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Simon Crisford emailed me – Mastery and Claremont are almost certainly out, the rest will be culled to a short list within the next week.
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Mastery a non runner …… there’s the biggest non surprise of the week. Rite Of Passage will need to be very special to win off that mark.
For pdf of weights – http://www.racingvictoria.net.au/p_Feature_Races_.aspx
Holberg looks to be the best weighted of the Godolphin runners and I would definitely be sending him for the race if I was calling the shots.
Rather bluntly, I don’t like the look of any of the European runners entered for the Melbourne Cup that are likely to run. I don’t know what Alandi is doing as top weight in either of the Cup races. He is a billion, trillion to one in my book.
I do hope Fanjura can improve ahead of him hopefully running in the Caulfield Cup. Perfect for the race imo.
You sound an authority on those races. What would you say are the deficiencies of Rite of Passage and Sans Frontieres in relation to them?
And why Fanjura for the Caulfield?
I’m not sure about the internationals – all I know is that I do really like Sans Frontieres and Holberg as nice types for the race.
You sound an authority on those races. What would you say are the deficiencies of Rite of Passage and Sans Frontieres in relation to them?
And why Fanjura for the Caulfield?
There are many more people around who are more of an "authority" than I will ever be.
Rite Of Passage – If I were to say the Ascot Gold Cup was a 2 mile race, and it was going to be re-run tomorrow over that distance with the same field, who would back him? I wouldn’t. I think he has a ludicrously high weight based on one race where only three horses ran to form over an extreme distance. Or if someone wants to re-phrase that; a race where arguably only three horses "truly stayed."
Sans Frontieres – High head carriage, best form on tracks with really long straights. None of his in-running notes feature the term "quickened," which is something I find interesting. I can’t see him coming out of the Irish St Leger with many positives anyway. If he wins will he get a significant penalty? If he loses will he still go for the Melbourne Cup? Galileo’s in Australia is something I’ve weighed up as well….
Fanjura produced two good wins at Caulfield earlier in the year. A light weight, can settle close to the pace if required and quickens well.
Have to agree, neither are the right type for Melbourne, Sans Frontieres can’t quicken like a 12f horse with a turn of foot, much more a grinder/stayer which are down the field time and again in Melbourne. Drunken Sailor quickened out of soft ground at Goodwood (prefers faster surface?) and has stamina to last out too, seems the best fit of the overseas lot to me.
I’m not sure about the internationals – all I know is that I do really like Sans Frontieres and Holberg as nice types for the race.
Sans Frontieres is improving with every run and if you run a line through Laaheb who won strongly today from Holberg then his form looks even better.
I like him a lot, best of the Europeans IMO.
Mastery is in the same mold as Sans Frontieres and would have been hard to beat.
It will take a ripping sort to beat Shocking anyway, his run today was signaling a repeat of last year seams most likely.
The light weight smoky is Herculian Prince, his run today at Randwick was unbelievable. He traveled wide all the way yet ran on strongly for 3rd. Caulfield Cup winner written all over the run.
I dont think that Buccellati can be completely dismissed from the chances for this race. The Memsie Stakes was well short of his best distance last week and he is just building up to the Melbourne Cup. I think that we wont see the best of him until he gets over at least 2000m. Connections have set him for the 1st Tuesday in November and I fully expect that he will line up on the day with a decent chance. 200/1 + that is being bet in Australia is an insult.
A contingent of 10 horses have entered quarantine in England in preparation for their flight to Australia for the Melbourne spring carnival.
The 10 horses now in quarantine at Newmarket will complete two weeks pre-export confinement before departing for Melbourne on September 24.
They are scheduled to arrive in Melbourne on the morning of September 25 when they will begin another three week post-arrival quarantine period at the Werribee International Horse Centre.
The time frame permits the horses to be free of quarantine in time to compete at the Caulfield Cup meeting on October 16.
Seven of the UK horses in quarantine are entered for the Caulfield Cup and/or Melbourne Cup.
The other three are to join the Victorian stable of leviathan owner Lloyd Williams when they leave quarantine.
The Australian based OTI Racing owns the Allan Swinbank-trained Stanstill and Manighar, one of the three stayers trainer Luca Cumani has placed in quarantine.
Cumani, trainer of previous Melbourne Cup placegetters Purple Moon and Bauer, is also sending Drunken Sailor and Becqu Adoree.
French stayers Americain, trained by Alain de Royer Dupre, and Laristan, are also in quarantine.
