The owner speaks! Dunaden's mega-rich owner Sheikh Fahd Al Thani reckons Pommy invader Red Cadeaux and not well-fancied Americain is the main threat to his champion stayer grabbing a back-to-back win in the $6 million Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on Tuesday. But the Sheikh says Dunaden is only just peaking. In fact, he warns, he was only "80 per cent fit" when he won the Caulfield Cup two weeks ago. Dunaden has top weight of 59kgs in the Cup and must set a modern weight-carrying

The owner speaks! Dunaden's mega-rich owner Sheikh Fahd Al Thani reckons Pommy invader Red Cadeaux and not well-fancied Americain is the main threat to his champion stayer grabbing a back-to-back win in the $6 million Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on Tuesday. But the Sheikh says Dunaden is only just peaking. In fact, he warns, he was only "80 per cent fit" when he won the Caulfield Cup two weeks ago. Dunaden has top weight of 59kgs in the Cup and must set a modern weight-carrying record if he's to stage a repeat performance of his nose win over Red Cadeaux last year. The Sheik says: 'Dunaden is a champion ridden by a champion and his trainer is a champion.'

And here's another optimistic owner...Dr Marwan Koukah says barrier #8 is ideal for his stayer Mount Athos. The doc says: 'The gods have dealt us a really good card...Our main rivals, Dunaden (16) and Americain (12) have drawn wide so they should be behind us in the run...My horse has a devastating turn of foot, better than anything else, and now we will be closer up the front and not coming from four or five lengths further back...I really think we can win and we should be favorite now.''