Bring on the foreigners

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EVER since Vintage Crop slogged his way through the Flemington bog 20 years ago, we've taken a well balanced view. With a parochial chip on either shoulder, we have ridiculed the "foreign raiders".

We bemoaned how the Sheiks and aristocrats had made the Melbourne Cup as romantic as baked beans night in a boarding school dining hall. How there was no longer a place for the bush battlers. How it was better - yes, really! - being beaten by the Kiwis.

We taunted the foreign riders who went so wide they could have ordered a pie going down the straight the first time and picked it up on the way to the winning post.

Bart Cummings claimed the raiders were pitchforked in with weights that wouldn't slow a crippled tabby, and the track was doctored for them with the shameful cynicism the English prepare their cricket pitches.

And now, in the midst of a spring carnival that has been flatter than an X-Factor contestant's Bohemian Rhapsody? Bring on the raiders!

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From the moment Atlantic Jewel wobbled beneath Michael Rodd at trackwork, the Cox Plate would lack lustre. But when the maiden Shamus Award not only replaced the brilliant mare in the field, but also the winner's stall, the "weight for age championship of Australasia" plumbed ridiculous depths.

No disrespect to the winners. The 19-year-old rider Chad Schofield performed a marvellous feat of skill and nerve. Danny O'Brien trained his horse to the split-second. Bravo.

But, let's face it, the Shamus Award should be for the best and fairest in a Gaelic football team. Not, on exposed form, the Cox Plate winner.

Even before the race, without a Kingston Town, a Dulcify, a Might and Power or a Saintly to create anticipation, it was an unusually low key day. That a contender such as It's A Dundeel or Puissance de Lune could not step up made it anticlimactic.

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It did not help that the Cox Plate meeting had been split between a Friday night and the traditional Saturday. Or that the main race is now the last in order to service the great God of television news.

Although, at proletarian Moonee Valley, you expected racegoers' throats to be even more lubricated by the time the field jumped. Yet instead of the traditional roar there was merely a hearty cheer.

And so a nation turns its gambling eyes to ... Werribee. Once renowned as the place where Melbourne sent its, ahem, solid waste. Now it is where richly bred stayers serve their time in quarantine. From merely flushed to flushed with success.

There remains significant local interest in this Melbourne Cup. Gai Waterhouse has been heavily spruiking a syndication business called "Gai Living the Dream". Which is not some haven for same sex marriage, but the opportunity to race a Melbourne Cup horse with the great trainer.

But after Fiorente's bold third placing in the Cox Plate, Waterhouse could well achieve her Melbourne Cup ambition without the help of the mum and pop investors.

After winning last year's Melbourne Cup with Green Moon, and this year's Caulfield Cup with Fawkner, Lloyd Williams could produce almost as many runners as the raiders. Call him the United Stables of Lloyd.

Bart Cummings, at 85, could have an 88th Melbourne Cup runner with Precedence - this one trained with grandson James. But only if Precedence gets more weight. After he won the Moonee Valley Cup, James was screaming for a penalty like an Italian striker.

Still, this spring, the raiders are desperately needed provide some spark. To make it, in Waterhouses's words, a bit "sexy". And to think we once tried to kick them out of bed.

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Spell for Shamus

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TRAINER Danny O'Brien is intent on proving Shamus Award is a deserved Cox Plate winner - but it won't be until next autumn.

O'Brien confirmed Shamus Award will go for a spell after becoming one of the most unlikely winners of the Cox Plate in the race's history.
 
Shamus Award, a maiden going into the Cox Plate, led throughout to beat Happy Trails and Fiorente, becoming the 19th three-year-old to win the race but the first since Savabeel in 2004.

O'Brien said he won't be tempted to back up with Shamus Award in the Victoria Derby at Flemington next Saturday.

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"This was his grand final - we planned his 'prep' around the Caulfield Guineas and the Cox Plate," O'Brien said.

"I'd love him to come back and really confirm he is a deserved winner in the autumn.

"We saw All Too Hard and Pierro come out of the Cox Plate year and backed it up with strong autumns and I hope this colt can do something similar."

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All Too Hard (second) and Pierro (third) were placed behind Ocean Park in the Cox Plate then returned in the autumn to win five Group 1 races between them.

Shamus Award earned $1.8 million prizemoney for his Cox Plate win but is worth considerably more as a stallion prospect now.

Bred on sprinting lines, Shamus Award is by leading sire Snitzel out of a Success Express mare Sunset Express and some breeding experts now value the colt between $8-$10 million.

