Silvestre de Sousa confirmed for Melbourne Cup favourite Withhold
Silvestre de Sousa, set to be crowned champion jockey in Britain for the third time this year, has a leading chance of ending 2018 with victory in one of the world's biggest races after Roger Charlton confirmed him for the ride on Lexus Melbourne Cup favourite Withhold.
De Sousa, well clear of Oisin Murphy and James Doyle in the race for the Stobart-sponsored jockeys' prize, was aboard Withhold for his commanding win in last year's Cesarewitch and Charlton rubber-stamped that booking on Tuesday, two days after his contender touched down in Melbourne.
The Northumberland Plate winner's arrival was slightly delayed following a crack to the windscreen of the plane carrying him and 18 other European raiders from London, which may result in some missing prep races due to quarantine restrictions.
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