from the start. In the end, Byrne’s $1 million wager was divided between three of the four bookies on the stage.

RealBookie’s Chris Lester accepted two bets – $500,000 at $10 and another of $160,000 at $9.

SwiftBet’s Natalie Hinkley took bets of $150,000 at $9.50 and $160k at $9, while Betlocal’s Lyndon Cleary soaked up the remainder of the $1m outlay, taking a bet of $30,000 at $10.

But the fourth bookmaker at the Call Of The Card, Robbie Waterhouse, stayed out of the action, much to the amusement of the 1071 sell-out crowd.

He was widely jeered throughout the luncheon for offering the lowest odds. Not that Waterhouse seemed to mind.

Other notable action at the entertaining luncheon included a bet by poker player Tony G to win $1 million on Zahrann at $31, while Wolfden splashed out $90k on Enfjaar at $26 to return $2.34 million.

Before the betting action kicked off, English trainer Boughey sounded a slight warning about Hopewell Rock if it kept raining.

“He is a winner on heavy ground back home. I do think he’ll handle it if it presents that way, but the preference would be for it to be dry,” Boughey said.

Despite his wish for clear skies, Boughey’s confidence would have buoyed the big-betting Irish.

“He looks better than he did when he left,” Boughey said.

“I was pleased to see us draw where we did. I thought [barrier] 15 for his running style, will suit him. He doesn’t need to go forward.

“His stamina is his forte. He has never run 3200 metres but I think it’s what he’s made to do.”

In-form jockey James McDonald will ride Trustyourinstinct.

“I think it is a pretty even sort of race,” McDonald said.

“It will come down to luck in running. My horse is as good as any. I wouldn’t swap him.

“Obviously, you’ve got those inexperienced horses that show a bit of class Point of Law and Hopewell Rock. Shockletz is one of the dangers for sure.

“[But] you dare to dream and that is the greatest thing about sport in general. You just want to execute the best you can.”

Flamboyant Sydney trainer Bjorn Baker was up and about at the Call of the Card, causing trainer Chris Waller to label him, in jest, Donald Trump Baker.

But his horse So You Are is rock hard fit and his jockey Rachel King rates the progressive horse as his best chance yet.

“I am really confident he can run well. He keeps progressing. He’s not the finished product yet. There is more to come,” King said.

“[So You Are] is a very, very fit horse. He’s probably just as confident as I am at the moment [as] he keeps getting his head in front.”

Vet questioned, Ryan stood down

Trainer Nick Ryan has been stood down, and a vet questioned by stewards in a case involving the alleged discovery of syringes in a glove box.

Ryan has been charged with possessing a prohibited man-made substance that mimics EPO.

Two syringes containing darbepoetin alfa were allegedly discovered in Ryan’s car outside his Flemington stable on Saturday morning.

Stewards released a statement on Monday, saying Ryan’s licence to train horses had been suspended effective immediately pending the resumption of their inquiries. They also said separate evidence was taken from equine vet Dr Luke Campbell about his “conduct at the time of Saturday’s stable inspection”.

Stewards will continue their inquiries with Ryan and Campbell at a date to be fixed. Horses under Ryan’s care will be transferred to other stables.

At Monday’s inquiry, stewards took evidence from Ryan’s legal representative. Stewards accepted documented evidence that Ryan was not able to attend. Stewards adjourned the matter for 28 days after an application by Ryan’s legal representative.

Campbell has been contacted for comment.

Separately, Racing Victoria (RV) veterinarians on Monday completed their second round of pre-race physical veterinary inspections of all horses in the final field for tomorrow’s $10.2 million Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington. All 24 horses were passed suitable to race.

Coffey cleared to ride in miracle Cup bid

Peter Ryan

Harry Coffey will be hoping for a miracle upon a miracle on Tuesday after being cleared to ride Shockletz in the Melbourne Cup after injuring his collarbone in a fall on Derby Day.

Coffey had left the track in pain after his mount Pondalowie fell in the Empire Rose Stakes and looked at long odds to ride in Tuesday’s two-mile race for the third time in his career.

