Ciaron Maher trained the first three in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup at Flemington, with mare Juja Kibo winning the final ballot-free ticket into the Melbourne Cup.
Ciaron Maher's Melbourne Cup squad grew stronger again on Saturday, with Juja Kibo winning the Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) to secure the last of the ten ballot-free exemptions into the Cup.
Run at Flemington while Moonee Valley is being rebuilt, the race was a clean sweep for the stable. Juja Kibo ($7.50) beat stablemate Kings Valley ($13) by half a length, with another Maher runner, Mr Monaco ($16), a long head away in third.
Metropolitan form stands up
Ridden by Sam Clipperton, the mare came into the race off a win in The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick on 3 October. Backing up that form over a longer trip is a good sign for the 3200m of the Cup, and the golden ticket means connections no longer have to sweat on the ballot.
- 1st Juja Kibo (Sam Clipperton) – $7.50
- 2nd Kings Valley – $13
- 3rd Mr Monaco – $16
Maher's Cup army
The result leaves Maher with a large chunk of the 24-horse Melbourne Cup field, including Juja Kibo, Royal Supremacy, Middle Earth and Saint George. Mr Monaco has also secured a Cup ride for Tasmanian apprentice Jabez Johnstone. Add Geelong Cup winner Point Of Law, and the stable will be hard to avoid when you are building Cup multiples and exotics.
The punting angle
With so many of the field coming from the one stable, don't assume the best-fancied Maher runner is the stable elect. Look closely at the jockey bookings, the weights and how each horse's lead-up suits a 3200m race. Juja Kibo has shown she can win over ground in back-to-back starts, which is exactly the type of profile worth weighing up on Cup day.
The Melbourne Cup is run at Flemington on Tuesday 3 November. Keep up with the contenders on our Melbourne Cup horses page.
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