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Fame Game firms for Cup

Japanese trainer Yoshitada Munakata has confirmed Melbourne Cup favourite Fame Game will be ridden the same way as in the Caulfield Cup, but perhaps a little differently.

Zac Purton was grilled over his ride at Caulfield when the horse finished an eye-catching but gentle sixth to cement his place at the top of the Melbourne Cup market.

He will jump from barrier 12 on Tuesday and is now at $3.20 with the TAB to win Australia’s most famous race.

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“Hopefully he runs up to expectations,” Munakata said through an interpreter.

“He will be ridden similar to Caulfield – perhaps a little closer.

“I think he will be better suited over the longer distance of the Melbourne Cup.

“He had his final gallop today which went well. It’s been a nice, smooth preparation all the way through.”

Caulfield Cup runner-up Trip To Paris remains the second favourite at $9 and starts from 14 with his much-loved Ed Dunlop-trained stablemate, three-time Cup runner-up Red Cadeaux a $19 chance from barrier eight.

The Gai Waterhouse-trained Excess Knowledge, the last horse into the field courtesy of his Lexus Stakes win on Saturday, will start from the outside gate, 24, while Prince Of Penzance starts from the inside alley.

Leviathan owner Lloyd Williams has three chances to claim a fifth Cup with the Aidan O’Brien-trained pair of Bondi (barrier 18) and Kingfisher (9) joining Moonee Valley Cup winner The United States who is prepared by Robert Hickmott.

Williams and his son Nick bought into Bondi Beach ($35) and Kingfisher ($26) a few weeks ago.

“Aidan O’Brien is the best trainer in the world,” Nick Williams said.

“He is the private trainer for Coolmore and we are lucky they allowed us to buy shares in these horses.

“The three will race in our navy blue with different coloured caps.”

The David Hayes and Tom Dabernig-trained Criterion drew well in four and firmed from $14 to $12 while Irish horse Max Dynamite came in from $12 to $10 after drawing two.

Frankie Dettori has been confirmed as the rider for Max Dynamite who is trained by Willie Mullins.

Chris Waller has three runners – Who Shot Thebarman (barrier 6, $19), Grand Marshal (15, $35) and Preferment (11, $10) as he tries to add the Melbourne Cup to his Cox Plate win with Winx.

No.HorseJockeyBarrierWeight
1SNOW SKYRyan Moore1658kg
2CRITERIONMichael Walker457.5kg
3FAME GAMEZac Purton1257kg
4OUR IVANHOWEBen Melham2256kg
5BIG ORANGEJamie Spencer2355.5kg
6HARTNELLJames McDonald1755.5kg
7HOKKO BRAVECraig Williams2055.5kg
8MAX DYNAMITEFrankie Dettori255kg
9RED CADEAUXGerald Mosse855kg
10TRIP TO PARISTommy Berry1455kg
11WHO SHOT THEBARMANBlake Shinn654.5kg
12SKY HUNTERWilliam Buick754kg
13THE OFFERDamien Oliver1354kg
14GRAND MARSHALJim Cassidy1553.5kg
15PREFERMENTHugh Bowman1153.5kg
16QUEST FOR MOREDamian Lane2153.5kg
17ALMOONQITHDwayne Dunn1053kg
18KINGFISHERColm O’Donoghue953kg
19PRINCE OF PENZANCEMichelle Payne153kg
20BONDI BEACHBrett Prebble1852.5kg
21SERTORIUSCraig Newitt552.5kg
22THE UNITED STATESJoao Moreira352.5kg
23EXCESS KNOWLEDGEKerrin McEvoy2451kg
24GUST OF WINDChad Schofield1951kg
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