CLARK ON GUARD FOR NEWCASTLE STAYER’S MELBOURNE CUP MISSION

CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD is assured of a Melbourne Cup start, and Tim Clark has been booked for the mount.

Leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees confirmed Sydney jockey Clark’s engagement for the first ever $10m Cup (3200m) at Flemington next Tuesday, after arriving in Melbourne late this afternoon.

This will be 26-times Group 1 winning rider Clark’s fourth Melbourne Cup. He finished ninth on Knights Order in Gold Trip’s 2022 edition.

Changingoftheguard was one of 40 third acceptors today, and is 22^nd in order of entry, with 24 horses allowed to start in the famous “two miler”.

He will be the sole NSW provincial representative in the Cup.

The Newcastle stayer, who won City Tatts Club Cup (2400m) at Royal Randwick in September before having to be eased out of the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) there on October 4 when he struck the heels of Travolta passing the 400m and blundered badly when travelling well.

He since finished sixth to Torranzino in last Wednesday’s Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m) on soft ground, and Lees is hoping for a good surface at Flemington next Tuesday.

The seven-year-old gelding carried 60kg at Geelong, and drops 7kg.

Whilst Changingoftheguard lost caste with bookmakers after his Geelong defeat and is now a $101 outsider, he carries the colours of Lloyd Williams, the most successful owner in the great race’s history.

Caulfield Cup winner Half Yours and Australian Bloodstock’s Irish stayer Al Riffa are disputing favoritism at $6.

The final Cup field will be decided late on Saturday afternoon, and barriers drawn at the end of the Victoria Derby meeting at Flemington.

“Changingoftheguard has done well since Geelong, and will gallop at Flemington in the morning,” Lees said.

“He will go straight to the Cup without another run.”

Meanwhile, Lees decided this afternoon to send Port Macquarie Cup winner Age Of Sail to Melbourne to join his spring carnival team.

He will line up in Wednesday’s $500,000 Group 3 Bendigo Cup (2400m), and Melbourne jockey Declan Bates has taken the ride.

“I also nominated Age Of Sail for the $750,000 Group 3 Rosehill Gold Cup (2000m) at Randwick on Saturday, and after looking at the nominations chose to have a crack at the Bendigo race,” Lees said.

“He will come home for The Beauford (2300m) at The Hunter metropolitan meeting at Newcastle on November 15.”

Stablemate Cantiamo also is in Melbourne, and gained Flemington straight track experience when third to fellow Newcastle three-year-old, Nathan Doyle’s  Hidden Motive, in an 800m jumpout there last Friday.

“Cantiamo will run in the Group 3 Red Roses (1100m) against her own sex at Flemington on Thursday week (Oaks day),” Lees said.

A daughter of Too Darn Hot, the talented filly has won two of her only three starts.

She hasn’t raced since scoring at Warwick Farm on September 3 over 1200m, but easily won a five-horse 800m trial at Newcastle on October 9.

Lees is yet to decide whether Infancy will run at Flemington on Saturday on the opening day of the Cup carnival, or stay home for a Randwick engagement next Tuesday at the Big Dance meeting.

She has been nominated for two Group 3 races at Flemington; the Mumm Stakes (1200m) and Sprint (1100m).

Rivellino, a luckless runner-up to Ohope in last Saturday’s $1m Callander-Presnell (1600m) at Randwick, has concluded his current campaign and will be spelled.

Story John Curtis, October 27, 2025