Lloyd Williams adds Cleveland to his Melbourne Cup squad
- Breaking news and latest betting for the 2022 Melbourne Cup
- Owner Lloys Williams has purchased Chester Cup winner Cleveland
- The four-year-old will now be trained by Joseph O'Brien
- Ladbrokes cut Cleveland into 16/1 for the Melbourne Cup following the news

Lloyd Williams lead owner (2nd L), trainer Joseph O'Brien (L) , jockey Corey Brown and Emirates' Barry Brown (R) hold their trophies after their horse Rekindling won the 157th Melbourne Cup at Flemington. (Getty)
Chester Cup winner, Cleveland was cut into 16/1 for the 2022 Melbourne Cup after the four-year-old was purchased by leading owner, Lloyd Williams.
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Williams is no stranger to Melbourne Cup success, having lifted the famous trophy on five occasions. Joseph O'Brien has handed Williams the Melbourne Cup twice in the last five years, scoring with Rekindling in 2017 and Twilight Payment two years ago.
With Twilight Payment now retired, Williams has been looking for another Cup horse and it seems he may have found the ideal candidate.
On his first start over a trip further than 10 furlongs, Cleveland won the Chester Cup for Aidan O'Brien. Another excellent performance followed at Royal Ascot, where Ryan Moore's mount was narrowly denied in the Copper Horse Handicap by Get Shirty, who's boosted that form with another high-profile handicap win since.
News broke over the weekend that Williams had moved to purchase Cleveland from the Coolmore operation and training duties will be passed on from Aidan to his eldest son, Joseph. Naturally, talk of a tilt at the Melbourne Cup followed, with Ladbrokes cutting Cleveland into 16/1 from 20s.
The top two from last year's main event at Flemington, Verry Elleegant and Incentivise currently top Ladbrokes' Melbourne Cup market. Cleveland sits joint-third in the market, alongside Australian Cup winner, Duais and two Japanese raiders, Stay Foolish and T O Royal.
Joseph O'Brien has also confirmed that stable star State Of Rest could have the final start of his career in the 2022 Cox Plate.
State Of Rest won his second Group One in the 2021 renewal of the Cox Plate. Since then, O'Brien's star has added the Prix Ganay and the Prince Of Wales's Stakes to his resume, and the team will now target the defense of his Cox Plate crown.
*Melbourne Cup betting with Ladbrokes (UK)*
12/1 Incentivise, Verry Elleegant, 16/1 Duais, Cleveland, T O Royal, Stay Foolish, 20/1 Bar
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