As has been tradition in recent times, Lloyd Williams joined RadioTAB’s Steve Hewlett on Melbourne Cup eve to discuss his chances in the race, this time saddling up just the one runner in Serpentine, as well as offering his views on the main contenders.
In what Williams describes as a ‘weak’ edition of the Cup, it’s the internationals he believes that will feature prominently.
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Lloyd Williams on the race
It’s an extremely weak race this race when you look at the top.
I think that Gold Trip is a good horse, but he’s won one race in his life and he’s the topweight.
When Greg (Carpenter) did this, he didn’t have a natural topweight.
Serpentine
He’s a decent horse, we just haven’t been able to get him going. He’s probably just turned the corner for us to be perfectly honest.
We changed the gear on him (on Saturday), it did help him. In fact that run helped him a lot on Saturday. He’s terrific this morning and he was super yesterday actually, so he might have come on.
I’m living in hope that he has come on. He looks absolutely super. The best we’ve had him in the nine months he’s been here.
Johnny (Allen) didn’t know how to ride him properly, he knows how to ride him properly now. He made a couple of mistakes on Saturday, but my Irish friend Johnny Allen, he won’t make the same mistakes this time.
On tactics:
Gai’s horse (Knights Order) will probably lead.
Deauville Legend
Comparatively, I don’t see the weight’s going to stop him. The only thing that possibly might stop him is does he run two miles? I’m not sure if he’ll run two miles, but James (Ferguson) I think is pretty confident he will.
He’s a proper horse. The form at Goodwood when he ran second was pretty good.
The difference is, people are looking at the fact Rekindling and Charlie’s (Appelby) horse (Cross Counter) being down in the weights, but this is a different weighted race. A much weaker race.
If you don’t want to back James’ horse, it’s a very open race.
It’s pretty obvious to me that he’s entitled to be favourite.
You can have a pick at another 10 or 11 horses if you leave the favourite out.
Realm Of Flowers
She’s on 50kg. If it’s a wet track, she’s got a good chance.
Nothing would give me more pleasure than to see Anthony win the race. Anthony Freedman is a very good trainer.
They (Freedmans) understand mares and this mare has no weight and in the Metropolitan was probably a bit unlucky. Now whether that form is good enough to win the Melbourne Cup I don’t know, but 50kg helps doesn’t it.
Gold Trip
Does he have too much weight? He’s a decent horse, does he have too much weight for a horse that has won one race in his life? It’s like looking at Dan O’Brien’s horse Young Werther. He’s s decent horse too, but he’s won one race in his life. It’s like looking at our horse Serpentine, hasn’t won a race since the Epsom Derby.
I wonder about Gold Trip. I saw his run in the Cox Plate. He had absolutely no luck in the Cox Plate. Jamie Spencer didn’t know where he was I don’t think. I’m not sure about Gold Trip, 57.5kg, getting two miles. Maybe. I see the Maher/Eustace team said it’s their best chance in the race. I would have thought probably myself, I sort of thought Smokin’ Romans is the better of their chances down the bottom.
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Without A Fight
I think he’s got a chance. I think the international horses will be in the money, I’m sure that this horse will be in the money. He’s a Teofilo horse, he’ll run the trip.
Camorra
Camorra for the Hayes’ will run well. Camorra has got a very interesting situation. He’s won two races over there for Ger Lyons and they’re very good races if you want to look at the form.
He won the Curragh Cup. The year before he won the G3 race at Leopardstown on Champions day. Good horses win those races.
He’s had lots of ins and outs in between, but don’t be shocked by Camorra. I’ve got no idea how he’s going, I haven’t been at Werribee this year, I don’t have any horses there, but he’s got Irish form that doesn’t entitle him to be 50/1.
Duais
I like it. I like Edward Cummings. I like the horse. I just wonder about its preparation. Of the two mares, I prefer Edward’s horse over David Payne’s horse (Montefilia).
Lloyd Williams’ prediction
Deauville Legend or have your pick.
This story originally appeared on punters.com.au
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