Michelle Payne has made her top selection for the 2022 Lexus Melbourne Cup.
The 2015 Melbourne Cup winning jockey believes Realm Of Flowers is the horse to back in Tuesday’s great race.
Payne believes the fact the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained mare has a light weight, has drawn a nice gate and likes a wet track makes her a great winning hope at Flemington.
“I’m looking down towards the bottom of the list with Realm Of Flowers,” she told SEN Breakfast.
“I think she’s snuck in with a nice light weight, is in a good barrier (5) and she’s a pretty good mare.
“I’m really keen on Realm Of Flowers. She’s the horse I’ve watched over the last couple of years.
“She’s a good, honest stayer, she’s got 50kgs, she’s drawn barrier five, she’s going well into the race, she stays well, she handles the wet conditions if we do get that.”
She also joined the SEN 1170 Breakfast show to provide a few others at odds that could make up your quinella, trifectas and first fours.
“I really like Without A Fight,” she added.
“I like that horse a bit better than (favourite) Deauville Legend. He’s bit more seasoned and there’s a bit of an air of excitement out at Werribee.
“It looks a great race for him.
“And also I was looking towards some more locals in Knights Order and Lunar Flare. They’ve got so many things going their way for the race and at a bit of odds as well.”
As for the favourite Deauville Legend, Payne believes there are some queries.
“Deauville Legend, it’s hard to line him up,” she added.
“I feel as though he’s got the X-factor that everybody is looking at and (that’s) why he’s the favourite, but just watching him he’s quite light and flimsy.
“When push comes to shove, I just don’t know how he’s going to go in the race that stops the nation. It’s such a hard race to win for a young horse like that.
“I just don’t know how it’s going to play out for Deauville Legend. I hope it does for my brother-in-law Kerrin McEvoy, but I’d be leaning to a horse like Realm Of Flowers who is a six-year-old mare carrying 50kgs and has class and stays.
“That’s the way I look at it. It’s such a wide open race after that.”
Damien Thornton, who rode in the Cup for the first time last year, takes the ride of Realm Of Flowers on Tuesday.
Thornton has partnered with the mare for three wins and a second from six starts.