The Danny O’Brien pair of Miami Bound and Salto Angel will be after a ballot exemption into the Melbourne Cup when they line up in the Andrew Ramsden Stakes at Flemington.
A bigger field may have been expected for the ‘Golden Ticket’ up for grabs in the Listed Andrew Ramsden Stakes at Flemington.
The victor in Saturday’s race over 2800m gains a ballot exemption into the Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington in November.
A field of 10 will do battle on Saturday in the third offering of the ‘win and you’re in’ race with Danny O’Brien to saddle two runners.
Miami Bound and Salto Angel will chase the prize which takes the pressure off their trainer trying to gain a start in the Melbourne Cup field.
The VRC Oaks winner in 2019, Miami Bound ran 14th in last year’s Melbourne Cup having confirmed her place in the race winning the Moonee Valley Cup at her previous start.
Miami Bound finished third in the Tancred Stakes (2400m) at Rosehill before running third in Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick during the Sydney Carnival.
“Her runs in Sydney were good and the four weeks between runs is perfect,” O’Brien said.
“She’s been back down at Thirteenth Beach since Sydney and came up to Flemington to have a jump-out last Friday for a bit of a gallop and she couldn’t be better.”
While Miami Bound has won five of her 21 starts, Salto Angel has yet to breakthrough in 11 starts.
But she is a six-time runner-up, including last year’s VRC Oaks and at her most recent outing behind Through Irish Eyes, an opponent on Saturday, in the VRC St Leger.
“She’s a genuine mile-and-a-half filly and there are not a lot of options for her,” O’Brien said.
“Her run in the St Leger was good and I feel it’s the right time to try a three-year-old against the older horses with the good weight relief.
“We haven’t had to do too much with her having had that run three weeks ago over the same course and distance.”
