Warning ... Sheik Fahd Al Thani believes Dunaden will be primed for the Melbourne Cup. Source: News Limited
Dunaden's owner Sheikh Fahd Al Thani rates Red Cadeaux and not favourite Americain as the main threat to his champion French stayer going back-to-back in the $6 million Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on Tuesday.
But the Sheikh also sounded an ominous warning to rivals when he revealed Dunaden was only "80 per cent fit" when he won the Caulfield Cup two weeks ago.
Dunaden has top weight of 59kg in the Cup and needs to set a modern weight-carrying record if he is to repeat his 2011 heroics.
1. Dunaden (Barrier 16) Craig Williams 59kg
2. Americain (12) D Oliver 58kg
3. Jakkalberry (19) Colm O'Donoghue 55.5kg
4. Red Cadeaux (18) M Rodd 55.5kg
5. Winchester (22) J Mott 55.5kg
6. Voila Ici (13) V Duric 55kg
7. Cavalryman (6) L Dettori 54kg
8. Mount Athos (8) Ryan Moore 54kg
9. Sanagas (4) Nicholas Hall 54kg
10. Ethiopia (14) R McLeod 53.5kg
11. Fiorente (2) J B McDonald 53.5kg
12. Galileo's Choice (11) P J Smullen 53.5kg
13. Glencadam Gold (7) Tommy Berry 53.5kg
14. Green Moon (5) B Prebble 53.5kg
15. Maluckyday (9) J A Cassidy 53.5kg
16. Mourayan (3) J Bowman 53.5kg
17. My Quest For Peace (1) C W Brown 53.5kg
18. Niwot (15) D Dunn 53.5kg
19. Tac De Boistron (21) O Dolueze 53.5kg
20. Lights Of Heaven (17) L Nolen 53kg
21. Precedence (20) B Shinn 53kg
22. Unusual Suspect (23) G Schofield 53kg
23. Zabeelionaire (24) C Newitt 52kg
24. Kelinni (10) G Boss 51kg
"Dunaden is a champion ridden by a champion and his trainer is a champion," the Sheikh said.
"I think he is the right horse to do it and the barrier (16) is perfect.
"We are very pleased with the horse as we thought he was 80 per cent fit for the Caulfield Cup and he has come on a lot since then.
"He has come on a lot since then and is 100 per cent for the Melbourne Cup. The horse loves Australia, he definitely improves down here.
"But this is not an easy task and Red Cadeaux is the horse I fear most."
Dunaden edged out Red Cadeaux in the tightest Cup finish in history last year and meets the English stayer 3.5kg worse on weight terms.
Red Cadeaux trainer Ed Dunlop was a little disappointed with barrier 18 - still yet to produce a winner - but hoped he had "all the bad luck last year."
Americain is drawn to start from barrier 12 - which hasn't produced a Melbourne Cup winner since Foxzami in 1949.
But owner Gerry Ryan believes Americain is going at least as well as he was when he romped away with the 2010 Melbourne Cup.
"Americain's track rider Stephanie Nigge is the most relaxed I've seen her and says she is the most confident she has ever been,'' Ryan continued. "We are ready to give it our best shot.''
Ryan stood by his decision to replace Gerald Mosse with Damien Oliver in the Melbourne Cup.
"We looked at every way that Gerald has ridden the horse and you can't be three-wide with 58kg,'' Ryan said,
"This year's field is the best he has ever run it and we need to do the little 'one per centers' to give the horse his best chance to win.''
Mount Athos's owner Dr Marwan Koukah said barrier eight was ideal and that the "gods have dealt us a really good card.''
"Our main rivals, Dunaden (16) and Americain (12) have drawn wide so they should be behind us in the run,'' he said.
"He has a devastating turn of foot, better than anything else, and now we will be closer up the front and not coming from four or five lengths further back.
"I really think we can win and we should be favourite now.''
Mount Athos, who arrived in Australia as the declared "best weighted'' horse according to rivals as he carries only 54kg, would provide trainer Luca Cumani with his first Melbourne Cup win after close seconds with Purple Moon (2007) and Bauer (2008).
Godolphin's Saeed Bin Suroor said his stayer Cavalryman, from barrier six, would be a serious player who hopefully would end more than a decade of failed attempts to win the Cup.
"I'll keep coming back until we win _ I won't give up,'' the trainer said.
"This horse is one of the best chances I have had. I hope he can break the drought.''
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