Japanese hope wants to make Melbourne Cup a true staying test

But punters do have a history of getting Japanese runners wrong in Australia’s big races.

When Delta Blues won in 2006, he was a $17 chance. Stablemate Pop Rock was the $7 equal favourite.

A year earlier, Eye Popper ran a cracker for second in the Caulfield Cup at $41. He was then strongly supported to beat Makybe Diva in the Melbourne Cup, starting second favourite at $6 before running 12th.

Admire Rakti went around at double figures when he won the 2014 Caulfield Cup, then punters piled on and made him favourite for the Melbourne Cup.

Undeterred, Fame Game was the next Japanese runner to capture the public’s imagination and after a strong finishing effort in the Caulfield Cup, he too was made favourite at Flemington — and failed.

In Sydney, To The World was a hot favourite for the BMW and was beaten by Hartnell, yet Hana’s Goal and Real Impact were Group 1 winners at double figure odds.

So punters shouldn’t be put off by the big price being bet about Curren Mirotic.

And even though he hasn’t won for three years, his best form stacks up when compared to previous Japanese raiders, having run second in their premier staying event, the Tenno Sho.

Trainer Osamu Hirata has indicated Curren Mirotic will ensure this year’s Cup is not the dawdling affair it was last year.

“The Melbourne Cup has been run at a slow tempo these days, a sit-and-sprint sort of race,” Hirata said. “We will try and put the tempo up in the race and make it a true staying test so he can show his true ability.”

Originally published as Don’t write off Japanese stayer