The Melbourne Cup

Vintage Punch! but son of Godolphin needs to qualify

GODOLPHIN, who usually finds winning the world’s great races so easy this season, with twelve Group One wins at the time of writing, actually failed twice when they stepped out of line and ran the filly Cape Verdi in the English Derby.   Hyped to favouritism, she finished only ninth and, unlike the Leger where Nedawi was deputising for Sea Wave, Cape Verdi’s Oaks substitute, Bahr, was beaten by Shahtoush. But gambling Godolphin have played another wild card: entering Faithful Son for the Melbourne Cup (November 3) before he was even qualified.   Faithful Son had Man O’War winner Daylami behind in third when he won the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot but he was unable to confirm the firm on 5lb worse terms, being beaten half a length at levels by Daylami in the Eclipse. He was then the "moral" winner of the International Stakes at York when short-headed by One So Wonderful trying to give 3lb.		Faithful Son
With Kayf Tara likely to be out of the Melbourne reckoning after his, and John Reid’s, demolition job on the Irish St Leger field - Aljabr making it a dozen Godolphin Group Ones with his defeat of Stravinsky the same weekend - Faithful Son is the able deputy this time. Faithful Son goes early to Australia, where he must finish fifth or better in the Caulfield Cup (October 17) to qualify for Melbourne since he has no form at two miles. He has been given 9st. 2lb. in the big race, the same as previous winner Doriemus.
Sheer Danzig at Doncaster on 2nd March 1997	Newmarket trainer Robert Armstrong thought Ebor runner-up Sheer Danzig had a "serious" chance off 8st.7lb.   Lucky owner Jeff Smith could be represented by either Persian Punch (D Elsworth, 8st 13lb) or Grey Shot (I Balding, 8st 7lb), who ran seventh in the Melbourne Cup in 1996. Smith said he was "tempted" to run both.   If Grey Shot is a line to less than what’s required, then Arctic Owl (J Fanshawe) and Tajoun (A de Royer Dupre) have the same poor chance since they are weighted closely with him on Prix Kergorlay form.
Sir Michael Stoute is likely to scrub entries for Multicoloured and Clerkenwell, leaving Greek Palace (8st. 4lb), whose best form was when winning the Bessborough Stakes at Royal Ascot.   Dermot Weld, who won the Flemington race with Vintage Crop, could saddle Stage Affair (8st 7lb), while Aidan O’Brien’s Theatreworld, set to carry 7st 13lb., is on a featherweight on his best form; Aidan has also entered Chateau Royal but he would be there as pacemaker.   The early favourite in Australia is home hope Yippiyio. If the "yippees" are to greet an English-trained winner, it would rest between Faithful Son and Persian Punch. Persian Punch didn’t stay the trip in the Gold Cup but had earlier beaten the Gold Cup winner, Kayf Tara, in the Henry 11 Stakes at Sandown and confirmed in holding off Celeric for the Lonsdale Stakes at York in August that he has all the equipment for the Melbourne Cup: the ability to lie up with the pace and produce a run towards the business end of two miles that’s backed with the courage to hold off the likes of Celeric, Kayf Tara and Samraan.   That’s "Vintage" stuff, I feel.			Persian Punch
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