Who's going to win the Melbourne Cup? :)

I see a jumper, Black And Bent, has been nominated for the cup. :S

Hope it's not called Malema lol

Well a jumper won the 1st race on ARC Day Kasbah Bliss which was a Group 1


Bliss as Kasbah finally lands Group 1
This week the Arc weekend gets rightful exposure, writes blog editor Martin Greenwood. Phil Smith will also be reporting from Longchamp on his Head of Handicapping blog. We also visit Ascot's big meeting.

Stephen Hindle on a verteran still doing the business...

The big staying event at Longchamp is of course the Prix du Cadran and it was the veteran Kasbah Bliss, at least two years older than any of his rivals, who prevailed by a length and a quarter from the German-trained Tres Rock Danon.

Kasbah Bliss is probably better known for his exploits over hurdles - he started odds on for the 2009 World Hurdle when last seen over timber - but he's since shown himself to be a high-class performer on the Flat. He won a Group 3, also at Longchamp, later in 2009and earlier this year he tasted success in a Listed contest at Saint-Cloud.

His credentials going into the Cadran were there for all to see following placed efforts in both the 2009 and 2010 renewals, which followed a fourth inthe race way back in 2008, and he quickened up nicely off the steady pace to surge to the front. Given the lack of a decent pace and the bunch finish behind the winner, the form, somewhat surprisingly, looks pretty solid.

Brigantin, who was a short neck behind Tres Rock Danon in a dead-heat for third, has plenty of 113 performances on his record and crediting him with another one looked the best way to go about rating the race. That makes Kasbah Bliss 116, which is still a shade below his very best, with Tres Rock Danon improving a little on his previous best by posting 114. Ley Hunter, the other dead-heater for third, has run to a similar figure to when winning the Gladiateur on his previous start, so the level looks about right.

Several horses have at least matched Kasbah Bliss's effort in staying events across Europe this season, but few have bettered it on the figures. Not bad for a nine-year-old.

I backed Americain last yeah at 12/1..
Purely on the fact that it was running over similar distances and won well before the race.
The favourite was So You Think, and I knew Distance will be a problem.

I think you got to look at a horse who is distance suited, then you can get good value for money.

Americain can win again at 14/1
Lion Tamer 10/1 fav
December Draw and Lucas Cranach also amongst fancied runners.

Not the Lion Tamer that Charles Laird used to train.< I think this one is with Mark Johnston and won the German St Leger a couple of weeks ago, unless there is yet another Lion Tamer somewhere?

Kasbah bliss had been placed in that race 3 times...

Magic there is not much difference between a Fox Hunt and a Lion Tamer ()


Lion Tamer is a NZ bred that won at Caufield in Sept

Oops. Still suffering from travel lag.

Americain just won his prep run at Mooney Valley

We also seen the cox plate this morning

Unfortuantely Lion Tamer had to be put down after the COX PLATE yesterday, Americain's win was super and he will be very hard too beat

Sad news for Lion Tamer but still fancy Americain