Melbourne Cup and Cox Plate Double?

Luca Cumani set for historic Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup double

Luca Cumani could be set for a historic Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup double with Afsare and Mount Athos.

The Newmarket trainer Cumani has an excellent chance of taking both of the big races down under this autumn after good runs from his horses yesterday. Mount Athos impressively won the Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury and Afsare ran a gallant second in the Arlington Million last night. 

Mount Athos has been long targeted at tilt at the Melbourne Cup but before his win yesterday there were concerns about him getting in the line up. Luca Cumani commented to the Racing Post that his run yesterday "sounded like an ideal prep for Melbourne". Bet365 have made Mount Athos 12/1 to win the Flemington feature.

Afsare played up before the start of the Arlington Million last night but positively flew home down the straight to finish second behind the front running Little Mike. Afsare's  jockey Kieren Fallon after the race told the media that he was positive that "he has a big race in him" - Crockford thinks that perhaps that race is the Moonee Valley feature - the WS Cox Plate.  Bet365 offer him at 40/1 for the race.

Crockford thinks that 480/1 for a historic double does look tempting given the good showing of UK horses that we have seen recently when they go on foreign raids

(Picture - Melbourne Cup 1881 - Creative Commons)