Leung Ho Yin, Simon's Bio
Simon is a well respected full-time thoroughbred racing commentator specializing in overseas international racing. Bringing with him a wealth of racing knowledge, Simon is the host and race caller for the overseas simulcast programme since 2008/09 season. He is currently the presenter on several racing television programmes including, ‘Racing Horizon’ and ‘Horse Racing – Results’.

Flemington Racecourse – Track Analysis (Melbourne Cup Day):

With no particular undulations, yet an extended stretch run that accommodates maximum fields of 24, the Flemington Racecourse - the most extensive in Melbourne - covers 1.27 square miles in acreage and 2312m in circumference. Runners still find the wide, sweeping turns manageable to concede precious ground with a gutsy wide move while homeward-bound, whereas an exhausting 450m stretch run asks every single front-runner of a gargantuan effort, even on a typical race day, to make every stride a winning one. In general, this track does slightly favour stalkers.

For the featured Melbourne Cup, a sapping 3200m marathon that starts mid-way through the famed ‘Straight Six’, runners breaking from out wide still have all the time to look for a sweet spot and save ground before passing the judge for the first time; rather, in such a full field, inside-drawn runners, when their competition drops to the rail, would get boxed in for much of the trip with nowhere to go, particularly when it is time to kick into high gears. In the 2018 running of this “Race that Stops a Nation” contested on soft turf, A PRINCE OF ARRAN, eventually third-best on the day, was hounding the leader while skimming the rail throughout, and hit the front at the top of the stretch; meanwhile, MARMELO, saving his best for a late bid from way back, burst into the scene at the 200m marker, and was enjoying a brief lead – until Godolphin’s CROSS COUNTER, surging like a whirlwind, clobbered them both at the shadow of the wire to snatch the big prize.

Pertaining to the rest of the undercard, a left-hander presents itself promptly after the break for both Maybe Mahal Stakes and The Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes at 1400m; however, this is still a wide, sweeping turn that does cut some slacks on runners from bad posts. The same case stands likewise – and perhaps even more legit – for the 1800m Melbourne Cup Day Plate, as a full 400m straightaway does facilitate runners to reach the rail before the first turn. Meanwhile, the 1000m Schweppervescence Plate and 1200m MSS Security Sprint are staged on the famous ‘Straight Six’, and runners drawing low numbers, surprising as it might, would be slightly disadvantaged.

Reviewing the recent meeting at Flemington on 5th October, when the portable rail was up at 9m out on good goings, track bias was observed at its minimum, though runners sent to the front early, while saving ground, were enjoying a slightly better share of good results. That said, with intermittent rain that will linger still next Tuesday, this year’s Melbourne Cup Day would be contested on sticky ground – which certainly will be a big factor on the final selections

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