Confidence Building in Al Riffa Camp as Melbourne Cup Looms

[Wandering Eyes]

A week out from the G1 Lexus Melbourne Cup, the Australian Bloodstock team is increasingly confident that it has both the right horse and the right man for the job, having put its faith in the Joseph O'Brien-trained Al Riffa (Wootton Bassett).

The syndicate will be seeking a third success in 'the race that stops a nation', having previously lifted the famous trophy after the wins of Andreas Wohler's Protectionist in 2014 and the ex-French runner Gold Trip in 2022.

This year the Australian Bloodstock colours will be strongly represented at Flemington, with Royal Supremacy (Make Believe) and Vauban (Galiway) both set to join Al Riffa in the Melbourne Cup line-up, but at this stage it is O'Brien's multiple Group 1 winner who is giving his connections most to get excited about.

“He was the obvious horse and wasn't hard to find,” Australian Bloodstock's Jamie Lovett said of Al Riffa's purchase, prior to his impressive victory in September's G1 Irish St Leger at the Curragh.

“He's a high-quality horse in any era, I think, and for us it was an obvious choice – we were delighted to secure him. We had to give a good few quid for him, but he is certainly a horse you normally can't get your hands on.

“Joseph has been delighted with the way he has travelled over. He's accustomed to travelling, but this would be the furthest he's ever had to travel, so you are always a little bit guarded. But I believe he has settled in beautifully and we're really excited.

“The [Irish] St Leger win probably cemented our opinion of him, but he was already a highly-credentialled horse. But that brutally-run 2,800-metre race at the Curragh proved that two miles will hold no fears for him around the flat deck at Flemington.

“I'd love to get a drop of rain for him, like most horses, but I think, if he turns up on the day in the same vein of form as he did at the Curragh, it's fair to say he will be more than competitive.”

O'Brien is also bidding for a third win in the Melbourne Cup after those of Rekindling in 2017 and Twilight Payment in 2020.

Already the youngest trainer to win Australia's most prestigious prize, O'Brien could also surpass Dermot Weld to become Ireland's most successful handler in the marathon event if Al Riffa or stablemate Goodie Two Shoes (Fastnet Rock) can deliver next week.

“We're really enjoying being in Joseph's yard and his communication has been fantastic,” Lovett said of Australian Bloodstock's association with the County Kilkenny-based trainer.

“He's held in the highest esteem by Australians. The amount of trainers who have tried unsuccessfully [to win the Melbourne Cup] and to think that at such a young age he has won it twice, it's fair play to him.

“He's got a great record everywhere, but to bring two horses down to Melbourne and win the Cup is incredible really.”

Meanwhile, another dual Melbourne Cup winner will be doing the steering on Al Riffa, namely Mark Zahra, who was successful aboard the aforementioned Gold Trip, before repeating the dose the following year courtesy of Without A Fight.

Zahra replaces newly-crowned Irish champion jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle, who has ridden Al Riffa in all but four of his 15 career starts.

“We've had a lot of luck with Mark,” Lovett added. “A lot of the owners involved in this horse, he rides their horses and he rides a lot of our horses, so it made sense.

“I don't enjoy doing something like this and, obviously, Dylan has got a great affinity with the horse and has ridden him fantastically. But it's a long way to come for one ride, so it just made sense to use Mark.

“Going forward, there will hopefully be plenty of opportunities for Dylan to ride for us.”

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