Japan's Admire Rakti favourite for Melbourne Cup

Topweight Admire Rakti is favourite to win Australia's iconic Aus$6 million ($5.3 million) Melbourne Cup on Tuesday, as he bids to become only the second Japanese stayer to win at Flemington.
The seven-year-old stallion is the pre-post 4-1 bookies' choice for the 3200-metre (two-mile) handicap race after his storming victory in the lead-up Caulfield Cup a fortnight ago.
Admire Rakti was only penalised half a kilogramme (1.1 pounds) for that win and has drawn favourably at barrier eight in the 24-strong field.
The Tomoyuki Umeda-trained galloper will be trying to emulate Delta Blues' win over Pop Rock in an historic Japanese one-two finish in the 2006 Melbourne Cup.
Umeda was delighted to receive the same gate as Admire Rakti's Caulfield Cup victory, even though he came into seven on that day.
"It is a lucky number," Umeda said. "There is no change in the horse and he is just as good as he was before the last run (in the Caulfield Cup).
"He has had the one gallop since and he is still good."
Admire Rakti stormed into calculations for the Melbourne Cup with his powerful finish to narrowly win the Caulfield Cup over 2400 metres (1.5 miles).
Admire Rakti, ridden by Hong Kong-based jockey Zac Purton, won by a long neck from New Zealand mare Rising Romance with the 3-1 favourite Lucia Valentina a further half length away in third.
Umeda rates Lucia Valentina as the main danger in Tuesday's race.
"Because all competitors are strong, mainly the Caulfield Cup third (placegetter) because we run together and she's only got 53 kilos," Umeda said. "She is the one we have to beat."
The last Melbourne Cup winner to carry 58kg was champion Australian mare Makybe Diva in 2005. Delta Blues had two kilogrammes less when he won a year later.
- European pick: Protectionist -
Delta Blues prevailed by a half-head over stablemate Pop Rock in 2006 for trainer Katsuhiko Sumii and owner Katsumi Yoshida and back then it was only the second time a Japanese horse had tackled Australia's greatest race.
The German-trained Protectionist, the third-favourite at 13-2, is rated the pick of the European contenders for Tuesday's Cup.
Protectionist, trained by Andreas Wohler and to be ridden by English jockey Ryan Moore, shouldered 59kg when a close fourth in the Herbert Power Stakes (2400 metres/1.5 miles).
The five-year-old won the Prix Kergorlay in France in August, a race that Americain (2010) and Dunaden (2011) both contested before their wins in the Melbourne Cup.
"The three weeks has just been perfect and we could not be happier with his progress (since Power Stakes)," Wohler said.
"He has tightened up but still has the same weight so he lost maybe a bit of fat and put some muscle on.
"I think he is fairly handicapped for the race and hopefully he proves it on Tuesday."
Newmarket trainer Ed Dunlop is back again with Red Cadeaux for a fourth tilt at the Melbourne Cup after two second placings behind Fiorente (2013) and Dunaden (2011).
"I hope it's a truly-run race for everyone. Fiorente was a supremely impressive winner last year, and there's no doubt the best horse won the race," Dunlop said.
"On ratings, we ran the best race of our life aged eight. He's nine this year, and can we do it again? I like what I see. He looks in good nick."
The global Godolphin stable will have two runners in this year's Melbourne Cup, Cavalryman and Willing Foe.
Godolphin have had 19 runners in the Cup since 1998, finishing second twice and third three times.
Source: AFP