O'Brien said he always believed Shamus Award had the ability to develop into a Group 1 horse but luck had deserted the three-year-old - until Cox Plate week.

"We hoped at start of spring he would get to the Cox Plate," O'Brien said. "His program was set to have the two runs at the mile (a1600m) and he ran super in the Stutt Stakes and the Caulfield Guineas was a great run from a horse going forward to the Cox Plate.

"By not winning those races, we left ourselves open to not getting a start in the race."

O'Brien's luck started to turn on Tuesday when Shamus Award was made first emergency for the Cox Plate and his colt was allocated barrier three.

"Then there was unfortunate injury to Atlantic Jewel and we got a run in the race," O'Brien said.

"In this industry, you just have to keep turning up and persevering. "We haven't had much go our way this spring but on the day everything fell into place.

"The bad luck doesn't last forever - fortune favours the brave."

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No Bart sentiment for handicapper

Craig Williams riding Precedence at Moonee Valley. Source: Vince Caligiuri / Getty Images

RACING Victoria handicapper Greg Carpenter declared sentiment would play no part in deciding if Bart Cummings has a runner in the Melbourne Cup.

Moonee Valley Cup winner Precedence is 45th on the ­order of entry and needs at least a 1kg penalty to be a chance of pushing into the 24-horse field.

A 1.5kg penalty for Saturday's win would guarantee Precedence a fourth successive Melbourne Cup start, and Cummings his 88th runner in the race.

Carpenter said the legend of Cummings, chasing a 13th Melbourne Cup in the first year of his training partnership with grandson James, would have no bearing on his treatment of the eight-year-old.

"Bart having a runner in the Cup has certainly been a ­topic," Carpenter said yesterday.

"He's been involved for 60 years in training, produced 12 Cup winners and he is coming to the end of a wonderful career.

"But at the end of the day you need to divorce yourself from the owners and the trainers and assess the penalty on its merits. That's the way it works with me."

If Carpenter gives Precedence 1kg, the galloper's weight will rise to 53kg, the weight he had last year. In 2010 and 2011 he carried 53.5kg.

Melbourne Cup. Winning trainer of viewed, Bart Cummings Source: News Limited

With a 1kg penalty, he would still need others to drop out to make the field.

"Things can change dramatically at this late time," Carpenter said.

"It was a very good win on Saturday. The horse has run in the past three Melbourne Cups and last year he ran ninth.

"He didn't win the Moonee Valley Cup last year (fourth) so he is going as well or a little better this year. I have to weigh all this up."

James Cummings on Saturday made a passionate plea to Carpenter to be "generous" and give Precedence a 1.5kg penalty.

He suggested his grandfather would be at Flemington tomorrow week for the Cup only if Precedence got a run.

Precedence, $51 for the Cup, will be nominated for both the Mackinnon Stakes and the Lexus Stakes at Flemington on Saturday.

Both races give automatic entry to the Cup to the winner.

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Puissance could miss Cup

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IT'S A Dundeel is out of the Melbourne Cup and a lame Puissance De Lune could be the next stayer to fall by the wayside as the attrition rate starts to gather momentum with just over a week to the great race.

The two outstanding stayers have been at the top of Melbourne Cup betting for months but both could miss the big race after disastrous Cox Plate runs last Saturday.

It's A Dundeel, who had been under an injury cloud going into the Cox Plate, endured a torrid run when trapped three-wide throughout and finished a well-beaten eighth.

"He just got caught three wide from the start and there's nothing you can do about it," Baker said. "He's not going to win with a run like that."

Baker said he didn't believe It's A Dundeel's hoof issues earlier this month made any difference to the Cox Plate result but confirmed the five-time Group 1 winner was out of the Melbourne Cup. It's A Dundeel is due to return to New Zealand on Thursday.

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Puissance De Lune pulled up lame in the near foreleg when a distant 10th in the Cox Plate.

Trainer Darren Weir said last night Puissance De Lune will undergo a complete veterinary examination today before a decision is made on the grey's racing future but a Melbourne Cup start is now increasingly unlikely.

In other Melbourne Cup news, trainer David Hayes has confirmed Glen Boss is the new rider for Jet Away in the Mackinnon Stakes on Saturday and then the Melbourne Cup.

Jet Away, ridden by Damien Oliver, ran an outstanding Melbourne Cup trial when fourth to Fawkner in the Caulfield Cup.

