Christophe Lemaire booked to ride Gold Mount in Melbourne Cup

Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Christophe Lemaire has been booked to ride the Ian Williams-trained Gold Mount in Australia’s most prestigious race next month.

The Japan-based rider recently described victory aboard Dunaden in the flagship event in 2011 as “the greatest moment of his career” and will return to Flemington on November 5 to partner Gold Mount, a general 33-1 chance.

Gold Mount seeks to boost his chances of securing a Melbourne Cup spot in Saturday’s Stella Artois Caulfield Cup, where he will be ridden by New Zealand jockey Mark Du Plessis.

Williams, who saddled his first runner in the Melbourne Cup last year when Magic Circle finished down the field, said: “Gold Mount has been working very nicely and it looks like he'll get a place in the Caulfield Cup.

“We're hopeful he can run well there and then take his place in the Melbourne Cup.

“His owners have been keen to go to Australia since he finished fourth in the Dubai Gold Cup in March. We've booked Mark Du Plessis for the Caulfield Cup and Christophe Lemaire for the Melbourne Cup.”

Gold Mount, who won the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot for Alan King in 2016 when named Primitivo prior to being bought to race in Hong Kong, is a best price 28-1 with Sky Bet to win the Caulfield Cup.

Gold Mount, previously named Primitivo, was a Royal Ascot winner in 2016Credit: Harry Trump (Getty Images)

He is set to face his John Smith’s Silver Cup conqueror Red Verdon in the A$5.15 million (£2.77m/€3.17m) contest after the Ed Dunlop-trained six-year-old pleased the trainer’s travelling team in morning exercise at Werribee on Monday.

Red Verdon suffered lameness in his off fore on Friday evening but is now sound and bids to go one better than the three-time Melbourne Cup second Red Cadeaux, who was also owned by Ronald Arculli, later in the Spring Carnival.

Robin Trevor-Jones, travelling head groom for Dunlop, said on Monday morning: “I was pleased with the way he moved and his work rider told me he feels brilliant.

“There’s a big race in Red Verdon and granted a good gallop there would be no reason why he could not go very well on Saturday.

“It’s the owner’s dream to win the Melbourne Cup and I couldn’t explain how it would feel if we did it as we went so close with Red Cadeaux three times, who was an unbelievable horse for us.”

Red Verdon is a general 50-1 shot to win the Caulfield Cup and 66-1 with bet365 to land the Melbourne Cup.

Ebor fourth Raymond Tusk is a confirmed Caulfield Cup absentee with trainer Richard Hannon favouring heading straight to the Melbourne Cup just over two weeks later.

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