Five days is a long time in racing, and anything can happen, but at the time of publishing (Thursday), the Merriman family-bred, locally-owned, and Ciaron Maher and Dave Eustace-trained Right You Are was set to contest Australia’s greatest race, the Melbourne Cup.
Owners: M O Merriman, Mrs E C Merriman, Mrs J M Merriman, S E Merriman, Chasing Drama, G Paolucci, E M Whitehead, Ms G P Whitehead, Mrs R A Abbey, B J Abbey, Ms J G Downer, C M Downer, Think Leica Winner, M Arceri, May At The Bool, Wilawl Go Racing, A A J Grant & Mrs D Paolucci.
The $8 million event, run over the 3200m at Flemington, is the toughest staying test in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the most coveted races in the world.
The race that stops a nation always brings together champion gallopers, and Right You Are won’t look out of place.
A seven-year-old by So You Think out of Leica Ding, Right You Are was bred and raised locally, and the gelding has since started 26 times for ten wins, earning connections just shy of $1.1 million in prize money.
Last start, he contested the $5 million Caulfield Cup (2400m), and jockey Michael Dee sent him to the front as the pair led into the home straight.
For a moment, he looked like a top-three chance, but the backmarkers finished hard and fast.
Still, Right You Are hung on gamely to finish fifth, earning connections $150,000 when beaten just 4.2 lengths by eventual winner Without A Fight (Mark Zahra) from the Sam and Anthony Freedman yard.
Right You Are proved he was tough as nails that day, and there is no doubt that many local eyes will be on him if he does turn out on the first Tuesday in November.
MELBOURNE CUP POSSIBLE FIELD (by likely handicap order)
1 – GOLD TRIP (Ciaron Maher/Dave Eustace) James McDonald 58.5kg
2 – ALENQUER (Mike Moroney) Damien Oliver 56.5kg
3 – WITHOUT A FIGHT (Anthony and Sam Freedman) Mark Zahra 56.5kg
4 – BREAKUP (Taisuya Yoshioka) Damian Lane 55kg
5 – VAUBAN (Willie Mullins) Ryan Moore 55kg
6 – SOULCOMBE (Chris Waller) Joao Moreira 53.5kg
7 – ABSURDE (Willie Mullins) Zac Purton 53kg
8 – RIGHT YOU ARE (Ciaron Maher/Dave Eustace) 53kg
9 – VOW AND DECLARE (Danny O’Brien) Billy Egan 53kg
10 – CLEVELAND (Kris Lees) Michael Dee 52kg
11 – ASHRUN (Ciaron Maher/Dave Eustace) 51.5kg
12 – DAQIANSWEET JUNIOR (Phillip Stokes) 51,5kg
13 – OKITA SOUSHI (Joseph O’Brien) 51.5kg
14 – SHERAZ (Chris Waller) 51.5kg
15 – KING FRANKEL (Annabel Neasham) 51kg
16 – LASTOTCHKA (Mick Price/Micheal Kent Jnr) Craig Wiliams 51kg
17 – MAGICAL LAGOON (Chris Waller) 51kg
18 – MILITARY MISSION (Gai Waterhouse/Adrian Bott) Rachel King 51kg
19 – SERPENTINE (Gai Waterhouse/Adrian Bott) Jye McNeil 51kg
20 – VIRTUOUS CIRCLE (Liam Howley) 51kg
21 – FUTURE HISTORY (Ciaron Maher/Dave Eustace) Hollie Doyle 50kg
21 – MORE FELONS (Chris Waller) Jamie Kah 50kg
23 – TRUE MARVEL (Matthews Smith) 50kg
24 – VALIANT KING (Joseph O’Brien) 50kg
Others listed in ballot order:
25 – LADIES MAN (Allan Sharrock) Dean Yendall 50kg
26 – ATHABASCAN (John O’Shea) 50kg
27 – UNITED NATIONS (Ciaron Maher/Dave Eustace) 50kg
28 – FANCY MAN (Annabel Neasham) 50kg
29 – HASTA LA WAR (Sue Murphy) 50kg
30 – KALAPOUR (Kris Lees) 50kg
31 – INTERPRETATION (Ciaron Maher/Dave Eustace) 50kg
32 – MOSTLY CLOUDY (Trent Busuttin/Natalie Young) 50kg
