Dancer delight for Given

Hugs Dancer managed a valiant seventh in the Carlton Draught Caulfield Cup in Australia to leave him firmly on course for the Melbourne Cup.

The James Given-trained gelding finished three lengths behind winner Mummify over a mile and a half in a race which is considered a traditional prep for the showpiece event at Flemington on November 4.

“It went very well,” Given told Channel 4.

“We were second turning in over what is his absolute minimum trip and they just had turn of foot to go past him.

“He was only beaten three lengths by the winner and as a prep race for the Melbourne Cup, which is over two miles, we are absolutely delighted.”

Dermot Weld’s In Time’s Eye was also in touch to the turn under Damien Oliver and eventually finished 10th.

Mummify, meanwhile, made all to give trainer Lee Freedman his fourth success in the AUS 2.5million event.

Kicked clear on the home turn by Danny Nikolic, the four-year-old was three lengths clear with 150 yards to run and held on to score by three-quarters of a length from Grey Song.

New Zealand challenger Distinctly Secret was a nose further back in third.

Jockey Dean McKeown was also thrilled with the effort of Hugs Dancer.

“He wasn’t disgraced at all and we’ve only got beaten three lengths in an International Group One race,” the rider told attheraces. “He put up a fantastic race to only get beaten that far over a mile and a half.

“He ran a great race. I got to 400 metres to run but I just didn’t have the pace to go with them and the eventual winner Mummify went five lengths clear.

“But I wore him down to only be beaten three lengths and, with another four furlongs, who knows?

“I think I can beat most of the Australian horses, it’s just whether he’s good enough to beat Mamool.

“The horse is in the form of his life, definitely the best he has been in his career.”