He may be gunning for a record-equaling fourth Melbourne Cup win aboard Kelinni in Flemington Race 7 this afternoon but ace Aussie hoop Glen Boss believes Peter Moody’s in-form mare Lights Of Heaven could be the one to beat in the 2012 Melbourne Cup.
Lights Of Heaven is one of the main dangers in the 2012 Melbourne Cup according to Glen Boss
Boss, who will be having his 12th ride in the ‘race that stops a nation’ this afternoon, entered the history books scoring three successive Melbourne Cups aboard the only triple Melbourne Cup winning horse to date – the mighty Makybe Diva (2003-05).
He is now just one win off the most successful Melbourne Cup jockeys in history Bobbie Lewis and Harry White.
This year he will look to make it a quartet after snaring an eleventh hour ride in the $6.2 million handicap aboard Chris Waller’s Lexus Stakes winner Kelinni.
Rated a $21 chance in the Melbourne Cup odds, Kelinni certainly is not without their claims to become the first horse since Shocking (2009) to score the Lexus Stakes – Melbourne Cup double.
They should get a gun run from gate 10, have the 51kg light-weight of the Melbourne Cup field and with Boss in the saddle their chances are further improved.
While they have reportedly pulled up well from their tough Lexus success last Saturday, Boss knows that the short turnaround and class factor are two things that Kelinni will have to overcome to win the Melbourne Cup today.
“I win my fourth Cup? I don’t know, maybe. I’m happy to get a last-minute guernsey. I can tell you that,” Boss wrote for the Hearld Sun.
“The positives for Kelinni are that he will run a strong two miles.
“He’s consistent and trainer Chris Waller tells me he’s come through Saturday’s run really well. That’s so important. There isn’t a lot of turnaround between Saturday and Tuesday.
“Kelinni has the ability to put himself in the race and from the draw I reckon he’ll get a lovely run. I’ll just go out, hold my spot and wait.
“At some point he will look the winner. The query? I just don’t quite know if he’s got the class but I’ll do my darnedest to find out.”
The Melbourne Cup 2012 betting markets at bookmaker.com.au are dominated by the internationals with the past two, French-trained, Melbourne Cup winners dominating the odds with Dunaden ($7) and Americain ($8).
There is also Luca Cumani’s European raider Mount Athos ($7) getting plenty of love from the punters for their Australian debut today.
But it isn’t these highly-spruiked internationals that will have Boss looking over his shoulder today so much as the Australian-trained Lights Of Heaven.
“Lights Of Heaven is flying at the moment,” he said.
“Her Caulfield Cup run was great. She’s flying under the radar, Peter Moody will have her spot-on and you know Luke Nolen will give her a gun ride.
“She’s better than people think.
“There’s all this talk about the raiders, but if the Caulfield Cup is good form – and everyone’s talking about Americain and Dunaden from that race – then her run was as good as any when you factor in the weights.”
Five-year-old Zabeel mare Lights Of Heaven, a Group 1 winner in the 2011 Schweppes Oaks, is already a dual cups champ having saluted in the Eagle Farm and Brisbane Cups during the winter.
She was last seen running a smashing third to Dunaden in the Caulfield Cup (2400m) when beaten only one and a quarter lengths, and more distance could be her key today.
Lights Of Heaven is one of the early Melbourne Cup market movers and is now paying $18 to hand Moody his maiden ‘Loving Trophy’.
As for her hoop Luke Nolen, he has had six rides in the world’s richest handicap for one second aboard Maluckyday (2010) – who also runs in today’s race – and he will be looking to improve on his 21st with Shamrocker last year.
To get behind Kelinni or Lights Of Heaven or any other horse you fancy in the Melbourne Cup markets visit our preferred online bookie bookmaker.com.au – and don’t forget to check out their exclusive Pick Your Own Odds on all the Melbourne Cup Day races.
