5/11/2002 edition

How Does Your Cup Horse Rate?

Hail

No13
52.5kg.
Ch g 5 yrs
Barrier 16
Jockey - N Harris
Trainer - Bruce Marsh
25 starts, 7-4-3
Last five starts - 23308
Prizemoney $340,517
Average Prizemoney $13,620
Handles all track conditions.
Melbourne Cup distance - 1 st. 0-0-0

Hail won the New Zealand Derby on December 26, 2000. He also has creditable form over 3200 metres, and finished sixth, four lengths behind Henderson Bay in this year's Sydney Cup.

He didn't have much luck in running from barrier 15 in the Caulfield Cup, but still finished only four lengths behind Northerly. On Saturday in the Mackinnon Stakes it looked like he just went around for a workout under race conditions. He finished the race off OK and is primed for Tuesday.

Media Puzzle

No14
52.5kg.
Ch g 6 yrs
Barrier 3
Jockey - Damien Oliver
Trainer - Dermot Weld
18 starts, 5-1-5
Last five starts - 88031
Prizemoney $289,969
Average Prizemoney $16,109
Best on a track no worse than Dead.
Melbourne Cup distance - 1 st. 0-0-1

Media Puzzle has excellent overseas form. He is thrown into this race at the weights - on September 15 he carried 60kg. in the Irish $116,000 Curragh Open Handicap run over 3219 metres and finished third, beaten only a length by Lowlander who carried 51.5kg.

Then Media Puzzle won the Geelong Cup in a canter on October 23. He also drops 2.5kg. in weight for the Cup.

Mr. Prudent

No15
52kg.
Ch g 8 yrs
Barrier 4
Jockey - Corey Brown
Trainer - George Hanlon
59 starts, 10-7-4
Last five starts - 09663
Prizemoney $1,003,710
Average Prizemoney $17,012
Handles all track conditions.
Melbourne Cup distance - 6 sts. 1-1-0

He carried 52kg. and was beaten by over 17 lengths in last year's Cup after winning the Sydney Cup earlier in the year. However he has been racing well this year, including another strong run in the Sydney Cup, where he was beaten a nose by Henderson Bay.

Mr. Prudent put in a good, even run in the Moonee Valley Cup and finished third. He drops 5kg. in weight for the Cup. The class may test him, but he is certainly capable of running into the placings at odds.

Pentastic

No16
52kg.
Br g 4 yrs
Barrier 6
Jockey - Glen Boss
Trainer - David Hall
21 starts, 3-2-4
Last five starts - 91597
Prizemoney $519,800
Average Prizemoney $24,752
Races best with a bit of sting out of the ground.
Melbourne Cup distance - 1 st. 0-0-0

Pentastic is a backmarker. His three wins have come on Dead rated tracks. As a 3YO he matched it with the best 3YOs of the land.

After being checked at the 400 he finished third in last year's Group 1 Victoria Derby at Flemington. In March this year he ran three huge races all in a row in the Group 1 Canterbury Guineas, the Group 1Rosehill Guineas and the Group 1 A.J.C. Australian Derby.

He was then unlucky in the Sydney Cup where he was tightened for room and checked several times. So being beaten 4.7 lengths is much better than it appears on paper.

Pentastic was only beaten 2.4 lengths by Northerly in the Turnbull Stakes on October 5. He followed that up with a respectable run in the Caulfield Cup, four lengths behind Northerly. Pentastic then ran a highly respectable seventh, beaten 3.8 lengths by Lonhro in the Mackinnon Stakes on Saturday.

That run has him primed for a big run in the Cup. He should be making up ground in the straight and will be right in the finish.

This edition of Punt to Win:
Melbourne Cup facts and figures
How does your Melbourne Cup horse rate?
Vinnie Roe, Jardines Lookout, Daliapour, Sandmason
Helene Vitality, Hatha Anna, Freemason, Maguire
Pugin, Rain Gauge, Beekeeper, County Tyrone
Hail, Media Puzzle, Mr. Prudent, Pentastic
Prized Gem, Victory Smile, Cyclades, Distinctly Secret
Grey Song, Thong Classic, Miss Meliss, Requiem
Punt to Win 1/11/2002
Punt to Win index

Betting packages

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