The fashionistas' tip for the Melbourne Cup should be Monaco Consul.
The New Zealand-owned stallion will parade before the $A6 million ($NZ7.74million) Cup in pacifiers, a cross-over noseband and tongue tie.
True, Buccellati has bits, a cross-over noseband, a noseroll and a visor, but that is too much of a clash. Besides which he's paying more than $250 to win on the tote.
Monaco Consul's trainer Mike Moroney, who has stables on the Melbourne Cup complex and at Matamata, has not been afraid to experiment with the gear on Monaco Consul to keep the stallion's mind on the job.
Racing tipster Ron Dufficy had his audience guffawing on the Racing Retro show on Sunday when he described Monaco Consul as "wearing more accessories than Paris Hilton".
It got a chuckle too from New Zealand shoe company boss Gerard Peterson, who owns the galloper with freight magnate Owen Glenn.
"I thought it was hilarious and Ron was right. The horse has got everything on him. It's because he is inclined to do a few things wrong. He is a stallion and as Roger James (another NZ trainer) said, he is aware of his masculinity."
The pacifiers are a good tip towards Monaco Consul's chances.
He had them on for his two group one wins as a three-year-old, the Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick, and the Victoria Derby at Flemington.
He also had them on when he ran third at his last start, behind Descarado and Harris Tweed in the Caulfield Cup.
Peterson, who experienced Melbourne Cup glory as a part-owner of Brew - also trained by Moroney - in 2000, is expecting a big run from Monaco Consul.
"His form has been patchy, but on his day he is as good as any of them. Mike thinks he has got him cherry ripe for this race."
Peterson is expecting a better ride from Craig Williams than his effort in the Caulfield Cup. "He got to the front too soon and the horse came to the end of his run halfway up the straight and battled well and ran third. He should be waiting for the last run tomorrow."
Peterson coined the name Monaco Consul from the scrap that Glenn had with New Zealand First party leader and former racing minister Winston Peters that went all the way to Parliament's privileges committee two years ago.
Glenn, who had a home in Monaco and wanted to be New Zealand's consul there, had given Peters a $100,000 donation, but Peters denied it. Eventually Glenn gave evidence to the privileges committee and Peters was censured by Parliament for giving false or misleading information about the donation.
"I was taking the mickey on Owen when I named it," Peterson said. "It was no slight on Winston. Racing has gone downhill since he has been off the scene. I think the racing industry needs him back."
The New Zealand TAB had Monaco Consul at a fixed odds price of $18 today. The odds were better in Australia, with Tabcorp offering $29 and Centrebet $31.
Peterson, who also owns a share of another Cup runner in Bauer, said it would be amazing if Monaco Consul were able to beat race favourite So You Think, who trounced his opposition in the Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington on Saturday.
"That run was amazing. He is something of a superstar."
• Pacifiers are mesh eye-covers used to calm horses down. If the Flemington track is rated a heavy 10 or worse tomorrow, Monaco Consul will not be able to wear them because mud can stick to them.
