The A$630,000 TAB Melbourne Cup is being labeled as the “Greatest." It sure is a great field who will contest the 515m final at Sandown Park this evening where the winner will receive A$435,000 after just a tick over 29 seconds of chasing action. A million dollars in total stakes must be won over the twelve carded Sandown races.
Pictured: The TAB Melbourne Cup is all about Greatness!
The preparation work has all been completed and the star studded field of greyhounds are all ready to be released from the 515m traps at 10.51pm NZ time (race 6). You can check out all of the extensive TAB Melbourne Cup and meeting previews by clicking here www.grv.org.au
There is also a TAB $200,000 bonus injection into the TAB Quaddie pool (races 5-8) which the NZ TAB will be participating in via the commingled pools. Local Victorian officials are saying the eventual pool is projected to reach around a million dollars (the pool reached around $980,000 for last year’s Melbourne Cup quaddie).
Leading Victorian greyhound commentator James Van De Maat provided his Quaddie selections to the crowd who attended yesterday’s lavish TAB Melbourne Cup luncheon. The connections of the Melbourne Cup contenders were all interviewed and provided their thoughts on how their respective charges are likely to go.
James’s Quaddie selections are: Leg 1 - 1, 2, 3 Leg 2 - 1, 2, 5, 6 Leg 3 - Field Leg 4 - 3, 7 - $192 for a full unit or obviously $19.20 for a ten percent unit.
James also delivered his now traditional Melbourne Cup phantom race commentary. Remarkably he has called the eventual Melbourne Cup winner home first in his recent phantom calls. It was My Redeemer who he had winning his phantom call.
There’s also New Zealand interest in the race 4 Sky Racing Stayers over the 715m distance (9.48pm NZT) which sees the Craig Roberts trained Dyna Weslyn lining up in it. She copped an early check, which she never recovered from, when she contested a heat for the Bold Trease 715m staying feature last week.
Craig Roberts has said that he expects a competitive race from Dyna Weslyn, providing she places herself handy to the early pace. She has come through last week’s heat in good order.
By Peter Fenemor
