2022 Melbourne Cup Flemington

Ben and JD Hayes have secured a serious Melbourne Cup contender after the owner who manages Shane Warne's horse purchased an eye-catching Irish import.

Camorra comes with impressive credentials having won the Group 2 Curragh Cup (2816m) in June – the same race won by imports Rekindling and Twilight Payment before their respective Melbourne Cup wins in 2017 and 2020.

Vintage Crop won the 1993 Curragh Cup before famously becoming the first northern hemisphere-trained runner to win the Melbourne Cup.

Camorra has been purchased by Jarred Magnabosco from Best Bloodstock who is the managing owner of Sacred Oath, the David Vandyke-trained Queensland sprinter who has been part-owned by cricket legend Warne who tragically died earlier this year.

It is a massive boost for Lindsay Park and the Hayes’ brothers to have a legitimate Melbourne Cup contender.

It was thought the Hayes brothers would be training equal $15 favourite Loft for the Melbourne Cup however that horse will now race in the Cup for its current trainer Marcel Weiss.

TAB has Camorra as a $34 Melbourne Cup chance and JD Hayes feels the six-year-old will give the great race a mighty shake.

“This horse has got established form lines into the Melbourne Cup, for a long time the Curragh Cup has been a good form race,” JD Hayes told News Corp.

“He should get in with a nice weight.

“He has got a bit of age behind him so he has had a few pre-seasons under the belt and I think he will be able to absorb the pressure of a Melbourne Cup and be able to kick hard.

“I’ve been loving what I’ve been seeing from watching his videos and I’m very interested to know him more.

“We will be using the guidance of Ger Lyons, his current trainer, as much as possible.

“I think this horse will be a legitimate player in the Melbourne Cup, he looks like he is in the prime of his career.

“We just need the horse to travel well and we are cooking with gas.”

Camorra, who has had 16 starts for four wins, with remain in the care of Lyons for one more European run in the Group 1 Irish St Leger in September before jetting to Lindsay Park in Australia.

JD Hayes says he is planning a trip with Magnabosco to be on track for the Irish St Leger.

Magnabosco also has unbeaten three-year-old colt Tijuana with Lindsay Park and on a spring mission to attack the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas.

He believes Camorra will be a proper Melbourne Cup player.

“The horse is very versatile, he can be on pace and setting a quick tempo and be brave fighting off challengers, but he’s also a horse who can take a sit and show a turn of foot,” Magnabosco said.

“That’s why I thought he would make a really good two mile Handicap horse and be a serious challenger for the 2022 Melbourne Cup.”

Ben and JD Hayes will be trying to follow in their famous father’s footsteps and win the Melbourne Cup after David Hayes won the great race with Jeune in 1994.