Foreteller is a rising nine-year-old and he has already had two goes at the Australia Cup without winning.
But Glen Boss is loathe to say the veteran’s time won’t come at Flemington on Saturday.
“He’s a good Flemington horse, he’s good at weight-for-age, he’s good at that distance,” Boss said.
Foreteller ran seventh in the 2013 Australian and was beaten less than a length into third behind Melbourne Cup winners Fiorente and Green Moon last year.
Boss reunites with Foreteller on Saturday for the first time this autumn, chasing a second Group One for the season on the horse which has been a tremendous servant for Chris Waller’s premiership-winning stable.
Foreteller won the Group One Underwood Stakes in the spring with Boss in the saddle and they beat Happy Trials, one of the favourites in Saturday’s race.
After earlier Group One wins in the Ranvet Stakes and the Makybe Diva Stakes, Boss says Foreteller’s weight-for-age bona fides are legitimate.
“He’s been at that level for a long time now,” Boss said.
“You would think there’s very little between a horse like him and Happy Trails.”
Foreteller was beaten less than two lengths by Contributer when sixth in the Group One Chipping Norton Stakes at Warwick Farm.
It was a run which Boss said showed the gelding was in form for the Australian Cup.
“He ran terrific the other day at Warwick Farm,” Boss said.
Happy Trails is the $5 equal favourite with Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist in a field of 16 while Foreteller is at $11.
Globetrotting English stayer Red Cadeaux makes his first appearance during an Australian autumn carnival and has barrier 14.
Red Cadeaux has finished second in three Melbourne Cups in four appearances in Australia’s richest race.
The nine-year-old will use Saturday’s race as a lead-up run to the Sydney autumn carnival.
Protectionist has barrier three as he attempts to join Fiorente, Makybe Diva and Let’s Elope to claim the Melbourne Cup-Australian Cup double in the same season.
