She's the Kiwi bred four year-old mare Gust of Wind, who will carry the 24
saddlecloth and jump from gate 19.Trained to the minute by Sydney based Kiwi conditioner John Sargent, Gust of Wind earned her place in the Cup after scoring a dominant win in the Group I ATC Australian Oaks in the autumn when thumping subsequent Cox Plate winner Winx.
That form looks like the best in Australia in hindsight and Gust of Wind comes into the Cup off a good last start fourth in the Caulfield Cup.
She has the form and with her light weight, has a good rider in Chad Schofield, but importantly she also has the pedigree.
Gust of Wind is by Darci Brahma, a royally bred Group I winning son of champion sire Danehill (USA) from the family of Melbourne Cup winner Ethereal.
Her dam Starrystarrynight (IRE) is an Irish bred stakes-placed daughter of champion sire Sadler's Wells that won up to 2400 metres and her dam Upper Circle is a sister to the dam of Epsom Oaks winner Lady Carla.
The Cup is a cracker this year with a host of high class international contenders, but with the Cox Plate and Caulfield Cup both falling to Australian bred horses in Winx and Mongolian Khan let's hope Gust of Wind can make it a hat-trick for the Australasian home team.
