The Melbourne Mail heads to Caulfield this weekend in search of the American Dream.
The American Dream is based around the idea that anyone from any background has an equal opportunity to work their way to the top. Anyone can achieve their goals and aspirations.
It's a grand idea (though probably not so well catered for in modern America...) and it's an idea that translates perfectly to horse racing.
On Saturday at Caulfield we get to see a prime example of the American Dream in action as the aptly named The United States, an Irish migrant (albeit one hardly from modest means) who has worked hard and overcome adversity, now gets an equal shot at a ticket to the top; a ticket into the Caulfield Cup.
The Naturalism Stakes is a multicultural society with horses from around the globe coming to chase the dream in racing's land of opportunity, the rich handicap laden Melbourne Spring Carnival.
The United States started his time in Australia with a series of odd-jobs, struggling to get any continuity in his work, but he has started to put that together this spring.
He was an eye-catching winner first up and then all but beat stablemate Chance To Dance in a strongly run contest last time out.
That was the sort of race that can bring him right on for today and importantly he steps up to 2000m for the first time since he was back in Ireland.
His only other run at the trip came in a Group 3 at Leopardstown and there he produced a peak performance, carving out solid figures from the front where he completed the course just approx 2.2 lengths slower than top Group 1 mare The Fugue did half an hour later in the Irish Champion Stakes, one of the best races on the European racing calendar.
Needless to say, that level of performance would leave him standing on the shoulders of the huddled masses that he faces at Caulfield.
That's with the possible exception of Our Ivanhowe but in true American style equal opportunity ain't really equal opportunity and our Irish migrant has a 6kg headstart against the German.
At odds better than $3.50 it's well worth gathering up some capital and investing in this quest for the American Dream.
This week's each way play is the enigmatic, some would say unreliable, Thermal Current, in race 6.
Fell Swoop rules betting there but he might be just starting to level out with his form and Thermal Current is capable of running smart figures.
He was ordinary fresh but we are taking heart out of his second up win last campaign over in Adelaide which rates well. At $12.00 we'd rather him running for us than against us.
THE MELBOURNE MAIL
Bet Of The Day: Race 8 #17 The United States @ $4.00
Each Way Play: Race 5 #7 Thermal Current @ $12.00
