The Group 1 $8.56 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) on Tuesday November 5 has been locked in as the major spring target for the Ciaron Maher-trained import Okita Soushi following their win in Friday evening’s 2024 Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup.

The Galileo entire was one of a number of Melbourne Cup-bound horses racing under the lights at The Valley in this year’s Group 2 $750,000 Ladbrokes Gold Cup (2500m), and he was impressive with his upset half-length win at $11 over Serpentine ($6) with Sharp ‘N’ Smart third ($19).

“Massive team effort. We thought he was going really good into that last run. He’s just a classic stayer that wants twelve furlongs,” stable representative Jack Turnbull told Racing.com.

“Once you get him to that level, and at a level of fitness, he excels. He showed that last start, and he’s gone on and done it again today. He’s in really good form.”

Eleventh in last year’s Melbourne Cup results, the now seven-year-old looks on track for a second shot at the ‘Race That Stops a Nation’.

“100%. It’s always been the long-term plan when he came to us off the back of his last campaign in spring,” Turnbull confirmed.

“It’s really good and pleasing when things work out in terms of timing. We’re very thankful for Rohit. He’s given us the horse off the back of Joseph (O’Brien). It’s all working out. It’s fantastic.”

Last time out Okita Soushi was an eye-catching second in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m), the form of which he franked when given a perfectly time ride by Billy Egan to bolt up and steal the show in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup results.

Egan had the horse travelling sweetly approaching the turn with the eventual winner moving up to take the lead at the 200m and holding on to defeat the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Serpentine also Irish-bred out of the sire Galileo.

“Yeah, certainly he put in a really good performance last start, and I reckon since that run that’s really brought him forward,” winning hoop Egan said post-race.

“He was a little complacent the other day and got a touch tired. Today he was much more on the bridle and was a real test and he was very good all the way to the end.”

Last year’s New Zealand Derby winner Sharp ‘N’ Smart also kept his Melbourne Cup hopes alive for trainers Graeme & Deborah Rogerson making up ground down the outside late in his placing.

Okita Soushi is currently on 50kg in the Melbourne Cup weights, and Egan is hopeful of a large enough penalty for the win at Moonee Valley to allow him to ride him in the big one.

“He’s as ready as he’s ever going to be anyway… what’s he got? Fifty (kilos)? Give him a three-kilo penalty and I’ll be able to ride him!” Egan said of the horse’s chances in the Melbourne Cup.

The last horse to complete the Moonee Valley Gold Cup – Melbourne Cup double in the same year was the mighty Kingston Rule (1990). 

Current all-in 2024 Melbourne Cup odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au have Okita Soushi into $26 to be the next.

The stable also had Saint George flashing home late to cross fifth in Friday night’s features in an improved run from the fellow Melbourne Cup hopeful.

“100%. Saw a bit of grey flashing light, which is fantastic,” Turnbull said of that horse’s run.

“He’s a few spots higher than Okita (in the Melbourne Cup order of entry). So, yeah. With attrition, there’s every chance that he might sneak in because that’s what we wanted to see.”

Saint George is at $51 in futures Melbourne Cup betting.

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