Oliver goes back onto Fiorente in the Melbourne Cup with the Gai Waterhouse-trained stayer the new favourite $5 after his courageous third in the Cox Plate.

England's champion jockey Ryan Moore has been confirmed as the new rider of Dandino in the Melbourne Cup.

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Kiwi squad country's greatest-ever

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HEADED by superstar Sonny Bill Williams, New Zealand will start their World Cup campaign tonight with a team coach Stephen Kearney rates as arguably the country's greatest-ever.

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The defending World Cup champions face Samoa in Warrington believing they can retain their title with a squad stacked with NRL stars. 

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Williams has to be one of the favourites to pick up the Golden Boot this year as the world's best player — and there isn't a better prop in the game than Jared Waerea-Hargreaves. 

Issac Luke is as good a hooker as New Zealand has produced, while Kieran Foran captained the Kiwis in the one-off Test earlier this year and is heading towards greatness. 

And on the size front, the Kiwis are in a world of their own with probably the biggest pack of forwards in the history of the sport. 

Kearney coached the Kiwis to their shock World Cup final win over Australia in 2008 and their Four Nations triumph in 2010. 

Asked if this was the strongest squad he's coached, Kearney said: "It would be one of. I think the quality of depth in the group is certainly one we haven't had before. And when you are not taking away a Jeremy Smith or a Benji Marshall, in the past that would have been a real issue, but I think with this squad it is not such a big issue." 

Kearney knows he's got a hell of a football team on his hands.

While he was heavily criticised initially for bringing Williams into the squad at the expense of Tohu Harris, we're about to find out why the decision certainly was in the best interests of New Zealand's fortunes at this tournament. 

Kearney wouldn't go into exactly what Sonny Bill said and why he changed his mind, but he said his influence on the team since arriving in the UK has been significant. 

"I know what Sonny is about and I know him as a person and I have done for a long time," Kearney said.

"We are fortunate that he is here with us. Everyone is well aware of what he offers on a footy field, but it is also his influences away from the field and his drive, as a player, is second to none."

League historian David Middleton pulled together a list of some of the best Kiwi teams we've seen, and how this squad goes against Australia will be what determines their standing. 

The Aussies might be the top seeds and favourites, but the Kiwis are the reigning champions and Kearney said competition for a place in the top squad will a great motivation. 

"I have got no doubt we have some talent in the group. It is a matter of making sure every time we play we are performing," Kearney said. 

"We have a squad of 24 and I can only pick 17 and they all understand and realise how hard it is to make the side so they have got to be playing well."

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Socceroos can expect culture shock

ANGE Postecoglou's Melbourne Victory lieutenant Kevin Muscat says the Socceroos can expect a culture shock under their new boss and has declared him ready for his international challenge.

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Postecoglou arrives in Sydney tomorrow for day one of Socceroos duty, but his highly anticipated inaugural squad for the Costa Rica friendly next month is unlikely to be picked until tomorrow week. 

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Muscat, who won 51 Socceroos caps between 1994-2006, said parts of the past 18 months under Postecoglou at Victory had been gruelling and believed those expectations wouldn't change for the Socceroos. 

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"One thing's for sure there will be a certain shock that goes around the place. It can be taken the wrong way, but people will understand and be grateful," Muscat said. 

"The ones that are fortunate enough to hang around and work with Ange will certainly be better for the experience, no doubt about it. 

"It will be challenging, it will be gruelling, no two ways about it. The boss certainly knows what he wants and how he wants to go about it and people are going to have to ride the wave with him or else they will get left behind." 

Muscat, whose Australian coaches included Eddie Thomson, Terry Venables and Frank Farina, said Postecoglou was ready to step up. 

"I think so. It's certainly a different challenge not having the players regularly, but from what I've seen in how the boss analyses and thinks about football, the challenges will be different but they're still football challenges," he said. 

"I'm looking forward to it with a great deal of excitement to see what he does, with the way we play and how we go about it. Knowing him I've got a fair idea but I'll be watching from a distance with a fair bit of anticipation." 

Muscat said Postecoglou would already have an idea of the ideas he wants to implement and warned — expect the unexpected.

"People can second guess and try to assume what he's going to do but he's certainly his own man," Muscat said.

"Opinions will count for nothing because once he focuses on something he'll find a solution and it will certainly be an enjoyable ride for a lot of the people that jump on board."

