James McDonald is bullish about UK raider Meydaan's Melbourne Cup chances as the superstar jockey chases further glory in the race that stops a nation.
McDonald worked Meydaan for the second time this week at Werribee on Thursday and is pleased with how the Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum-owned gelding feels ahead of Tuesday's great race.
Meydaan was a luckless ninth in the Caulfield Cup last-start but McDonald, who won the 2021 Melbourne Cup aboard Verry Elleegant, believes the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained son of Frankel is better suited to the expanses of Flemington.
"I can't wait. He's going really, really well, this horse," McDonald told reporters.
"He can't be any fitter, he can't look any better and he can't feel any better.
"So he'll have every opportunity to run as good a race in the Melbourne Cup as he can.
"I'm quietly excited that he's a nice, progressive horse on the way up."
Meydaan ($13) will carry 54kg in the Cup and is the shortest-priced UK-trained runner in the field behind overall favourite Half Yours ($6).
Valiant King ($7), Al Riffa ($8), Buckaroo ($8) and French raider Presage Nocturne ($9) round out the top five.
"He's nicely weighted at 54 kilos and he's got the speed of a mile-and-a-half horse," McDonald said of Meydaan, who will have his first crack at 3200m on Tuesday.
"In this day and age, that's the type of horse that you need for a Melbourne Cup."
McDonald isn't concerned about the prospect of rain in the lead-up and on Cup day.
"I'd be worried if it became heavy but Flemington is always in such pristine order that it's probably not going to be a heavy," he said.
"We can rule that one out, but as long as he gets his toe in I think he'll really appreciate it.
"He's a good horse, this."
New Zealand star Mark Twain has been ruled out of the Cup, sent for a spell after finishing out of the placings in Wednesday's Bendigo Cup.
Bendigo Cup winner Sayedaty Sadaty needs just one horse above it in the order of entry to withdraw or not accept to gain a Melbourne Cup start.
The Ciaron Maher-trained gelding was not handed a penalty for his victory in the Group 3 contest and would start with the minimum 51kg.
