Yorkshire trainer Brian Ellison may have unearthed his best chance yet for the Melbourne Cup after Onesmoothoperator took out the Group 3 Geelong Cup.
Betting firms took a shine to Onesmoothoperator’s victory in Wednesday’s 2400m handicap, slashing the stayer’s price from $51 to $10 and equal fourth favourite behind Jan Brueghel at $5 ahead of Buckaroo and Vauban at $7 and $9 respectively.
Ellison has been coming to Australia since 2005 in his search of Melbourne Cup glory, but bad luck has played its part.
The win of Onesmoothoperator was Ellison first on Australian soil from 16 starters, and while the stayer was number 33 in the Order of Entry into the Melbourne Cup, it is expected he will receive a penalty that will move him within the safety limit of 24 runners.
Ridden by Craig Williams, Onesmoothoperator ($11) scored a 2-¼ lengths win from Interpretation ($21) with Muramasa ($7) a short-neck away third.
“I’ve been here a few times and had a few bits of bad luck, but this horse has been brilliant,” Ellison said.
“He came over, he’s put weight on the trip over. Mark Brown rides him every day and he’s been doing good times and I just said to Craig, ‘he’s not your normal stayer, he’s got loads of speed’.
“He’s always had a good turn of foot, and it was a great ride.”
Onesmoothoperator will be Ellison’s first Melbourne Cup runner since Moyenne Corniche and Saptapadi finished 15th and 16th respectively in 2011.
Carte Diamond in 2005 was his first starter in Australia, and after an encouraging run in the Caulfield Cup that year, he impaled himself on a rail during a gallop at Flemington in preparation for the Melbourne Cup 2024.
The stayer returned the following year but was ruled out by RV vets with a tendon injury while in 2007, after missing out on a start in the Melbourne Cup by three spots, Ellison’s charge Bay Story ran in a lesser 2800m race on Cup Day, but sadly broke down and was euthanised.
“You’ve just got to put your head down and keep cracking on,” Ellison said.
“Everybody has bad luck, so anyway, I know I’ve got a good horse.”
“I would say Carte Diamond had adapted but it was just unlucky with him. He had been going into the Melbourne Cup and was absolutely bouncing after the Caulfield Cup and it’s just what happens with these horses sometimes.
“But this horse, he’s been bouncing.”
Williams, who was winning the Geelong Cup for the sixth time on Wednesday, partnered with Dunaden in 2011 when that French-trained galloper went onto to claim the Geelong Cup and Melbourne Cup double.
He gave a glowing report on Onesmoothoperator who carried 54kg on Wednesday and drops to 50kg in the Melbourne Cup before any potential rehandicap.
“I think he’s well-placed for this year’s race, and that’s all you’re ever asking for,” Williams said.
“He’s been on a synthetic track, a very firm track today. He’s won on soft, and he runs over long distance, and today he’s like riding with cotton wool, the way he was.
“Brian Ellison and his team have done a great job. He’s a really fit horse, a healthy horse and I think he’s only got improvement to come from him.”