Lloyd Williams Bullish on Internationals in 2020 Melbourne Cup

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Mon 2nd November 2020

Six-time Melbourne Cup winning owner Lloyd Williams is confident that his trio of runners can perform well in Tuesday’s 2020 Melbourne Cup (3200m).

Speaking to RadioTAB, Williams shared his thoughts on his gallopers, as well as some of the bigger chances.

Master Of Reality

“I think he has improved a little (on last year). He’s had one project in mind, that’s to come back for the Melbourne Cup.”

“He’s done well since he’s been here which is a big thing when you come out of quarantine.”

“I think he should run well. I’m optimistic about him, he’s a very strong two-miler. I think Ben Melham will ride him well. Frankie (Dettori) was probably a little bit unlucky on him last year, he got very poor advice from me telling him to go out to the middle of the track when he straightened up. He went out and followed my instructions. He should’ve stayed on the fence and Craig Williams probably would never have got through.

“He’s in particularly good order, so if anyone is interested in him, don’t be frightened to back him, he’s as well as we’ll ever get him I think. From this time last November he’s been trying for the Melbourne Cup of 2020 and that’s all he’s done since he’s been back in Ireland.”

Twilight Payment

“He wasn’t right last year when he was here. We weren’t happy with him. This year he is in perfect shape. I think he’ll run a lot better than the market suggests.”

“I like Jye McNeil who is riding him, he’s a good young man. He’s the new version of Steven Arnold.”

“He’s going as well as he’s ever gone. I’d be surprised if he doesn’t run a great race.

“Again, I’ll say if you fancy him, back him, because he is in good order. He’ll run a strong two miles.”

Williams was confident that topweight Anthony Van Dyck would run a good race, and that he’d be ‘shocked’ if he didn’t finish in the top four runners. He was similarly positive about Prince Of Arran and Tiger Moth.

However, when speaking about local hope Surprise Baby, he was less glowing.

“I’m not his fan to be perfectly honest. I thought his run in the Feehan was fair. His run in the Turnbull was fair. It’s going to be a training feat to have done what he’s done. The horse has had two runs since last year’s Melbourne Cup. It’s not the sort of preparation I’d give a Melbourne Cup horse having looked at it for 50 or 60 years.”

“If he pulls this off, I think Paul Preusker is entitled to get what we have down here for the football, the Brownlow medal, because it would be an enormous achievement to do what he’s done.”

“But on that sort of lead-up, I couldn’t possibly have anything on him. Just because that’s my view, it doesn’t stop him winning. He ran a good race last year. Interesting enough, there’s a lot of Australian horses that run (in the Cup) for the second and third time, they don’t run that well. We get the Europeans coming back, they run alright, but not the Australian horses.

“I’ll pass on him. He’s an 8/1 or 9/1 chance, I think I’d be standing him out if I was Sportsbet at the moment.”

*Odds accurate at time of posting article.

HorseWinPlace
1Anthony Van Dyck (3)J: Hugh Bowman 58.5kg T: A O’brien$9.00$3.00
2Avilius (10)J: John Allen 57kg T: James Cummings$41.00$10.00
3Vow And Declare (4)J: Jamie Mott 57kg T: D T O’brien$51.00$12.00
4Master Of Reality (11)J: Ben Melham 56kg T: Joseph O’brien$20.00$6.00
5Sir Dragonet (14)J: Glen Boss 55.5kg T: C Maher & D Eustace$11.00$3.50
6Twilight Payment (12)J: Jye Mcneil 55.5kg T: Joseph O’brien$21.00$6.00
7Verry Elleegant (15)J: Mark Zahra 55.5kg T: C J Waller$12.00$3.80
8Mustajeer (2)J: Michael Rodd 55kg T: K A Lees$81.00$20.00
9Stratum Albion (9)J: Jordan Childs 55kg T: W P Mullins$41.00$10.00
10Dashing Willoughby (19)J: Michael Walker 54.5kg T: Andrew Balding$81.00$20.00
11Finche (6)J: James Mcdonald 54.5kg T: C J Waller$17.00$5.00
12Prince Of Arran (1)J: Jamie Kah 54.5kg T: Charlie Fellowes$10.00$3.30
13Surprise Baby (7)J: Craig Williams 54.5kg T: P A Preusker$9.00$3.00
14King Of Leogrance (18)J: Damian Lane 53.5kg T: D T O’brien$51.00$12.00
15Russian Camelot (16)J: Damien Oliver 53.5kg T: D T O’brien$13.00$4.00
16Steel Prince (21)J: William Pike 53.5kg T: A & S Freedman$34.00$8.50
17The Chosen One (5)J: Daniel Stackhouse 53.5kg T: M Baker & A Forsman$34.00$8.50
18Ashrun (24)J: Declan Bates 53kg T: Andreas Wohler$21.00$6.00
19Warning (8)J: Luke Currie 53kg T: A & S Freedman$41.00$10.00
20Etah James (22)J: Billy Egan 52.5kg T: C Maher & D Eustace$101.00$26.00
21Tiger Moth (23)J: Kerrin Mcevoy 52.5kg T: A O’brien$8.00$2.80
22Oceanex (17)J: Dean Yendall 51.5kg T: M Price & M Kent Jnr$71.00$19.00
23Miami Bound (13)J: Daniel Moor 51kg T: D T O’brien$41.00$10.00
24Persan (20)J: Michael Dee 51kg T: C Maher & D Eustace$31.00$8.00

 

From Muswellbrook to the Melbourne Cup, Will is mad about all things racing and sport. Spent countless hours in the backyard as a child pretending to be Glenn McGrath, and has been known to get deadly late swing with a taped tennis ball.