Coffey had a procedure on Sunday as trainer Ciaron Maher said he was happy to give the jockey a chance to prove his fitness.

On Monday afternoon the Victorian Jockeys’ Association announced that “Racing Victoria (RV) Stewards confirm that, having been cleared by his surgeon and assessed by RV Chief Medical Officer Dr Ben Barresi, jockey Harry Coffey has been declared fit to fulfil his riding engagements at Flemington tomorrow (Tuesday, 3 November).”

Now Coffey is not only riding in the race but is on a lightweight chance who sits on the fourth line of betting.

Fellow jockey Rachel King said she admired Coffey’s determination and was confident he wouldn’t take the ride unless he knew he could perform at his best.

The Sydney-based rider who is aboard So You Are in the Cup said Coffey had the support of jockeys as he tried to get his body right for the race.

“All credit to him if he can definitely get there by tomorrow,” King said before Coffey was cleared to ride.

“They always say jockeys are made of different stuff and he’s kind of proving that.

“I know how determined he will be to get back there. He won’t do it unless he can be there 100 percent fit and healthy.”

Coffey, who won the Caulfield Cup on Duke De Sessa for Maher in 2024, has ridden in the Cup twice before.

Cup winning jockey James McDonald said on Monday he understood Coffey’s mindset and his refusal to give up the battle to be fit.

“He’s tougher than most of us,” McDonald said.

“It’s like a grand final for us…we get up for anything.”

Coffey rode Port Guillaume into 21st place in the 2021 Cup and finished 14th on Grand Promenade in 2022.

Pondalowie also rose to her feet and returned to her stable fit and well on Saturday night.

Luggage lost in transit as International trainers arrive to plunder Cups

Peter Ryan
Irish trainer Joseph O’Brien is confident his five runners will perform in Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup, but he is not so sure what he will be wearing at Flemington after his luggage was mislaid in transit during his trip from America.

The baby-faced trainer was not fussed, however, as he arrived at Crown Casino for the Call of the Card, where JP McManus – owner of O’Brien runners Trustyourinstinct and Goodie Two Shoes – was expected to heavily back his runners.

As expected, O’Brien gave little away as to which of his five runners he preferred most. But he did say he was not fussed if there was rain and emphasised that he took little notice as to which of his horses punters favoured.

“The market is the market,” O’Brien said. “I find in a race like the Melbourne Cup, and big handicaps in general, it’s the one who gets the perfect trip and things set up for them good on the day that ultimately will matter.”

O’Brien is looking to become the youngest trainer from outside Australia to win the race three times having already won Cups with Rekindling in 2017 and Twilight Payment in 2020.

He expected his longest shot Kizlyar to improve on his disappointing Moonee Valley Cup run when he finished down the track in a slow race.

O’Brien said Geelong Cup winner Point of Law, who Ciaron Maher trains, could not have done any more since he arrived in Australia and deserved to start favourite.

“He beat two smart horses in Small Fry and Omni Man, and he is the one everyone has to beat,” O’Brien said.

Boom UK trainer, George Boughey, who also arrived without his luggage on the same flight as O’Brien, said he preferred dry conditions for Hopewell Rock, who has excited track watchers during his time in Australia.

He will be ridden by Zac Lloyd and be Boughey’s first Melbourne Cup runner. He was working for Gai Waterhouse in 2013 when Fiorente won the Cup.

“His stamina is his forte. He has never run 3200m, but I think it was he is made to do,” Boughey said. “When he didn’t become a Derby horse last year, I earmarked him to come down here.

Sydney trainer Chris Waller told the Call of the Card crowd Soul of Spain would need to improve to win after finishing midfield in the Caulfield Cup, but said he rated Asterix a live chance.

Bjorn Baker was in good form as he extolled the chances of So You Are, who made it into the field after his Bendigo Cup win last start.

“He’s not the quickest horse [in the race] but he is tough, he is fit, he is well and he has got a great gate,” Baker said.

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