Melbourne Cup: After your first race starter runs last it's all upward

Munsef runs down the straight during trackwork at Sandown Racecourse in Melbourne. Photo / Getty Images

Marwan Kovkash is an easy man to please.

Three years ago the Dubai-based engineer was invited to the races for the first time by his bank manager.

"I thought what a wonderful way this is to host corporate clients."

He believed it that much he asked trainer Ian Williams to buy him a horse.

"I took some people along to watch this horse race in the lowest type of race you can compete in.

"To my horror the horse ran last.

"And I was hooked."

Kovkash, a Palestinian, told the engaging Williams that if this horse turned out to be okay he would in two years have 50 horses.

He actually now has 60.

Kovkash is a doctor of engineering who makes his money from setting up worldwide engineering seminars, spending his time between Dubai and Liverpool.

Tomorrow, Kovkash and Williams will be trying to win the A$5.5 million Melbourne Cup with revitalised stayer Munsef.

Williams got the horse when his form completely went to pieces under another trainer.

"I had no idea what the horse would do so I entered him in a claiming race. I thought at least I'd get a guide to whether he was going to come back to form.

"My God, he burst up to them at the furlong and I nearly 'shit' myself - I thought if someone claims this horse I'm in big trouble."

No one did for the 25,000 that was on Munsef's head that day and here they are tomorrow racing for 200 times that amount.

Williams admits he's guessing as much as anyone on cross references of the form of the European Cup runners compared with the Australian and New Zealand horses.

"One thing I am certain of though is that his marvellous temperament is going to be a big plus in this race.

"He has done marvellously well since being in Australia."

Williams went along to Derby Day on Saturday and is pleased he did.

Like a lot of Europeans, he couldn't believe his first glimpse of the atmosphere of massive Australian racedays.

"Nearly 110,000 people and there was a massive buzz.

"You drop horses into that environment that aren't used to it and some are going to have a problem. They can self-destruct through too much nervous energy.

"My horse won't and that's a real positive."

The Stockholm International is an odd race to give a horse its final Melbourne Cup lead-up in, but Williams was deliberate in his approach.

"I could have run him in the Ebor, but he would have had to carry topweight and I didn't want that."

Kovkash, whose enthusiasm for his new passion know no limits, chimed in.

"He finished second in Stockholm and on another day he'd have been winning. He was unlucky to be beaten half a length."

Williams, 40, says in his heart of hearts he doesn't know if Munsef is good enough.

If not, he'll be coming back next year with a better horse.

Standing alongside him at the international press conference at Sandown yesterday was the bloke who will help him find that right horse.

"I need this to go well because I'm determined to come back.

"This is just too exciting."

* Wanganui meat inspector-horse trainer Alexander Fieldes has called on New Zealand's oldest jockey to help him achieve a Cup dream.

Noel Harris, 54, will ride Fieldes' pride and joy Capecover after getting a call from the trainer on Saturday.

Capecover and Gallions Reach gained entry to the field, joining other New Zealand-trained hopefuls Daffodil, Harris Tweed and Spin Around.

Harris was already in Melbourne when he got the call. He rode another Cup hopeful Six O'Clock News at Flemington on Saturday. He needed to win the Lexus Quality to gain a place in the Cup, but could manage only 12th.

Fieldes said there were a whole lot of reasons for choosing Harris. "But it is mainly because he is the man for the job. He has been my favourite jockey from day one, and it's part of the whole Cup dream."

Harris was on standby to ride Capecover in last year's Cup but the horse missed out, though only just. He was late clearing traffic in the Lexus, then called the Saab Quality, and finished second to Moatize, who won automatic entry into the Cup.

Capecover's owners paid the final acceptance fee, but he was ranked 26th for the 24-horse field, so missed out.

Fieldes was having to go through the agony again last week, with Capecover ranked 27th in order of entry, but the defections of Efficient and Kirklees on Saturday meant that Capecover and Gallions Reach got into the field, with the Victoria Racing Club committee deciding not to exercise its discretion and allow Vigor in.

Fieldes said he was relieved to get a run and also that Harris would not have to waste to ride Capecover.

"Harry told me last year he would get on a crayfish diet to get down to 50kg, but we have 51.5kg this year, so he is fine. He will be the oldest jockey in the race by a fair margin."

Harris has ridden in plenty of Melbourne Cups and came closest to winning in his first, when just nosed out by Gala Supreme after he rode Glengowan, trained by his father, Jock, in 1973 when he was just 18. He finished fourth on the grand stayer Kiwi in 1986.

He will need all his experience to guide Capecover, after the 7-year-old gelding drew barrier 19.

"It's not ideal as the closer you can get in the better, but the horse does get back early," said Fieldes

Capecover had better lead-up form last year, but Fieldes said the only real disappointment was his run for seventh in the Herbert Power Handicap last month.

"The main difference is that this year he has been set specifically for the Cup."

Fieldes sent Capecover on his final lead-up gallop on Saturday and was pleased with the horse.

He is playing his cards close to the chest when it comes to the question of Capecover's chances.

"I'm biased, but realistic, too. I don't really know what to say - how can you say you are a hope in a race like that?"

Capecover can be backed at $100 in most Australian agencies, but in New Zealand the TAB had him at $41 yesterday. Daffodil is the best backed New Zealand runner, paying $16 in Australia and $15 here.

The AJC Australian Oaks winner galloped over 1600m at Flemington yesterday and trainer Kevin Gray was pleased with her work.

"We have trained her to run the two miles and hope she will get it," he said.

Harris Tweed, trained by Murray and Bjorn Baker, is $101 in Australia and $61 in New Zealand, while Spin Around and Gallions Reach are $201 in Australia and $101 in New Zealand.

Last year's Cup winner Viewed is a $4.50 favourite in New Zealand ($5 on TAB Sportsbet in Australia) ahead of Alcopop on $5.50 (in both countries) and Roman Emperor is at $8.

Melbourne Cup field
Viewed (9) 58; C'est La Guerre (7), Fiumicino (24) 55.5; Master O'Reilly (16) 55; Mourilyan (14) 54.5; Roman Emperor (15) 54; Ista Kareem (23) 53.5; Crime Scene (11), Munsef (5) 53, Zavite (3) 53; Alcopop (12), Harris Tweed (20), Kibbutz (8), Newport (18), Warringah (17) 52.5; Gallions Reach (6), Spin Around (4) 52; Basaltico (10), Capecover (19), Daffodil (21) 51.5; Shocking (22) 51; Allez Wonder (13), Changingoftheguard (1) Leica Ding (2) 50.5.

- Additional reporting NZPA