Here's Gai's Tip For the Melbourne Cup

Gai Waterhouse is without a Melbourne Cup starter this year but the trainer has assumed the role as leader of the fan club for Japanese stayer Delta Blues.

The Caulfield Cup third placegetter galloped strongly at Tuesday's Breakfast With The Stars session at Flemington and Waterhouse was impressed. "I like Delta Blues, very much so," she declared after examining the six-year-old stallion while it paraded in the warm-down area. "He is a very strong, big horse. He is extremely fit and powerful and is a great-looking horse. He can win the Melbourne Cup."

Delta Blues galloped solo on the Flemington course proper moments after the Luca Cumani-trained pair of Glistening and Soulacroix worked with the Jamie Poulton-trained Land 'n Stars. Nash Rawiller rode Delta Blues in the Caulfield Cup but connections have called in Japanese jockey Yasunari Iwata to ride next Tuesday. Waterhouse isn't concerned with the new pilot, and is teaming up with Iwata on Tuesday as well. "There is no problem with the jockey, he goes good," she said. "He is going to ride Anapine for me in another race [Liberty Financial Stakes] on Melbourne Cup day."

Anapine is raced by Katsumi Yoshida, who is involved in the ownership of Delta Blues and stablemate Pop Rock, another Melbourne Cup contender. Pop Rock remained at the Sandown quarantine centre on Tuesday for a quiet work session along with the Cup second favourite Yeats. Keita Tanaka, stable spokesman for trainer Katsuhiko Sumii, was satisfied with Delta Blues' work. "Delta Blues was there getting used to the track, he had a look around and worked like we wanted him to," Tanaka said.

- Peter Morley