THE Melbourne Cup ''F-factor'' wasn't sighted yesterday as contenders for Australian racing's great race slogged it out in the bog at Caulfield and Gai Waterhouse finally claimed a Melbourne major, reports the Sunday Age.It says: Waterhouse may have won any number of feature races down south but the Caulfield and Melbourne cups had eluded her along with the Cox Plate.''It is an absolute dream come true,'' Waterhouse said in the euphoria surrounding the win of Descarado, purchased in New Zealand

THE Melbourne Cup ''F-factor'' wasn't sighted yesterday as contenders for Australian racing's great race slogged it out in the bog at Caulfield and Gai Waterhouse finally claimed a Melbourne major, reports the Sunday Age.

It says: Waterhouse may have won any number of feature races down south but the Caulfield and Melbourne cups had eluded her along with the Cox Plate.

''It is an absolute dream come true,'' Waterhouse said in the euphoria surrounding the win of Descarado, purchased in New Zealand as a tried horse by the trainer's astute husband, Robbie.

The win provided jockey Chris Munce, whose career was halted due to a stint in jail following a Hong Kong betting scandal, with the final leg of the prized grand slam.

Munce was summoned from Queensland to ride Descarado with the jockey saying ''it means everything to me''. He reckoned the stayer is on target to give him another Melbourne Cup, having won on another Kiwi in Jezabeel in 1998.

Last year's Melbourne Cup winner Shocking was sensationally backed from $5 into $4.60 favourite and the effort to finish fourth suggested he was on target to defend the title on the first Tuesday in November.

Burdened with 57kg on a heavy Caulfield track, Shocking was caught up behind runners rounding the home bend but once in the clear motored on to the finish.

Melbourne Cup master Bart Cummings - there are 11 trophies on his shelf - made a return to the track, having been sidelined with a broken pelvis.

The Cummings-trained pair of Faint Perfume and Dariana went into the Caulfield Cup having won the VRC Oaks and Queensland Derby respectively. The former was involved in a scrimmage, with jockey Glen Boss reporting he nearly come off, and finished 17th. Dariana, which didn't handle the track, was 18th.

Cummings was asked about the performance of Shocking from a Melbourne Cup point of view. ''At least he won't get a [weight penalty],'' Cummings quipped.

The latest wonder, So You Think - bunkered in the Cummings stable at Flemington - goes into next Saturday's WS Cox Plate at Moonee Valley as one of the shortest-priced favourites yet and, all going well, has an appointment for the first Tuesday in November. The oddity is that So You Think has to run first or second to qualify for the Melbourne Cup.