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World Cup trip changed Hayne's life

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JARRYD Hayne went to the last World Cup thinking he would do Fiji a favour by playing for them – five years on the now Kangaroo credits that time in his life for making him the man he is today.

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The Parramatta superstar admits it is going to be one of the most emotional challenges of his career when he runs out for Australia next Saturday in his first appearance at this World Cup against Fiji. 

Prior to that 2008 tournament, Hayne was already one of the most talented young stars in the NRL, but it was issues off the field that were threatening to derail his career. 

But by the time the tournament was over he was on his way to superstardom and, more importantly, his life had finally found meaning. 

"Fiji changed my life," Hayne said. 

"This is something that I have been thinking about for a long time.

"It will be one of the toughest games I will ever play from an emotional point of view, knowing how much an experience it was last time. 

"With God and church, for me, that is how it all started.

"It was an amazing tour for me. I went away thinking I was going to help them, but the team impacted me and gave me something I will remember forever." 

Hayne's spectacular performances for Fiji made him just about the story of the last World Cup as the Fijians shocked the rugby league world on their way to a semi-final showdown against Australia. 

They ended up losing that game but the following year Hayne produced arguably the greatest individual season ever played as he carried Parramatta to the grand final and collected the Dally M Medal along the way. 

And he was preparing to play for Fiji again this year before he received a surprise call-up from the Kangaroos after a season marred by injury. 

Hayne put in a phenomenal performance for NSW this year in the State of Origin opener but days later suffered a hamstring injury against the Roosters and he never recovered, playing just three games for the rest of the season. 

He said he hardly gave himself a hope of being picked to play for Australia but now that he's here his mission is to fight his way into the Kangaroos' top team ahead of first-choice centre Brent Tait. "Obviously not playing this week is disappointing but I think personally it might help me getting another week under my belt training," Hayne said. 

Take it as read Hayne was right in contention for Australia's vacant right centre spot for last night's showdown with England but missed out to Brent Tate. 

Hayne will now get his chance to shine next Saturday and from there the race will really be on.

"It is a long tournament," he said.

And he said playing right centre would not be a new experience.

"I played Origin on the left but right centre is probably my preferred spot in the centres," he said.

"That is where I played growing up and that is where my dad played as well, he was a right centre.

"So it is something I'm familiar with.

"I think one of the things that took my focus off the injury this year was knowing there was going to be a tour at the end of the year, whether it was for Australia or Fiji, and knowing that if I could get the body right I would be on it. 

"It has definitely been something I have based my year around from Origin to this."

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Postecoglou right man for the job

CONTRARY to popular belief, Ange Postecoglou and I have a healthy respect for each other.

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I'm thrilled about his elevation to the role of Socceroos coach. 

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Changes need to be made in Australian football and Postecoglou's the man to do it. 

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It's no secret that we didn't always see eye-to-eye during the period he was Brisbane's coach and I was the Roar's captain. 

But that's in the past and we've spoken many times since.

Hopefully, in my role as an FFA elite player mentor, I can work with Postecoglou to foster our best young talent.

He knows I'm passionate and that I want to see the game improve. We'll work well with one another.

While his main focus will be the Socceroos, there's no doubt he will cast an eye over the entire national program and ensure it's in good order. 

Postecoglou is about the bigger picture in terms of having a wide-ranging impact and leaving a legacy for Australian football. 

You can already sense his passion for his new job.

And part of the reason for that is because he's an Aussie, and we're all buying into that.

For probably the first time since Frank Farina's time in charge of the Socceroos, there is a genuine feeling that the team really belongs to us. It's a team we can again take ownership of. 

We know for sure that regardless of results, the typical Australian attributes of desire, willingness, and commitment to the cause will be there in spades for all of us to see. 

Another good thing about Postecoglou is that he's always striving to improve as a coach, regardless of the success he has tasted in recent years. You can never stop learning. 

He knows that as well as anybody. 

In terms of the immediate future and next year's World Cup, we know Postecoglou is going to make changes, and players have to accept that. 

There needs to be a real understanding from players that they need to be first-team regulars wherever they are plying their trade. 

There are no longer any huge advantages or disadvantages about being in one league over another.

The fact is we now only have a few players involved the world's best leagues.

The majority of the Socceroos' 2014 World Cup squad will pick itself because its members will have played 30-plus league games going into the tournament. 

That's a must in terms of being match-hardened. 

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Bailey looks best No. 6 pick

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THE man who helped launch George Bailey's career believes he is ready for an Ashes baptism after watching the Tasmanian plunder 318 runs in 10 days.

