Melbourne Cup 2010

It was a very good win to Metal Bender. Good effort for the trainer to have the 1-2-3 as well. All three look dangerous for the Spring. Not sure we can take much from the Melbourne form today with a horribly biased track on offer.

I’ll just copy this from TBV, I’m sure you won’t mind!

The quinella from last night’s Prix Kergorlay at Deauville, Americain (winner) and Manighar (runner up) all but booked their trip to Melbourne for the Melbourne Cup.

While Manighar has been Cumani’s prime hope for a while (he’s been disappointing though), it wasn’t known if Americain would make the trip.

Leigh Jordon said that he was unlikely to get a weight which would get him into the race. However, having won his last three, including today’s race, you’d say now he’d receive a weight which should see him get in.

He is trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre, probably France’s leading trainer. That is no loss whatsoever, with Royer-Dupre having trained international winners like Daryakana (HK Vase), Linngari (placed in many international races and won in Italy, Dubai, Germany), Pride (HK Cup) and Lashkari (Breeders’ Cup Turf).

And he trained the great mare Zarkava.

According to the Racing Post, both will now enter quarantine to come to Melbourne.

That means that the confirmed Europeans to come so far are Drunken Sailor, Manighar and Americain. Sans Frontieres is quite likely, and Illustrious Blue probably will still come.

The Irish St Leger on September 11 may provide more answers.

Meiner Kitz is still likely, despite his 7th in the Sapporo Kinen (2000m) yesterday. In yesterday’s race, he was timed to run 2:00.4 for 2000m, amazingly quick time which would have easily won the Mackinnon the last few years.

Tokai Trick may be here too.

I’d say, however, that if you want to run in the Caulfield Cup, you’d pretty much want to know by now and have to be pretty close to entering quarantine.

The first planeload of internationals arrives next weekend, with Macau gallopers Luen Yat Forever and Good Control arriving – the former may run in the Cox Plate.

Akzar has been bought by Lloyd Williams! He really wants the 150th Cup. He’s been nominated for The Metropolitan in early October.

Luca Cumani’s Melbourne Cup assault becoming clearer

* Alan Lee
* From: The Times
* August 26, 2010 2:55PM

TWO heroic failures have merely reinforced Luca Cumani’s ambition to win the Melbourne Cup.

Bauer, absent through injury since being foiled by a nose two years ago, could be one of three contenders for the Newmarket trainer at Flemington on November 2.

Cumani’s love of international racing is stimulated by Australia’s greatest prize.

Bauer was his second successive runner-up, following Purple Moon in 2007, but the frustrations have done nothing to dampen his determination.

Three horses from the wise Italian’s stable will be listed when the weights are revealed next week but Cumani admits: "Bauer is still an imponderable but Manighar and Drunken Sailor are definitely going and will start their quarantine on September 8 before flying out a fortnight later.

"Bauer is part-owned by Simon O’Donnell, the former Australia all-rounder, adding to the intrigue in an Ashes winter. Before his bid is confirmed, though, he must prove his wellbeing on the racecourse, starting either at Goodwood or Windsor on Saturday."

It will be a last-minute decision depending on the ground," Cumani said yesterday.

"He doesn’t like it soft so we will go where conditions are best. After such a long time off, one run won’t be sufficient, so we will look for another race before deciding if he is to travel.

"He had a tendon injury, which always leaves a question mark. The seeds of it were sown in his Cup run two years ago and it has been a long road back. You can never be confident from one day to the next but he has coped with all the work so far."

Cumani admits to confused emotions after Bauer’s agonising defeat.

"Pride and frustration, a bit of both," he said. "I am always happy when they run well but to come so close for a second time was deflating, too."

He feels his hand is strong, this year, and Kieren Fallon, the stable jockey, is likely to face a challenging choice of mount. Fallon was second on the fast-finishing Manighar in a group race at Deauville last weekend and has another chance to weigh up Drunken Sailor in the Windflower March Stakes at Goodwood on Saturday.

"I’ve been surprised by Drunken Sailor’s progress," Cumani confessed.

"We bought him for a Dubai campaign but he has run very consistently back on the turf over here. I was delighted with Manighar on Sunday and, finally, we seem to be in tune with each other.

"They will both have time to acclimatise in Australia and will each run once before Flemington, one of them in the Caulfield Cup and the other in Geelong. If Bauer makes the trip, he will go straight for the Cup."

Cumani is enjoying a fruitful summer on home soil, the partnership with Fallon complemented by the development of J.P. Guillambert, whose double for the yard last Saturday featured the latest step in the rehabilitation of Seta after her flop in the 1,000 Guineas.

The Times

I’ve taken a bit of interest in another one of Lloyd’s, Martial Law. Was balloted out of the 1500m race at the Valley tomorrow, but is nom’d for 1800m at Sandown next Wednesday.

Finally got a start yesterday over 1700 at Caulfield and it was a really nice effort. Settled 2nd last, drifted widest at the turn and ran on well to get past the main group. Finished an easing 7th of 15, six lengths off a dominant winner but less than three lengths from 2nd.

Shamoline Warrior has a slight strain ( no tear ) at the insertion of the distal sesamoidean ligament on the back of the pastern bone. He’ll be off for two months before a month of rehab. A real shame for connections. The horse was 100% sound in the legs prior to this and is expected to make a full recovery and return to racing.

Struggling to see what Godolphin have that’s anywhere near good enough tbh