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Melbourne Cup key quotes: "He’s got a great attitude and is a really likeable horse"
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Sun 1 Nov 2026
Having secured his first Breeders’ Cup winner on Friday, George Boughey now switches his attention to the Lexus Melbourne Cup with Hopewell Rock.
It has been a tremendous season for Boughey, who landed three Group Ones with the now-retired Bow Echo, including the 2000 Guineas, to go with top-level successes for Survie and Libertango in America.
Hopewell Rock was a beaten favourite at Royal Ascot but won at Glorious Goodwood before just being touched off in the Ebor. The horse he beat at Goodwood, Joseph O’Brien’s Small Fry, was subsequently second in the Geelong Cup to Point Of Law, the favourite for this.
He is owned by Wathnan Racing and their racing adviser Richard Brown said: “He’s travelled very well and George’s team down there are very happy with him, he went down there in great nick.
“He’s got a great attitude and is a really likeable horse and he’s just got the right temperament for travelling.
“He’s in right at the bottom and of course it’s a race where you need a lot of luck, but I think it will be really exciting. I think he has a lot of the attributes you’ll need to win a race like the Melbourne Cup.
“Hopefully he is going there with a live shout and Zac Lloyd will ride him who we saw over here in the summer.”
Point Of Law won the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket in July for John and Thady Gosden in the colours of the King and Queen but was bought privately.
In winning the Geelong Cup on his first start for Ciaron Maher, he was immediately promoted to favouritism.
Maher feels there are plenty of positives and told ww.racing.com: “Barrier nine, ideal. I thought he needed a decent enough draw. Happy with nine.
“He needs to get the first half of the race right and I think nine will enable him to do that.
“Each day he’s just settled into the routine. He’s got a little bit better, and that’s sort of consistent with how he was when Harry Eustace had him (in quarantine), and I think same when John Gosden had him.
“He needed the run, mentally just to bring him on and I’m rapt with him. I think he’s thrived.”
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Maher has seven runners in all, with Middle Earth, another former Clarehaven inmate, also holding strong claims.
“I think Middle Earth is ready to run the race of his career, I reckon,” said Maher.
“He’s had a similar prep to last year. His sectionals and his races have been very, very good late. He loves Flemington. He’s got the engine for two-miles.
“The handicapper got him a bit after last year, 56 and a half (8st 13lb), which will make it a bit more difficult, but he’s a two-miler and it’s probably only half the field that will be.”
Joseph O’Brien’s team has shrunk from what it originally looked like being but he still has five runners.
Dylan Browne McMonagle replaces Ryan Moore on Sons And Lovers with his intended mount Defiantly failing to pass the veterinary checks.
The team includes last year’s runner-up Goodie Two Shoes and Trustyourinstinct but they have been drawn in 19 and 18 respectively, Derby third James J Braddock and Royal Ascot winner Kizlyar.
Kevin Blake acts as a stable representative for O’Brien but is also a part-owner of James J Braddock, however he faces a tough ask from stall 24.
Blake said: “We feel his European form will be stronger than Point Of Law’s, and they’re now carrying a very similar weight after Point Of Law was penalised.
“We would’ve loved a lower draw. But there’s only going to be one way to ride him from there. We have Craig Williams, a master of this place and a top, top man. So we’re living the dream. We’re here, and what will be will be.”
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