MICK Price’s Victorian Derby drought could end this weekend if New Zealand gun Tarzino lives up to its billing in Saturday’s Group 1 race at Flemington.
Price has never had a winner in the big race – a second placing his best finish in 12 attempts.
Tarzino will start as a red-hot favourite for the one million dollar Group 1 race, with Sportbet placing the New Zealand raider at $2.70 – the shortest runner since Helenus in 2002.
If Price is feeling the pressure to break his duck, the champion trainer is not showing it.
“I always say it’s a lovely problem to have,” Price said.
“I’m happy enough to see it favourite. I don’t worry too much about the odds. It does seem short, but come race time they drift and there’s money for different things.
“Physically he’s the right horse to win a Derby. He’s done really well. I’m just looking forward to Flemington now because it’s grand final day for him.”
Tarzino has drawn gate 10 for the Group 1 race, which Price insists will bring about a change of tactics on Saturday.
“My first thought is I’ll be speaking to the stewards and telling them we’ll endeavour to ride in a more forward position,” Price said.
Tarzino will face stiff opposition from Kia Ora Koutou, who has raced sensationally in the west, winning all four of its races.
The undefeated Western Australian stayer’s trainer Adam Durrant is sticking with rookie jockey Joe Azzopardi who has steered his mound to all of the gelding’s four wins.
Azzopardi has never ridden in a Group 1 race and has never won at Flemington, but Durrant believes he has what it takes to break through on the weekend.
“He’s ridden him four times,” Durrant said.
“He knows the horse and I don’t want to break up a winning combination.”
“It’s not as if it’s a 1200m sprint at Caulfield, which are highly tactical races. This is a 2500m race at Flemington on a big spacious track”
While his gelding had no shortages of jockeys lining up to take the ride on Saturday, Durrant believes the experience Azzopardi has on Kia Ora Koutou holds him in great stead heading into the Derby.
“I think Joe knowing the horse and the way he races, leaving him on is a bigger advantage than putting someone new on him.
“He has a great style and a good nature which suits this horse.”
Kia Ora Koutou heads into Saturday’s Group 1 Victorian Derby has the second favourite behind $8.00 with Sportsbet.
Victorian Derby odds
Odds provided by Sportsbet.com.au
Tarzino – $2.70
Kia Ora Koutou – $8.00
Get The Picture – $8.50
Extra Choice – $10.00
Pay Up Bro – $10.00
Lizard Island – $11.00
Shards – $13.00
Etymology – $15.00
Tally – $15
Ayers Rock – $17.00
Hierarchal – $17.00
Jadeer $17.00
Ragnaar $17.00
Colonel Custer $21.00
Sovereign Nation $21.00
Man Of Choice $26.00
Palace Tycoon $26.00
Melbourne Cup favourite firms after quality Caulfield run
Japanese horse and Fame Game is looking to make it back-to-back Melbourne Cup wins for the international raiders at Flemington on Tuesday after a quality run at Caulfield a fortnight ago.
Fame Game roared home in the final stages of the Caulfield Cup to come from last to finish sixth in the Group 1 race with only one horse – Trip To Paris – displaying faster sectional times.
The Caulfield display saw the Japanese superhorse firm from $4.50 into $3.80, the shortest priced favourite for the world’s greatest staying race since So You Think raced in 2010.
So You Think finished third in 2010.
Fame Game’s trainer Yoshitada Munakata – speaking via his assistant Masato Tamaya – said the Melbourne Cup preparation is going better than expected.
“The best thing I know is his action,” Tamaya said.
“Usually he gets a bit stiff and tired after the race but he wasn’t even tired after the Caulfield Cup run.
“His action is really nice and smooth.”
Despite the magnificent finish to the Caulfield Cup, Mastato Tamaya said the Fame Game camp was still surprised the horse will go into Flemington at such a short price.
“We are surprised at the odds but at the same time the odds have nothing to do with the racing,” Tamaya said.
The horse that scorched home at the Caulfield Cup – Trip To Paris – is another international horse that has had its odds slashed after the strong showing two weeks prior.
The Irish stayer was a brilliant winner at Royal Ascot earlier this year, taking out the prestigious Gold Cup in June.
Trip To Paris’ trainer Ed Dunlop – who has missed out several times with Red Cadeaux at Flemington in the Cup – believes the Caulfield run proves the Irish thoroughbred has what it takes to claim the world’s richest staying race.
“It’s a great story [with Trip To Paris] and he cost $20,000 as a breeze up horse … and he won the biggest race at Royal Ascot,” Dunlop said.
“Everyone has had a chance with a cheap horse – they’re all coming here – and it’s life changing. They’ve obviously watched me bring Red Cadeaux.
“[Trip To Paris] hadn’t travelled here and he’d been running proper staying races in England. But we knew he had speed because he won a maiden over seven furlongs and then he won a handicap over a mile-and-a-half earlier this year.
“Everyone thought because he won an Ascot Gold Cup he’s a dour dour stayer, but he’s not at all. The Caulfield Cup showed that.”
Trip To Paris is one of the only two horses in single figures heading into Tuesday’s big race, at the $8.00 quote, while Caulfield Cup winner Mongolian Khan next best at $10.00.
2015 Melbourne Cup field
Fixed odds provided by WilliamHill.com.au
Fame Game – $4.00
Trip To Paris – $8.00
Mongolian Khan – $10.00
Preferment – $12.00
Amralah – $15.00
Criterion – $15.00
Max Dynamite – $16.00
Who Shot Thebarman – $16.00
Almoonqith – $19.00
Bondi Beach – $19.00
Hokko Brave – $21.00
Our Ivanhowe – $21.00
Snow Sky – $21.00
Gust Of Wind – $23.00
Hartnell – $26.00
Kingfisher – $26.00
Sky Hunter – $28.00
Red Cadeaux – $31.00
Dandino – $35.00
Grand Marshal – $35.00
The Offer – $41.00
The United States – $41.00
Big Orange – $51.00
Quest For More – $61.00
Secret Number – $71.00
Havana Cooler – $124.00
Prince Of Penzance – $126.00
Elhaame – $151.00
Excess Knowledge – $151.00
Ruling Dynasty – $151.00
Sertorius – $151.00
Ethiopia – $301.00