Victorian coach Greg Shipperd says Test selectors can no longer ignore Bailey, who submitted an emphatic claim for Australia's No.6 slot with another dominant display in India.

Currently skippering Australia in the seven-match one-day series, Bailey blasted 98 from 94 balls on Wednesday, his third half-century in four matches after scores of 85, 92 not out and 43.

Bailey is averaging 106 in the series at a strike-rate of 111, figures that have seen his career one-day average rise to 53.04 after 33 matches.

Left-handed duo Shaun Marsh and Usman Khawaja are other contenders but Bailey clearly has the hot hand to clinch a baggy green debut in the first Test against England at the Gabba.

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Shipperd was calling the shots at Tasmania when he spotted a teenage Bailey at a nets session in Launceston. Some 12 years later, having watched Bailey grow into a leader of men, Shipperd urged the national panel to blood the 31-year-old at the Gabba on November 21.

"He's ready for Test cricket," said Shipperd, the former Western Australia and Tasmania batsman who scored 6806 first-class runs at 42.27 from 1977-91.

"Half the battle revolves around your decisions and how confident and comfortable you are in your game.

"At this moment, I wouldn't have thought George could be any more confident with how his game is progressing.

"It is always a challenge at the next level but he's playing as well as Khawaja and Marsh. George is certainly capable of fulfilling a role at No.6 for Australia for some time."

Shipperd says Bailey's first-class average of 38.29 from 96 games with 14 centuries does not do justice to his ability.

He is equally impressed by the qualities that can't be measured: Bailey's attitude, work ethic and temperament.

"George's temperament has always been really sound," Shipperd said. "He is an engaging team player, he understands leadership and he is someone who fits beautifully into a dressing room.

"I was George's first coach many years ago now. I remember him training in Launceston at a centre-wicket practice and as I watched you could see he had oodles of skill and talent.

"He was a bit of a tennis player at that time, his family were heavily involved in tennis, but Tasmania were on the lookout for cricket talent and George jumped out at me. I've watched his career with interest ever since and while he's had to bide his time, he wouldn't let Australia down in the Test arena."

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Scandalous England ready to implode

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ENGLAND'S disastrous build up to the World Cup opener against Australia took another bizarre twist when coach Steve McNamara threatened to walk out of a pre-match media conference over questions relating to star prop James Graham's controversial dumping.

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The Bulldogs player of the year was sensationally left out of England's 19-man squad to take on the Kangaroos but McNamara refused to clarify if that decision had anything to do with a late-night booze session that led to Gareth's Hock's dramatic sacking.

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Offered the chance to end the speculation, McNamara only made the dramas worse when he threatened to walk out on several occasions before finally cutting the media conference short.

"I'm not going to answer any more questions on it," he fired.

"If you want to continue asking the questions we'll wrap it up now, if that's what you want."

Asked if supporters deserved to know the truth, he responded: "Look if you want to carry on with that questions we'll stop now.

"Im here to talk about the game to be honest with you.

"The team that is selected.

"Our concern was our performance last week against Italy and how we rectify it this week against Australia."

He was then asked if questions about Hock's sacking were also off limits?

"Of course it is, boys I've got to go, alright."

And with that he was gone.

Hock said the players went out to drown their sorrows after their shock loss but instead of it bonding them together it appears to have sunk their World Cup dream before the tournament even starts.

All week there has been a guessing game going on here about who else was out on the town with Hock but so far England's team management have refused to reveal the other players involved, although it is understood they have been disciplined.

The decision to leave Graham out of their squad is now the talk of the other nations given he is a former England captain and rightfully rated one of the best props in the world.

Two days before McNamara even named his team there was mail going around that Graham was going to be left out of the side _ but even when it eventually did happen it still came as a massive shock.

Wigan's talented hooker Micael McIlorum was also controversially omitted and the Australians won't mind that either given Tim Sheens rates McIlorum highly.

Hock was outraged during the week that he was only player sacked and revealed several other players were also on the drink after the embarrassing one-point loss to Italy.

"I agree it was wrong and we should not have had a drink, but there were six or seven of us and we all did the same," Hock said.

"I just do not agree with the way he has gone about it, the way it has been done.

"I think it is out of order really. I am gutted because I was really looking forward to playing in the World Cup. it is a massive shock and it is embarrassing as well.

"I hold my hands up and say I had a drink _ but so did the others."

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