2017 Melbourne Cup field: Hartnell to settle in front half of the field

Trainer James Cummings can see Hartnell settling in the first half of the Melbourne Cup field from barrier twelve in the capacity twenty-four horse field.

Hartnell, above, will settle in the first half of the field from barrier 12 in the Melbourne Cup at Flemington. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Damian Lane will be having his first ride on the Godolphin owned Hartnell and Cummings would like to see him position the seven year old between eighth and twelfth spot in the run to the first turn out of the straight.

“I think that that could work out well for our horse,” Cummings said.

“He has got Single Gaze who is drawn to our inside and she like to be positive and Humidor is right near us too.”

“That is good from our prospective that we will get our horse settled somewhere in between eighth and twelfth. We would be delighted with that.”

Hartnell hasn’t raced since running a disappointing ninth to Gailo Chop in the Group 1 $1m Ladbrokes Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on October 14 but Cummings can’t see that as being a problem heading into the two mile contest on Tuesday.

“The horse has shown the last month or month and a half in his racing and in particular in his training that he is really going like a two miler,” Cummings said.

“The horse has got the chance to arrive here fifth up which he hasn’t done in a Melbourne Cup before and he did win a two mile race as a listed race two years ago off a good few weeks break, he actually had six weeks going into it on that occasion.”

“Thinking about the horse, it suits him.”

“He has an amazing record to be running a creditable race as the top weight and we have a good feeling about him running well.”

“I am hoping that Hartnell will really grow a leg over the trip because that is what he is showing me in his training and racing.”

Hartnell is a two times Group 1 winner since he arrived in Australia from England with a win in the 2015 $1.5m The BMW (2400m) at Rosehill and in the 2016 $500,000 Yellowglen Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington.

The seven year old has also gone around in two Melbourne Cups for a fifteenth to Prince Of Penzance in 2015 and a gallant third last year behind Almandin and Heartbreak City.

Hartnell has to carry the Melbourne Cup top weight of 57.5kg and is currently marked at $26 with Ladbrokes.com.au who have Almandin as the $8 favourite.

Go to Ladbrokes.com.au to get all the best Melbourne Cup odds with last year’s winner Almandin heading up the market order at $8.