Murphy gets Cup ride on Sarrera

Updated November 5 2012 - 2:59pm, first published October 30 2007 - 10:35am

BALLARAT apprentice jockey Sebastian Murphy will have his first Melbourne Cup ride on Tuesday.Murphy was yesterday engaged to take the mount on the Mike Moroney-trained Sarrera in the $5 million race which stops a nation.He accepted the ride on this year's Warrnambool Cup winner after ruling himself out as the possible jockey for Stawell stayer Dolphin Jo on weight grounds.Sarrera has 51.5 kilograms - 0.5kg more than Dolphin Jo, which is also walking a tight rope as to whether he will get a run. Murphy's regular riding weight is 53kg, but does not expect any trouble getting down to Sarrera's weight.He rode Sirmione in the Caulfield Cup with 51.5kg.Murphy opened the spring with Leica Falcon as his best prospect for a Melbourne Cup ride.However, Leica Falcon managed just the one run - his first and only since the 2005 Melbourne Cup - before the equine influenza shutdown stopped the comeback galloper crossing the Murray River from New South Wales. Dolphin Jo then became Murphy's main hope.He has ridden Dolphin Jo in each of the gelding's seven runs this campaign, including a win in the listed Cummings Stakes, 2530m.Dolphin Joe received a 1kg penalty for that run, but needed to take out the group two Moonee Valley Cup, 2500m, on Saturday to take him further up the weights to keep Murphy in the saddle.Although Murphy has not ridden Sarrera since March this year, he been aboard the seven-year-old four times - twice in September last year and twice in March for minor placings in Ballarat and at Moonee Valley.Sarrera has a low-key preparation for the Melbourne Cup, with his latest run being a fourth to Emerald Jack in the Cranbourne Cup, 2025m, on October 14, when ridden by Greg Childs.Moroney will round out Sarrera's build-up with a track gallop at Werribee on Saturday.

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