Aghh Melbourne Cup carnival time.
The birds are singing, the fascinators are fascinating and the he said, she said saga’s are rife.
So much has been written about what Michelle Payne has said, and again now about what Linda Meech has said also.
It has dominated all aspects of the media, then when you add the controversial scratching of last year’s Melbourne Cup runner-up Marmelo to the mix, and well, soooo much to read.
But what that tends to do is bury other stories and I’m absolutely awestruck by the plaintive, and succinct way legendary jock turned trainer Johnny Murtagh just destroyed Melbourne Cup 2019 favourite backers hopes with his comments about Constantinople.
How is this not the biggest story around?
For the record, Murtagh, here as the International Guest of the VRC, was asked his thoughts on the favourite on camera at racing.com.
“I’m just worried about Constantinople,” Murtagh said.
“He looked unlucky last time (in the Caulfield Cup) but he’s one of those horses that always looks unlucky.
“You have to have everything to win the Melbourne Cup, courage, bravery, heart and you have to stay the distance.
“I think when it comes down to it, Constantinople just lacks a little bit in one of those departments, I don’t know which it is, so I’m against him.”
The legendary hoop went on to add yet another salient point when he more than intimated that Irish superstar trainer Aidan O’Brien wouldn’t have let the horse out of Ballydoyle if he considered him a genuine Gr 1 horse.
Team Hayes and Tom Dabernig now train Constantinople who was held up and checked as they turned for home in the Caulfield Cup before flashing home with a big red light over his head to grab 4th behind the Japanese star Mer de Glaze.
The effort soared him to the top of the Melbourne Cup betting charts.
But Murtagh may have a point. Constantinople has raced 9 timers thus far for just 2 wins, his best at Gr 3 level.
More on this story to come. Would appreciate your thoughts on his comments and the horse’s Caulfield Cup run.
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