Yucatan the early favorite in Melbourne Cup

The impeccably bred Yucatan struggled in top-class company in Europe earlier this year, finishing last of six in his lone Group 1 appearance in the Coronation Cup at Epsom Downs in England.

His career in Australia this fall is trending in a different direction. Yucatan won his debut in that country in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes at 1 1/2 miles at Caulfield on Oct. 13. The win gave Yucatan the role of future-book favorite for Tuesday’s Group 1 Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse.

As of Sunday, Yucatan was the 11-2 favorite to win the two-mile race against 23 rivals. If Yucatan wins, the victory will be a first triumph in Australia’s most famous race for top European trainer Aidan O’Brien, who was second last year with Johannes Vermeer. The race was won by Rekindling, trained by O’Brien’s son, Joseph.

Yucatan is by leading European stallion Galileo and is out of Six Perfections, best known in the United States for winning the 2003 Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita.

Yucatan has won 3 of 13 starts in Australia, England, and Ireland. James McDonald had the mount in the Herbert Power Stakes and retains the mount in the $5.07 million Melbourne Cup. Yucatan will carry 120 pounds under the handicap conditions.

The race has a post time of 11 p.m. Eastern.

The 127-pound topweight is Best Solution, who has won three consecutive Group 1 races in Germany and Australia, the most recent of which was the 18-runner Caulfield Cup at 1 1/2 miles on Oct. 20. Best Solution is owned by Godolphin Racing and trained in England by Saeed Bin Suroor. As of Sunday, Best Solution was 11-1.

Cross Counter, another Godolphin runner, was 8-1 on Sunday. Trained in England by Charlie Appleby, the 3-year-old Cross Counter was second in the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes at 1 1/2 miles at York Racecourse in August.

The leading Australia-based horse is Avilius, who is owned by Godolphin and trained by James Cummings, the grandson of legendary trainer Bart Cummings. Avilius won three consecutive Group 3 races from late August to early October before finishing fourth to the immensely popular Winx in the Group 1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on Oct. 27.

Avilius was a 12-1 chance as of Sunday.

Winx, who has won 29 consecutive races, has been Australia’s Horse of the Year for the last three seasons. The 7-year-old mare runs in weight-for-age races and was never considered a candidate for the Melbourne Cup.

:: Want to get the latest news with your past performances? Try DRF’s new digital PPs