No New Zealand horses are running in today’s Melbourne Cup.
However the TAB has found some Kiwi connections:
TAB analyst Michael Dore said that while there are no New Zealand-bred horses in this year’s Cup following Silent Achiever’s late withdrawal, there were still some Kiwi connections definitely worth keeping an eye on.
“Of the 50 Melbourne Cups run between 1952 and 2001 an amazing 31 were won by New Zealand-bred horses. However in recent years there has been a growing trend of Melbourne Cup success for horses born in the Northern Hemisphere. This trend hit a new peak last year when the first seven horses home were all born in Ireland.
“Kiwi trainer Michael Moroney, who celebrated a Melbourne Cup victory with Brew in 2000, was quick to react to the Irish dominance by buying promising Irish stayer Voleuse de Coeurs, giving Moroney a good chance to take out the 2013 Melbourne Cup. These chances became even brighter when Voleuse de Coeurs won her final Irish race, September’s Irish St Leger – a race which has been a good guide to previous Melbourne Cup success.
“Voleuse de Coeurs (translates as ‘Heart-stealer’) will team up with champion Kiwi jockey James McDonald who had his first Melbourne Cup ride last year finishing second on this year’s favourite Fiorente,” said Mr Dore.
Legendary New Zealand jockey Jim Cassidy, who recently notched up his 100th group 1 win, will ride highly-successful ex-pat Kiwi trainer Chris Waller’s Hawkspur.
Prime Minister John Key is having a little flutter:
Tres Blue would seem to be an obvious choice for my historically unreliable method of judging form by the jockey’s colours.
But the ABC which has the full field and form shows he’ll be wearing black with a yellow collar and cap.
On the strength of the colours I’m picking Voleuse de Cours (blue and gold are Otago colours).
| 17 |  |
VOLEUSE DE COEURS | 5yo mare | Starts: 13: 5-3-2 | $279,235 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T: Michael Moroney | Form: 21321 | Barrier: 21 | Weight: 54kg | ||
| J: James McDonald | Track: 0: 0-0-0 | Distance: 2: 2-0-0 | Odds: $18 | ||
Royal Empire – is all blue:
| 16 |  |
ROYAL EMPIRE | 5yo stallion | Starts: 13: 5-5-1 | $261,176 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T: Saeed Bin Suroor | Form: 01122 | Barrier: 11 | Weight: 54kg | ||
| J: Kerrin McEvoy | Track: 0: 0-0-0 | Distance: 0: 0-0-0 | Odds: $21 | ||
And another all in blue, Fawkner:
| 10 |  |
FAWKNER | 6yo gelding | Starts: 20: 9-3-3 | $2,420,751 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T: Robert Hickmott | Form: 37531 | Barrier: 8 | Weight: 54.5kg | ||
| J: Nicholas Hall | Track: 9: 5-2-1 | Distance: 0: 0-0-0 | Odds: $16 | ||
There’s an electronic jelly sponge at stake for the winner of a sweepstake if you leave your picks in the comments.
#gigatownoamaru is on track to win, though it’s a long, long race.
Posted by homepaddock 
Homepaddock 