Geraldton Turf Club’s Melbourne Cup Day race meet: The favourites and outside chances at the local track

The race that stops a nation will be the centre attraction on a packed day of events at the Geraldton Turf Club on Tuesday. While the Melbourne Cup is the drawcard for the first Tuesday in November, a host of trainers have prepared their mounts to race it out for glory in seven action-packed events, with light rain forecast for the Bullseye Birdies Raceday. In the lead up to the Melbourne Cup race day at Geraldton Turf Club, local trainers have given their chances a cool down swim at Pages Beach on Friday morning. Local 22-year-old strapper Brooke Martin and her mum, trainer Julia Martin, took Safe Hustle and stablemate Spirit Man — who are both lining up in Race 7 at Utakarra on Tuesday — for a quick dip in the sea as part of preparations for the big day. With gates opening at 11am, the action on the racecourse will be complemented by Fashions on the Field, live music, food from Tapdog cafe and a VIP marquee. According to veteran racing writer Ernie Manning, the Barry Newnham-trained Belvedere Rock is a surefire bet in race two. The Bottlemart Tarcoola race four looks to be hotly contested, with On the Mark having very strong form at Geraldton, Zing to Win a real danger, and Sure No Something sure to threaten, with Luckee Floran also a chance. The day closes with the appropriately named Bullseye Birdies Cup Day Shuttle Bus in race seven, with favourite Bolta, trained by Tony Scally, back in town after winning his last two here. Meanwhile, Southern Scandal has a solid chance while our front page stars, the Julia Martin-trained Safe Hustle and Spirit Man, will also be racing for race seven glory as well as stable honours. Former Geraldton Guardian sports reporter Luke Lawson has tipped Dark Mist as a roughie at $51 in race seven.