Cox Plate runner-up Buckaroo confirmed for Melbourne Cup, Craig Williams booked to ride

Managing owner Ozzie Kheir confirmed the Chris Waller-trained galloper would tackle the $10m contest on Melbourne radio on Wednesday morning.

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Waller said on Tuesday morning Buckaroo was “a 50-50 chance” to run in the Melbourne Cup but the owners would have the final say.

Waller confirmed Buckaroo had passed his compulsory pre-race scans.

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Buckaroo went within a half-head of denying super mare Via Sistina another Cox Plate triumph at The Valley last Saturday, an effort from which Waller said the son of Fastnet Rock has recovered well.

Waller sent Buckaroo to the beach instead of galloping at Flemington on Tuesday morning.

The champion trainer said the Melbourne Cup was initially a secondary consideration as he prepared Buckaroo to run in either the Caulfield Cup or Cox Plate.

However, Waller was confident Buckaroo had the fitness required to handle the 3200m of the Melbourne Cup in which the seven-year-old finished ninth last year.

Waller said Buckaroo’s preparation conformed with 12-time winner Bart Cummings’ theory on the grounding required to win a Melbourne Cup.

“What he has done is a lot of mileage,” Waller said.

“If you go back to Bart Cummings’ theory, he’s run the distance to run in a Melbourne Cup.

“I believe a horse has got muscle memory.

“He ran over two miles in the Melbourne Cup last year and I think that has some help towards his performances.

“He was prepared to run 2400m in the Caulfield Cup but instead ran in the Cox Plate, but he’s had a pretty good foundation.”

Waller said Buckaroo had genuine excuses for his unplaced outing in last year’s Melbourne Cup in which he finished 3½ lengths from the shock winner Knight’s Choice.

The trainer said Buckaroo had too much to do in the second half of the race after giving a big start from barrier 20.

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“He had a tough race last year and he didn’t come through it that well but there were reasons for it,” Waller said.

“He covered a lot of ground from a long way back and just peaked on his run.

“We’re fairly comfortable that he can run the two-mile distance.”

Craig Williams will ride Buckaroo, which is a $9 chance in Melbourne Cup betting.

Williams welcomed the chance to combine with the Waller stable in the Melbourne Cup, especially after Racing Victoria vets controversially ruled out his previous mount Sir Delius earlier this month.

“I have been able to secure a great ride in the Cup, so I am pretty fortunate,” Williams said.

“He’s had that (Melbourne Cup) experience, he is a great horse.

“For him (Chris Waller) to pivot (and send Buckaroo to a Melbourne Cup), it shows you that he is happy and as a rider, I would definitely be excited.”

Originally published as Cox Plate runner-up Buckaroo confirmed for Melbourne Cup, Craig Williams booked to ride