RUSSIAN STRUTS HIS STUFF

For the vanquished in last spring's mesmerising Cox Plate, the wait for a chance at revenge normally presents as a long, 12-month ordeal.

But in a fluke of programming and circumstances, that opportunity has virtually moved forward seven months as, on Saturday, four of the first five horses home (and five of the first seven) in the 2020 Cox Plate will meet again at The Valley. Again, for a life-changing $5 million.

Those expected to be closest to the main prize on Saturday all noted at the Tuesday morning gallops just how The All-Star Mile field was shaping as a mini Cox Plate.

That it happens to be at The Valley was all down to luck as the Moonee Valley Racing Club is to be the third Melbourne club - after the Victoria Racing Club at Flemington (2019) and Melbourne Racing Club at Caulfield (2020) - to host the race where public voters get to select two-thirds of the final field.

Much is the same, but some things have changed since spring.

For one, Cox Plate champion Sir Dragonet comes into The All-Star Mile with some ground to make up following a most disappointing first-up C.F. Orr Sakes run.

Most notable, however, for those at The Valley on Tuesday morning, was the sight of Russian Camelot.

Always six months behind horses of the same age because of his Northern Hemisphere birthplace, the Cox Plate third placegetter presented as a powerful entire, some 30 kilograms heavier than last spring.

He did not want to go unnoticed either. He reared and kicked out in both the back warm-up yard and the mounting yard before Damien Oliver took him onto the track, where he used his energy to easily negotiate the circuit, finishing off with a burst of speed down the home straight.

Winning a $5m race over 1600 metres first-up is never an easy task but it is one that trainer Danny O'Brien is certain his horse is capable of.

As usual, O'Brien was quick to the point following Russian Camelot's gallop.

"There's no concern about him being forward enough or fit enough," he said. "He's just got to be good enough to beat what's going to be a really tough field.

"He looks great. He's big and strong and happy. He had a tough spring and we've been mindful of that but the gap between the spring and now is just about ideal because he needed to catch his breath after the Cox Plate and the Melbourne Cup, which were both pretty tough runs."

As for his final strong workout, O'Brien said: "Damien was very pleased, as was I. We had a lovely surface here this morning and he stretched out nicely. Fitness-wise, he couldn't be better and he's ready to go to the races.

"I am hoping there is a really strong pace in the race. In the Makybe (Diva Sakes) first-up in the spring, he got stuck on a slow tempo and got left in front at the top of the straight and just got tipped out by Fierce Impact.

"It would be nice if here was a good gallop here on Saturday and he can just be the one having the last go at them."

O'Brien said he doubts freshness will foil his horse's first-up attempt.

"He's never over-raced in a race," he said. "He ended up hitting the front in the Makybe early because they went so slow, but I am sure they will go at a solid-enough clip here on Saturday for him to relax and hit the line well.

"It's a great field. Arcadia Queen and Probabeel were both here in the Cox Plate as well as Sir Dragonet and Mugatoo was terrific in the Cox Plate.

"It's actually interesting it is back at Moonee Valley given all the horses coming out of the Cox Plate."

Story by Andrew Eddy for Racing.com

Pic by Vince Caligiuri from Twitter