Freedman horse in Cup plunge

By Mark Ryan

MELBOURNE, Aug 18 AAP - Lee Freedman was to fly out for England on Thursday night to oversee the preparation of well-supported Melbourne Cup prospect, German galloper Lucas Cranach.

Lucas Cranach has won five of his nine starts and will be prepared under the Anthony Freedman banner.

The entire is a son of Mamool, a dual Group One winner in Germany who ran last as favourite in the 2003 Melbourne Cup and seventh the following year.

"I'm going over to take over the horse's campaign on behalf of Anthony and bring him back to Australia," Lee Freedman said.

"Quarantine starts early September and finishes about the 21st or 22nd of September so he'll be on the way back then."

A five-year-old by southern hemisphere time, Lucas Cranach was prepared by Sasha Smrczek but has been purchased by the Australian Bloodstock Syndicate which has Illustrious Blue who was ninth in last year's Melbourne Cup.

Lucas Cranach was a Group Two winner over 2400m at Hamburg in June before finishing fifth, beaten 5-1/2 lengths, in a Group One event over 2400m at Hoppegarten on July 24.

"He's also won in France," Freedman said.

Betstar's Alan Eskander said Lucas Cranach had been the medium of two "decent goes" in recent weeks and had firmed from $101 to $26 for the Cup.

"Two weeks ago, we laid a bet of $500 at $101 to win $50,000 and on Thursday we've laid $3000 each-way at $51 on him," he said.

"He possesses a thrilling last-to-first style of racing and has the potential to be a real crowd favourite."

Centrebet's Neil Evans said Lucas Cranach had been backed to win more than $200,000 in the Melbourne Cup and had firmed from $101 to $31.

"It's a remarkable move on a galloper we knew little about," he said.

Lucas Cranach was matched at $400 on Betfair but is down to $26 with more than $2,500 in bets having been matched.