Bart to repel the European invasion

Encouraging overseas horses to come to Australia to contest the Melbourne Cup seemed
like a good idea at one time but with eight Europeans in the field this year, many
have called for a limit on their numbers.
Among them is Bart Cummings who has said over the past weeks it will be a case of
"spot the Aussie".
Cummings has done his best to rectify this with Moatize qualifying via his win in
the Saab Quality and joining stablemate Viewed in the race Cummings has won a record
11 times.
His bid for a 12th comes on the 50th anniversary of his first runner, Asian Court,
who did not run a place.
Moatize will be ridden by Clare Lindop, a young woman who has made plenty of history
herself for her riding achievements, none greater than her Victoria Derby triumph on
Rebel Raider.
Lindop is based in Adelaide, the city Cummings grew up in and where he learned his
craft by his father Jim's side at Morphettville Racecourse.
He was the strapper for his father's 1950 Melbourne Cup winner Comic Court and 15
years later was back at Flemington to lead in his own Cup winner, Light Fingers.
In those days the New Zealanders were the only foreigners to worry about, this year
they are considered locally trained as the southern hemisphere takes on the northern
invaders.
There are in fact eight Europeans in the 24-horse field headed by Septimus from the
all powerful stable of Aidan O'Brien, trainer for the Coolmore racing and breeding
empire.
Septimus is considered the best stayer in Europe and probably the best in the world
and his stablemates Honolulu and Allessandro are highly regarded as well.
Luca Cumani, who trained Purple Moon to run second last year, has come back with two
horses, Mad Rush and Bauer.
Dermot Weld, the only European so far to plunder the Cup, has Profound Beauty, a
mare he considers ideally suited to the Cup and who has been heavily supported by
punters.
Until Sunday, Septimus was the Cup favourite but amid threats by Coolmore to
withdraw him if the Flemington track was as firm as Derby day, Mad Rush displaced
him with New Zealander Nom Du Jeu on the third line of betting with Profound Beauty.
Unlike Coolmore which has transported its riders from the other side of the world,
Cumani and Weld have exercised the option of employing local jockeys.
Damien Oliver, who has won the race twice on Doriemus (1995) and the Weld-trained
Media Puzzle (2002), will ride Mad Rush, Glen Boss who rode champion mare Makybe
Diva to her three wins is on Profound Beauty while Corey Brown, whose best finish
was second on Mr. Prudent behind Media Puzzle, is on Bauer.
But while the big players believe the Europeans will be too strong, too good and too
fast, the once-a-year punter usually bets with the heart not the head and the
Cummings pair will have plenty of support.
And why not? When it comes to the Melbourne Cup there's a fair bit of luck involved.
In the case of Cummings there's also a fair bit of experience and a knack of getting
the timing just right.
"Moatize is a horse on the way up and he needs the two miles," Cummings said.
"Viewed is also looking for the distance but I think he would prefer the track to be
a bit softer."
However, Cummings won't be asking for the surface to be watered to suit, and he
certainly won't be withdrawing either of his horses.
Wet or dry, there's just no place he would rather be.