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Vive La France! Gallic Raider Americain Lands Melbourne Cup
03/11/10

Eight years on from the victory of Dermot Weld’s Media Puzzle in the Melbourne Cup, Europe added another name to the illustrious list of winners of the ‘race that stops a nation’ when French raider Americain broke Aussie hearts by coming with a storming late run to land the massive winner’s prize of in excess of £2,000,000, writes Elliot Slater.

Gerald Mosse

Given a brilliant ride by Gerald Mosse, the Alain de Royer-Dupre-trained five-year-old was settled midfield before improving his position turning for home. The Flemington crowd went crazy as local hero So You Think (2/1f) set sail for home over a furlong out on the rain-softened ground, but Americain (12/1) was unleashed by Mosse with a tremendous turn of foot at the end of the stamina-sapping two-mile handicap to lead 100 yards out and sprint clear.

So You Think, the shortest priced favourite with Irish racing tips for the race for many decades and a Grade 1 winner twice in the last two weeks over just 10 furlongs, might have been feeling his recent exertions and faded close home, eventually being caught for the runner’s-up berth by the strong finishing Mayluckyday. Zipping kept on to be an honourable fourth.

Alain de Royer-Dupre

De Royer-Dupre, only the second European trainer to win Australia’s greatest race (after Dermot Weld’s two victories), now adds the Melbourne Cup to victories in Europe and around the globe with superstars such as the great ‘Arc’ winners Zarkava and Dalakhani, and other top-class horses such as Sendawar, Pride, Shawanda and Daylami. The French handler had always felt that Americain, owned by Australians Gerry Ryan and Kevin Bamford, had the class to go close in the big race.

For Mosse, 20 years on from his victory in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on Saumarez, it was an emotional success and one which he hopes to repeat next time out as those looking at racing tips for today note that the plan now is to head East to bid for next month’s Hong Kong Vase.