A minor miracle away from the glory of a Cup run

IT STARTED as a $600 joke, but incredibly, little known and even less regarded galloper Gothic Crown is just one - admittedly giant - step away from taking his place in the Melbourne Cup field among some of the world's top stayers.

By InvestSMART · 28 Oct 2010

By InvestSMART ·
28 Oct 2010

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IT STARTED as a $600 joke, but incredibly, little known and even less regarded galloper Gothic Crown is just one admittedly giant step away from taking his place in the Melbourne Cup field among some of the world's top stayers.

Five days out from the Melbourne Cup, his novice trainer Todd Balfour is starting to feel the nerves. The newcomer to training is a small miracle away from having a Melbourne Cup runner.

Gothic Crown is still among the 47 acceptors for the Melbourne Cup and will take his place in the Lexus Stakes on Saturday, a race that qualifies the winner for the big one on Tuesday.

Gothic Crown's credentials for such an upset are almost non-existent but as Balfour pointed out, there are now only 46 horses with better prospects. "We nominated him as a joke; just for the dream," the 30-year-old said this week.

"I was quite embarrassed to put him among the best horses in Australia, but I was trying to get him into a race at Cranbourne [when Cup entries were due] and I thought that a Melbourne Cup nomination might look good next to his name."

At the close of nominations in August, Balfour, who now trains seven unheralded horses at Cranbourne, was just a few weeks into his training career. Three months earlier, the former jumps jockey purchased the moderately performed seven-year-old for $5000, on behalf of owner Arnold Kelsey, with an eye to training him as a jumps horse.

Then came the idea to nominate for the 150th Melbourne Cup. He was one of 253 horses first entered for the race on August 1 and was there among the 151 when the first declaration payment of $990 was due on September 7.

After paying a further $1540 on October 5 to keep the dream alive, another $3520 was required on Monday to go into the final stage. "We'd gone that far, we just thought why not? Arnold is an owner that was prepared to put up the money and I was happy to go along with him."

Balfour's story is further proof that everyone is equal on the racetrack. If his galloper a $501 Cup outsider can cause one of racing's great boilovers and win Saturday's Lexus Stakes at Flemington at $201, Balfour and Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed will have one thing in common. They will both have one Melbourne Cup runner.

Gothic Crown has one thing in his favour. He won his latest race a lowly event at Pakenham last Monday.

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Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…

What's the story behind Gothic Crown getting a shot at the Melbourne Cup?

Gothic Crown began as what the trainer called a $600 joke but has since become one of the 47 acceptors for this year's Melbourne Cup. The seven-year-old was bought three months before nominations for $5,000 for owner Arnold Kelsey, has recent form (a win at Pakenham) and will run in the Lexus Stakes on Saturday — the winner of that race qualifies for the Melbourne Cup.

Who is Todd Balfour and what is his role with Gothic Crown?

Todd Balfour is a 30-year-old former jumps jockey who is new to training. He bought Gothic Crown on behalf of owner Arnold Kelsey and now trains seven unheralded horses at Cranbourne. Balfour nominated Gothic Crown for the Melbourne Cup and is navigating the declaration and qualification steps.

How did Gothic Crown get entered in the Melbourne Cup and what nomination steps were required?

Gothic Crown was one of 253 horses first entered on August 1. At the first declaration on September 7 he remained among the 151 and a payment of $990 was due. The connections paid a further $1,540 on October 5, and another $3,520 was required on the final Monday to progress to the next stage.

How can Gothic Crown still qualify for the Melbourne Cup from here?

Gothic Crown will run in the Lexus Stakes at Flemington on Saturday. The Lexus Stakes winner earns automatic qualification for the Melbourne Cup, so winning that race is the direct route for Gothic Crown to secure a Cup start.

What are Gothic Crown’s racing credentials and current form?

Gothic Crown is described as a moderately performed, seven-year-old galloper who recently won a low-grade race at Pakenham. Despite that victory, he is considered a longshot — the article refers to him as a $501 Cup outsider — and has limited credentials compared with many Cup contenders.

Who owns Gothic Crown and how involved was the owner in the Cup campaign?

Owner Arnold Kelsey purchased Gothic Crown (via Balfour) and supported the decision to nominate and pay the successive declaration fees. Balfour says Kelsey was prepared to put up the money to keep the Cup dream alive.

What does Gothic Crown’s longshot status mean for bettors and everyday investors watching the race?

The article frames Gothic Crown as a classic outsider: modest form, low profile, and long odds. For bettors that means an upset is unlikely but possible — especially if he wins the Lexus Stakes — and for everyday observers it underlines that underdogs can occasionally change the narrative with one big performance.

What broader lesson does Gothic Crown’s story offer about small investments and big opportunities?

Gothic Crown’s journey — bought for $5,000, started as a ‘joke’ nomination, then progressing to a shot at the Melbourne Cup — illustrates how a modest outlay and persistence can lead to unexpected opportunities. The article highlights the unpredictability of racing and that even low-cost or unheralded entrants can briefly share the spotlight with elite rivals.