Looks like Dermot Weld is deadly serious about a Melbourne Cup attack this year...Rite Of Passage's win in last night's Ascot Gold Cup sets up what could prove a third triumph for Weld in the Cup. This year he is likely to bring Profound Beauty and Rite of Passage to Melbourne. Profound Beauty ran 5th in the 2008 Melbourne Cup and beat Age Of Aquarius in May at Leopardstown in Ireland. Dermot says: 'We have two very serious contenders for the Melbourne Cup...Let's hope that at least one of them

Looks like Dermot Weld is deadly serious about a Melbourne Cup attack this year...Rite Of Passage's win in last night's Ascot Gold Cup sets up what could prove a third triumph for Weld in the Cup. This year he is likely to bring Profound Beauty and Rite of Passage to Melbourne. Profound Beauty ran 5th in the 2008 Melbourne Cup and beat Age Of Aquarius in May at Leopardstown in Ireland. Dermot says: 'We have two very serious contenders for the Melbourne Cup...Let's hope that at least one of them gets there in good shape. We have a lot to look forward to....Only time will tell but Rite of Passage is a very young horse. We have given him time to develop and he is developing into a lovely young horse....Today was his first big Flat target and the Melbourne Cup is his second....I suspect he'll reappear in the Irish St Leger and we'll see how time progresses.'

Luca Cumani's Purple Moon 20/1 ran 3rd in the Ascot Gold Cup and he could be heading to Australia for another crack at the Melbourne Cup. The Sporting Life review says he was soon held up in 6th, made headway on the outside 3f (600m) out, went 3rd 2f (400m) out, and was soon driven along. He kept on the same pace but had no chance with the leading duo. Cumani says: 'I would be inclined to stay over here and look at races like the Goodwood Cup and the Lonsdale, although I have spoken to the owner and we will probably put him in the Melbourne Cup again, too.'

Scone mare Alverta faces a big field in Sat's Grp 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes (1200m) at Royal Ascot. It's a field of 24 and Paul Messara's challenger has drawn barrier #18 in the famous Ascot sprint. In latest betting, Alverta is at $15.00 with TAB Sportsbet. Aussie sprinter Starspangledbanner, now with the Aidan O'Brien stable, is fav at $6.00. The market on Friday afternoon was:

STARSPANGLEDBANNER 6.00 2.25
HAPPY ZERO 7.50 2.62
SHOWCASING 7.50 2.62
FLEETING SPIRIT 10.00 3.25
KINSALE KING 13.00 4.00
ALVERTA 15.00 4.50
MAIN AIM 17.00 5.00
HIGH STANDING 17.00 5.00
MARCHAND DOR 21.00 6.00
WAR ARTIST 21.00 6.00
JOY AND FUN 21.00 6.00