No-one would begrudge trainer Brian Ellison finally having some luck in the Melbourne Cup.
Ellison has been coming to Melbourne for the ‘race that stops a nation’ for 20 years, but things have not panned out.
In 2005, a gallop in preparation for the Melbourne Cup at Flemington went awry when jockey Weichong Marwing was dislodged from Carte Diamond who carried on riderless, attempted to jump a running and was impaled by a metal spike.
The team were back the following year with Bay Story, who didn’t make the Cup field, but ran second in the 2800m contest on Cup Day and later went on to finish second in the Perth Cup.
Bay Story returned in 2007 but unfortunately broke down in the 2800m Cup Day support race and was euthanised.
In 2011 Ellison was back with Moyenne Corniche and Saptapadi, who finished 15th and 16th respectively in the Melbourne Cup.
It was another 13 years later before Ellison returned to Melbourne, this time with Onesmoothoperator who finally got a win on the board for the trainer when successful in last year’s Geelong Cup, before running 12th in the Melbourne Cup.
After winning the Moonee Valley Gold Cup on October 24, Onesmoothoperator is back for another attempt at the Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on Tuesday.
With two days to go until race time, Ellison said this year’s Cup campaign had gone without a hitch.
“We had a bad week last year after Geelong,” Ellison said.
“We were clipping him, and he jumped back and caught a heel and pulled a shoe off and got a cut on his heel.
“He was clipped earlier, he’s been tidied up and he’s nice and good and looks better this year.
“He’s also a better horse now and he learned a lot from last year.
“He enjoys being out here. At Moonee Valley he showed a great turn of foot. He’s improved from the race as he hadn’t raced for two months, and I think we’re in a great place.
“At the moment, touch wood, everything has been going to plan, but we’ve still got two days to get through.”
Onesmoothoperator completed his preparation with a ‘breeze’ at Werribee on Saturday morning when his Cup rider Harry Coffey came in to partner the gelding.
Ellison said victory on Tuesday would mean everything to the trainer who has raced horses in England, Ireland, France, Dubai and the US.
“It’s the best place ever to come racing,” Ellison said.
“I’ve been to France, America and this is by far the best place I have ever come.”
There remain some plans to head to Hong Kong depending on Tuesday’s result, or even to the Perth Cup in January where the stayer would race under the care of Bendigo trainer Tim Fitzsimmons.
