ALL the build-up is over and today we get to Flemington for Derby Day, the first day of Melbourne Cup carnival and probably the best day of racing on the Australian calendar.
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All year jockeys position themselves to be on the good horses at this time of the year and even though I haven't had much luck with a lot of my horses going amiss, I'm looking forward to a busy week and hopefully celebrating some big wins.
Unfortunately The Offer was withdrawn from the Melbourne Cup during the week and won't line up on Tuesday but I've been lucky enough to pick up a ride for Lloyd Williams, although which one of his horses I'll be riding I still don't know at this stage.
One of the horses I could be riding in the Cup is Amralah, which Chad Schofield is riding in the Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) today.
I don't have a ride in the Mackinnon but I'll be watching Amralah closely. Hopefully he will run a big race and if he can finish top three then he's probably the one I will be riding on Tuesday but we'll have to wait and see what happens.
Foreteller was one of a few unlucky runners in the Cox Plate last week and he is backing up and has to be a chance in the Mackinnon as well, but at this time of the year all the races are wide open.
I'm riding San Padre in the main event of the day, the AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m), and he's one horse I'm confident will run the distance right out.
All of the horses are at the trip for the first time so it's a bit of a lottery as to which ones will get the 2500m and which ones won't.
Gai's horse Hampton Court is a deserved favourite and gives every impression he will run the trip but I'm more than happy to be riding San Padre.
In the Myer Classic (1600m) I'm on Sweet Idea and I would love to see this mare win a Group One.
Like I said in this column a couple of weeks ago, she's the most genuine mare that tries hard in every single race and she really deserves to win one of these big races.
I suggested that Gai take the blinkers off for this race so she will hopefully travel that little bit kinder in the run and see the 1600m right out.
There's been talk that she's a risk at the mile but I can only go off her run in the Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill earlier this year.
The pressure went on from the 700m in that race when Steps In Time took off and Sweet Idea ran a great race to finish a narrow second and she was the one finding the line.
From barrier one she'll get every chance and I rate her and Woodbine (race three) as probably my best two chances of the day.
My only other ride is Charlie Boy in the last race on the program, where all eyes will be on the unbeaten Deep Field.
I finished second behind him at Canterbury two runs ago and he is certainly an impressive horse.
He has an ability to really break a field up with his turn of foot but he's taking another step up today, No doubt he'll be hard to beat but at $1.50 taking on the likes of Bel Sprinter ($21), who is a Group One winner, he's rock bottom odds.
Charlie Boy has been running well in decent races in Sydney, and he has won down the straight before, so I think he is an each-way chance.
The other Group One race today is the Coolmore and even though I don't have a ride in the race it's going to be an exciting contest.
If I had a choice I'd like to be riding Rich Enuff because he can sprint hard off a high cruising speed.
The only concern is he is coming into the race off a hard run in the Caulfield Guineas. I think he will either beat them well or miss a place because that race seems to have flattened some other runners we have seen since.
We already know he's a good horse but if he comes out and wins then he could be anything.