Damien Oliver seeks record-equalling fourth Melbourne Cup on Mustajeer

Damien Oliver bids to make Melbourne Cup history on Tuesday week when seeking a record-equalling fourth victory and feels the more conventional track at Flemington will play to the strengths of Sky Bet Ebor winner Mustajeer.

Oliver will bid to emulate the achievements of former jockeys Bobby Lewis and Harry White aboard the Australian Bloodstock-owned Mustajeer, who finished a promising sixth when beaten under two lengths in the Caulfield Cup on his first start for trainer Kris Lees.

Mustajeer, who won the inaugural £1m running of the Knavesmire handicap in August for Ger Lyons, is a best price 25-1 with bet365 to win the Lexus-sponsored Melbourne Cup and Oliver believes the galloping nature of Flemington is in the six-year-old’s favour.

Oliver, 47, said: "I'm feeling reasonably confident and he'll be much better suited to Flemington than Caulfield. He's a well-performed European horse and the Ebor is a race that is a proven formula to go on and run well in the Melbourne Cup.

"It would be amazing to equal the record and a huge thrill. It would be a historic achievement and something I would be really proud of."

Damien Oliver points to the heavens after Media Puzzle's emotional 2002 Melbourne Cup victoryCredit: Adam Pretty

Oliver most recently landed the Flemington showstopper aboard the Gai Waterhouse-trained Fiorente in 2013 following victories aboard Doriemus, trained by Lee Freedman, in 1995 and the Dermot Weld-trained Media Puzzle in 2002, and believes Japan hold the main threat for next week's renewal.

Caulfield Cup scorer Mer De Glace is among the market principals at 9-1 and his success was followed by Lys Gracieux winning the Ladbrokes Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

Oliver said: "The Japanese horses have been very strong and Mer De Glace was a very good winner of the Caulfield Cup. A one kilogram penalty isn’t going to hinder his chances too much so he’s going to be hard to beat.

“I’ve done a couple of riding stints in Japan and their horses are high quality. I have huge respect for them.”

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