Laristan will join the David Hayes stable after being acquired by stable clients.
The Williams-acquired imports include the lightly raced Melbourne Cup entry Akzar.
The other horses joining the Williams team are recent G1 English Derby runner-up At First Sight, and three-year-olds September Morn and Amber Grey.
They will join Williams’ private trainer Robert Hickmott upon completion of their quarantine but may not race this spring.
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Nice runs by Precedence and Herculain Prince so far today. Not sure either can win the big one though. The one revelation has been the winner of the 2011 King’s Stand – HAY LIST.
Nice runs by Precedence and Herculain Prince so far today. Not sure either can win the big one though. The one revelation has been the winner of the 2011 King’s Stand – HAY LIST.
The Prince was awesome after such a hard run last week over 1400m. To step up to 2000m and win after that run proves he has a cast iron constitution.
I am biased but I hope he smashes them in the Caulfield Cup but Sans Frontieres is a shade better in the Melbourne Cup.
I was at Rosehill yesterday and Herculian Prince was stunning. He’s a damn fine horse. I think he could win the Caulfield Cup.
As for Sans Frontieres, I’ve been saying here for a few weeks that I think he’s the ideal type for the Melbourne Cup.
If anything, his win in the St Leger proved it to me.
He managed to unleash that turn of foot, and it took a good horse to come from where he was on the turn to win.
I think this year’s St Leger will stack up alright in the Melbourne Cup.
For me, he’s the best international. Monaco Consul currently the best local. And if So You Think runs, I’ll respect him massively.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/horser … s-Cup.html
Has SF really been given a 2kg penalty?
I’m not aiming to after-time, but I thought he would win yesterday. I’ve not seen the race yet, admittedly.
I thought he would get an unnecessary penalty, I just never thought it would be 2kg.
SF gave Profound Beauty around 1.5kg (1.36kg according to google) yesterday and won 3/4 length on soft ground. SF has 55kg in the Melbourne Cup, Profound Beauty is due to carry 54kg. A 1kg penalty keeps SF competitive judged on those facts in my opinion, especially in relation to the numbers the 3rd and 4th are rated currently.
Never mind, clearly Greg Carpenter thinks staying Group 1’s in Europe really are Group 1 races.
Godolphin tentatively confirms 2010 Melbourne Cup team – Campanologist, Holberg to come
Godolphin has tentatively locked in their Melbourne Cup team, with classy stayers Holberg and Campanologist being aimed at the $6 million race.
Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford confirmed to Just Horse Racing that both horses were being specifically trained for the Melbourne Cup.
While reluctant to confirm they will be in Melbourne, it is looking increasingly likely that the world’s largest racing stable will be represented down under.
Both horses look to be likely to get a run – Campanologist has 56kg and is 7th in the order of entry, while Holberg has 53.5kg and is 37th in the order.
Campanologist is a classy galloper who is coming off two Group 1 wins in Germany over 2400m in July and August.
Throughout his career, he has form against top class gallopers like Conduit, Schiaparelli, Bankable, Red Rocks, Dar Re Mi, Buena Vista and Quijano.
However, he is inconsistent at times, with poor runs seemingly coming from out of the blue. He has been better this year though.
Holberg is a lightly raced horse who has only had 11 starts.
His best victory was at Royal Ascot last year when he won a strong Queen’s Vase (3200m), which featured subsequent English St Leger winner Mastery.
He started this year with a bang, defeating fellow Melbourne Cup entrant Manighar and Lonsdale Cup winner Opinion Poll by six lengths.
However, he was slightly disappointing against Irish St Leger winner Sans Frontieres at his next start, before running a strong 2nd to Laaheb in the Group 3 September Stakes last start.
He has been looking for more distance, and the Melbourne Cup should suit perfectly.
Campanologist and Holberg join one of the strongest international contingents in memory, with representatives from the UK, Ireland, UAE, France, Japan and Hong Kong to be seen in Melbourne.
Manighar, Becqu Adoree, Drunken Sailor, Stanstill, Americain, Drunken Sailor and Tokai Trick will have a lead up run before the Melbourne Cup.
Rite of Passage, Profound Beauty, Sans Frontieres, Campanologist and Holberg will only race in the Cup.
A strong local contingent is also likely, with the likes of Shocking, Shoot Out, So You Think, Monaco Consul, Metal Bender, Rebel Raider, Dariana and Moudre high up in markets.
If it holds up, it is likely to be the strongest Melbourne Cup in recent memory.
Written by Andrew Hawkins
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