Dunaden (yellow) holds off a fast-finishing Red Cadeaux to win 2011 Melbourne Cup at Flemington in the closest finish off all time. Picture: Darren McNamara Source: News Limited
INTERNATIONAL scout Leigh Jordon reckons he is almost "statue-worthy''.
Racing Victoria chief handicapper Greg Carpenter says he will rank among the top 10 Cup heroes of all time if he can prevail on Tuesday.
And the history books will save a special chapter for him - if he wins.
Yet despite his status Dunaden is the forgotten champion of tomorrow's Melbourne Cup.
Casual race fans weren't even sure he was running, even in the country, until his name appeared as topweight when the field was released on Saturday night.
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Jordon said Dunaden's on again, off again Cup assault, combined with the first appearance of the likes of the Aga Khan and footballer Michael Owen, had stolen Dunaden's limelight.
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"There's also the fact his form doesn't read as spectacular. We prefer a picket fence formline here, but the reality is the horse is actually going really well,'' he said.
"It seems quite amazing. He's slipped into town unnoticed but if he wins he will be one of the all-time greats.
"And he'll have earned it because he has topweight in probably the deepest Cup ever run.
"I don't think the VRC will make a statue of him but Sheikh Fahad should. He's been the cornerstone of the Sheikh's whole operation, the horse that started it.''
Dunaden, ridden by Craig Williams, swoops on Alcopop to claim the Caulfield Cup last year. Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: News Limited
If successful with 58.5kg tomorrow no horse will have strung a big Cup sequence like Dunaden, who won the 2011 Melbourne Cup and returned to win the Caulfield Cup last year.
"If he wins again he will be right up there with the 10 greatest Melbourne Cup winners of all-time,'' Carpenter said.
Carpenter, and trainer Michael Mikel Delzangles' wife Anne, said they were surprised the French hero had gone unnoticed this spring.
"I was just thinking this morning that Dunaden and Red Cadeaux were the forgotten horses,'' Carpenter said.
Delzangles said: "Well look at his odds. They're pretty high aren't they? Surprising, yeah.''
Dunaden is a $26 chance in the TAB fixed odds market.
Delangles said a second Melbourne Cup for Dunaden would be "huge, huge, huge.''
Delzangles, Fahad, Carpenter and Jordon all agreed Dunaden was racing far better than his form indicated.
He has raced six times in Europe and Dubai since running 14th, as favourite, in last year's Melbourne Cup.
"People say his performances have been bad this year but there have been some unlucky things, it's not that bad,'' Delzangles said.
2011 Melbourne Cup winner Dunaden and jockey Christophe Lemaire return to the mounting yard. Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: News Limited
Fahad said the fact Dunaden was eight, and had topweight, would make it hard to win but added "he loves Flemington and we know he runs well fresh".
"His preparation has been fantastic so we're looking forward to it.''
Fahad said Dunaden's campaign had changed tack at the 11th hour.
A so-so lead up run to the target race, the Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe in Paris, prompted a late decision to return to Melbourne.
But Carpenter described Dunaden's European form as "fantastic'' and Jordon said Dunaden had been running well, without luck, in top fields.
"The boys with the horse say he's in great form,'' Jordon said.
Irish jockey Jamie Spencer, riding in his first Cup, said he would attempt to find the shortest way home on Dunaden, who has drawn barrier one.
"We've got topweight and you can't go around too many horses with topweight,'' he said.
"We're going to need a lot of luck but that's my job.
"Fingers crossed he can run a good race but he seems very happy and we'll be doing our best."
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