Mahler is given prime approval

Melbourne Cup Preview:If Aidan O'Brien is unaware of the hold the Melbourne Cup has over the popular Australian imagination, he will be left in no doubt after Mahler represents Ireland's champion trainer when the race that stops a nation is run in the early hours of tomorrow morning.

Over 120,000 people will be at Flemington racetrack, but the vast country does indeed appear to grind to a halt for the world's richest two-mile handicap, and the depth of that fascination can be gleaned from the fact Mahler already has at least one high-profile supporter.

Australian prime minister John Howard nominated Mahler as his tip for the Cup when quizzed in Sydney over the weekend.

That Howard won't be travelling to Melbourne seems only right considering New South Wales's horses are also ruled out of the trip to Victoria by the well-publicised bout of equine influenza that has dogged the build-up to this year's race.

In theory, that should allow Mahler and the two British-trained hopes, Purple Moon and Tungsten Strike, an easier task.

But in reality the international raiders still face a mammoth job in following in the hoofprints of Vintage Crop (1993), Media Puzzle (2002) and Japan's Delta Blues last year.

No sporting event matters more to Australians, and O'Brien got a sneak preview of this Cup fervour when he attended Victoria Derby day at Flemington on Saturday.

"I've never seen so many people so enthusiastic," said the Ballydoyle trainer, who dismissed the idea the massive crowds might prove too much for the youngest horse in the race and the first European three-year-old to tackle it.

Rather than fear of crowds, it has been the recent rain that is dogging European preparations.

Some 20mm fell on Sunday morning alone and turned the going to slow. Considering Mahler's second on fast ground in the St Leger, that is not ideal for the Irish hope.

"We got away with it in the Queen's Vase when he surprised us with how well he coped with soft ground. But racing on a wet track here is the unknown," O'Brien told local reporters.

"It's not easy running that sort of trip in these conditions."

On a more positive note, Mahler looks to have an ideal draw, box six, and his rider, Stephen Baster, known as the smiling jockey, is one of Australia's best lightweights and has a proven big-race record.

The going is also exercising the mind of Purple Moon's trainer, Luca Cumani, who has been disputing ante-post favouritism with the top Aussie runner Master O'Reilly in the build-up.

An encouraging sixth in the Caulfield Cup prompted the local star Damien Oliver to take the ride on the Ebor winner, but for a horse that has travelled halfway around the world for fast going, the elements are proving unhelpful.

"It's a new track and there might be some kick-back, which would actually be better than going in real deep," Cumani said.

Amanda Perrett has sent Tungsten Strike for the race after encouragement from jockey Darryll Holland, who ran third on Jardine's Lookout in 2003 and considers the second British runner a more suitable type for the race.

The demands posed by the Melbourne Cup are, however, unique, and the different environment in which Mahler and co find themselves is illustrated by the fact another local hope, Sirmione, earned his ticket for the race by winning the McKinnon Stakes at the track on Saturday.

Sirmione's trainer, legendary "Cup King" Bart Cummings, has won the Melbourne Cup 11 times, so it's fair to say he knows what he's doing by running again so quickly.

O'Brien, who ran Yeats to finish seventh last year, will be hoping his own first trip down under will convince the Aussies that his way can work too.