Charlie Appleby aiming for more Melbourne Cup glory with two live chances

Last year’s Melbourne Cup hero Cross Counter has to defy the second highest penalty for a defending champion, but Charlie Appleby’s team believes he has a live chance of becoming the fifth back-to-back winner of the Flemington feature.

Cross Counter has to carry a stone more (57.5kg from 51kg) in the A$14 million (£7.56m/€8.61m) event and bids to emulate former consecutive winners Archer, Rain Lover, Think Big and most recently Makybe Diva – a three-time scorer from 2003 to 2005.

The Godolphin-owned four-year-old is a general 16-1 chance to strike again on November 5 and is set to be joined by stablemate Ispolini, who finished a length and a quarter behind Cross Counter in the Dubai Gold Cup in March.

Ispolini, a winner on his most recent start in the German St Leger at Dortmund last month, is 2.5kg better off with Cross Counter and 20-1 with Sky Bet and William Hill to secure Cup glory.

Chris Connett, travelling head groom for Appleby, said: “Cross Counter has been very solid this year, having won on Dubai World Cup night and taken on the world’s best stayer in Stradivarius in Britain a couple of times. To be beaten by him is no disgrace.

“Things didn’t quite work out for him in the Irish St Leger but it was another solid run without being spectacular. It was a bit of a messy race but he stayed on all the way to the line and comes here in good form.

“He’s strengthened up from three to four, filled out his frame a bit more and hopefully we’ll see the best of him in Australia.

“Charlie said straight after his Melbourne Cup win last year that we’d love to come back and try to defend his crown. It’s a big ask but he’s a great horse."

Cross Counter: defeated stablemate Ispolini in the Dubai Gold Cup in MarchCredit: Edward Whitaker

He added: “Ispolini ran some solid races in Dubai and had a long break after York with this trip in mind before winning in Germany. He’s on an upward curve.

“We think he’s well weighted and we’re very positive to go into the race with two live chances.”

Connett reports Cross Counter to be a popular horse in the yard and one who can take a shine to you in one of two ways.

He said: “He’s got a little quirk to him and he’s like that in his stable – some days you’ll get a kiss and cuddle off him and other days he wants to take your head off.

“He’s got character and that’s why we really like him – he’s in no way ordinary.”

Appleby’s Australia team is completed by Walton Street, who could contest the Moonee Valley Gold Cup on October 26 or the Bendigo Cup on October 30, Setting Sail and D’Bai – set to feature on the same Sandown card in the Eclipse Stakes and Kevin Heffernan Stakes on November 16.

'Solid performance' from Pinatubo in Dewhurst

The quintet arrived in Melbourne on Saturday morning, allowing Connett and his colleagues to watch Pinatubo maintain his unbeaten record in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.

Connett said: “I was over there with him at the Curragh when he won by nine lengths and you were never going to get the same kind of performance on ground that looked very soft at Newmarket.

“It was a really solid performance – the way he travelled into the race and then put it to bed without too much fuss shows he’s a class above.”

Pinatubo: six from six after winning the Dewhurst at Newmarket on SaturdayCredit: Edward Whitaker

On comparisons to the great Frankel, he added: “It’s pretty high talk to compare him with Frankel yet, and as a two-year-old he’s rated higher than Frankel was, but he went on to do some pretty special stuff. If Pinatubo can do half of that then we’ll be happy.

“You wouldn’t know he’s there at home – he’s very quiet – and he’s great at the races and very chilled out. When they jump out of the stalls, he switches on. He’s a pleasure to be around.”

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