AUSTRALIA has its unlikely Melbourne Cup hopeful in the form of its champion jumper Black And Bent, and today in New Zealand another noted jumper takes a step towards a shot at the $6 million race on November 1, reports The Age. Its report adds: Black And Bent races in The Bart Cummings at Flemington tomorrow to improve his chances of a Melbourne Cup start, while in the group 1 Spring Classic at Hastings today, Titch, who won last season's Houlahan Hurdle at Sandown, can also prove the Melbourne

AUSTRALIA has its unlikely Melbourne Cup hopeful in the form of its champion jumper Black And Bent, and today in New Zealand another noted jumper takes a step towards a shot at the $6 million race on November 1, reports The Age.

Its report adds: Black And Bent races in The Bart Cummings at Flemington tomorrow to improve his chances of a Melbourne Cup start, while in the group 1 Spring Classic at Hastings today, Titch, who won last season's Houlahan Hurdle at Sandown, can also prove the Melbourne Cup is worth pursuing. Titch, who won the Auckland Cup in March, is 57th in line for a Melbourne Cup start so would need to win a lead-up race in Australia to earn a start. Black And Bent 96th in order of a Melbourne Cup start but can race up the rankings with a win tomorrow.

Cox Plate favourite Jimmy Choux will start the hot favourite in the Spring Classic but in his sights at Hastings is another horse with an eye on the Melbourne spring carnival. Trainer Jeff Lynds, who took Wall Street to Melbourne last spring to win the group 1 Emirates Stakes, is expecting something special from his seven-year-old gelding Booming in the Spring Classic before he makes his attempt on the Melbourne Cup.

Lynds's wife Jan said: ''Jimmy Choux is obviously a fantastic horse and he's going exceptionally well, but our horse is going really well and he will be giving him a run for his money.'' Lynds said that while Booming's main target was the Melbourne Cup on November 1, he had already shown he was capable of surprising at weight-for-age over 2000 metres when he won the Zabeel Classic at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. (www.theage.com.au)