Depleted Australian-bred staying stocks laid bare in Melbourne Cup entries

05 Sep 24

On Wednesday, Team Dynamic wrote a story headed: "Four 2yo Candidates For The Classics and Potential Cup Kings" about the opportunities for our owners to race middle-distance / staying prospects due to the constant decline of thoroughbreds bred in Australia to run at these distances.

On Thursday, an article by Warwick Barr - The Straight Newsletter, exposes the plight in detail about how this sector of the market is suffering, and how Australian bred nominations for this year’s Melbourne Cup are at a record low.

Warwick’s story below:

Australian-bred Melbourne Cup entries have fallen to a record low amid a Northern Hemisphere dominance of nominations for what was once Australia’s great race.

In a further example of how to measure the domestic scene’s decline in breeding for stamina, when Melbourne Cup nominations closed on Tuesday, Racing Victoria received 123 entries for the $8.5 million race on November 5, yet only 20 Australian-bred horses were in this year’s entries.

That represents only 16.26 per cent of the total nominations - down from the previous low of 19.35 per cent in 2022.

The year-on-year trend makes for an even bleaker picture, decreasing from a 30.3 per cent representation in 2023.

New Zealand-bred horses, once a benchmark for Melbourne Cup success, are also trending the same way as their Australian counterparts. From 18 Kiwi-bred nominations in 2023, the number from across the Tasman has held steady this year with 19 entries.

Evergreen stayer Vow And Declare is the last Australian-bred to win the Melbourne Cup in 2019.

It was a year when 32 of the 152 nominations were bred in Australia, representing 21.05 per cent of the entries.

Vow And Declare has contested another three Melbourne Cups but after a top-10 finish in 2023, the nine-year-old hasn’t been nominated for this year’s race.

Chris Waller’s dual Derby winner Riff Rocket and the South Australian-trained The Map are rated the two best Australian-bred chances in latest betting charts.

An increase in overseas numbers and the presence of last year’s winner Without A Fight underpin the nominations.

Waller has nominated 21 horses - up from 14 in 2023 - to account for 17.0% of the entries but they don’t include last year’s placegetters Soulcombe and Sheraz as both are sidelined with injury. Waller’s entries do include the Cox Plate favourite Via Sistina and last season’s Victoria and Australian Derby winner Riff Rocket. Waller will be chasing his second Melbourne Cup after Very Elleegant after her victory in 2021.

Ciaron Maher has 16 nominations for the race. Circle Of Fire, the Melbourne Cup equal favourite since winning the Sydney Cup at the end of his first Australian preparation during the autumn, is one of his 16 nominations. Ciaron Maher is bidding for his second Cup victory after Gold Trip’s win in 2022.

Between Maher and Waller their 37 nominations represent 30.1% of the entries.

Among the 20 overseas entries, Champion Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien has entered six horses as he tries to secure one of world racing’s most sought-after trophies for the first time.

O’Brien’s nominations include Grosvenor Square, a northern hemisphere three-year-old fresh from a 20-length victory in the Irish St Leger at his most recent start.

Grosvenor Square left fellow Melbourne Cup entry Absurde in his wake at The Curragh and he occupies the second line of Cup betting as a $13 chance.

Absurde, who finished seventh in last year’s Cup, put his Melbourne campaign back on course with a Listed win in England at the weekend, is one of three entries for O’Brien’s compatriot Willie Mullins.

Mullins is expected to bring Vauban back to Australia despite the disappointment of last year’s midfield finish while Hipop De Loire, luckless in the rich Ebor Handicap, could accompany his stablemates on the trip.

Other Irish nominations include Harbour Wind for Dermot Weld, the trainer who changed the face of the Melbourne Cup when Vintage Crop scored a historic win in 1993.

Weld returned nine years later to win the Cup for a second time when Media Puzzle won for champion jockey Damien Oliver.

Two Japanese runners have been nominated with Warp Speed and Shonan Bashitto are among the international entries.

Nominations have also been received from England and France.

Melbourne Cup weights will be released on September 17 ahead of first declarations on October 1.

Hoofnote:

By Dynamic Syndications:

This exposure of the lack of numbers in Australian breeding of staying types, was the motivation Dynamic Syndications used to head into the yearling sales market this year.

We purchased four (4) youngsters by Champion Sires from daughters of Champion Sires that are specifically bred to race effectively from 1600m to 2400m and further.

This is a sector of the market that is limited by opposition however has access to Australia’s record prizemoney on offer.

We know that less than 15% of the horse population foaled in Australia each year is bred to run these distances.

Therefore, buying well conformed, and genetically well-bred middle-distance prospects significantly increases our owner’s opportunity of racetrack success.

The four colts we have available are:

It is for this reason we have available the following 2yo colts:

THE AUTUMN SUN x GRAVITY ZERO
(by More Than Ready – Champion) with Jason Deamer
A 5% Share is $9,460 inc GST / Genetic Rating: A+++ Q7.

FASTNET ROCK x TANTALUS
(by Savabeel - Champion) with Ciaron Maher
A 5% Share is $16,930 inc GST / Genetic Rating: A+++ Q6.

ALMANZOR x ANCHOVY
(by Galileo - Champion) with Ciaron Maher
A 5% Share is $11,625 inc GST / Genetic Rating: A+++ Q6.

LOPE DE VEGA x PRINCESS LAYAN
(by Sepoy - Champion) with Ciaron Maher
A 5% Share is $8,550 inc GST / Genetic Rating: A+++ Q5.

Keen racing enthusiasts will note that there is a common thread amongst these colts.

First, and extremely important, each is by a Sire who was a Champion Racehorse and is also a Champion Sire.

Second, each sire is noted for producing the highest quality progeny, that have constant success over middle-distance to staying trips.

Third, and non-negotiable, the Broodmare Sire had to be a Champion.

Fourth, and also non-negotiable, each colt is bred on a highly successful A+++ genetic cross with a High Quality (Q) Factor.

Fifth, then three of the four have been entrusted into the care of Australia’s Number 1 Stable for winners over the past two seasons - Ciaron Maher Racing.

Whilst we have entrusted a spectacular colt into the care of our valued team member and nearly private trainer for Dynamic Syndications - Jason Deamer.

We have concentrated on purchasing yearlings at the sales which represent “the best of the best” available in this sector of the market. That was so we can offer our Dynamic Owners every opportunity of racetrack success at the highest level.

Full details are available on each horse on our website.