By Charlene Macaulay
The stars of this year’s Melbourne Cup and other Spring Racing Carnival meetings are working out in Werribee – and you’re invited.
Werribee Racing Club general manager Ashley Baker is calling on locals to head down to Werribee Racecourse to watch horses staying in Werribee stables undertake their morning trackwork.
Among the racers calling Werribee home are the Charlie Appleby-trained Cross Counter, who is currently second-favourite for the Melbourne Cup; The Cliffsohmoher, who is trained by Aidan O’Brien and ran well over the weekend at Caulfield; Herbert Power Stakes winner Yucatan; and Group 1 Caulfield Stakes winner Benbatl and runner-up Blair House.
“Both Benbatl and Blair House may go to the Cox Plate to take on Winx, but that’s yet to be confirmed,” Mr Baker said.
Mr Baker said a new shipment of eight horses for the Melbourne Cup arrived at the weekend, including the Hughie Morrison-trained Marmelo and Joseph O’Brien’s Latrobe, who will be making his Melbourne Cup debut.
Last year, the club’s Vintage Crop Stables housed the Melbourne Cup’s first three horses – winner Rekindling, second-placed Johannes Vermeer and third-placed Max Dynamite.
Mr Baker said horses would be on the track from 7am to 10am every day, with the club providing a free bacon-and-egg roll breakfast for race fans between 7.30-9am.
