With the lack of international flights directly into Melbourne, international trainers are struggling to get their staff into the country before their horses arrive.
The likelihood of international participation in the 2021 Caulfield Cup appears remote with overseas trainers struggling to get staff into the country.
Australian Bloodstock part-owned Rodrigo Diaz looks to be one casualty as UK trainer David Simcock cannot get staff on any direct flights into Melbourne.
Rodrigo Diaz is due to enter pre-travel quarantine next week and it was hoped Simcock would have staff in Melbourne to greet him after undergoing two weeks hotel quarantine.
Australian Bloodstock’s Jamie Lovett said the staff flying to Melbourne need to be on a plane in the next 48 hours to complete their quarantine before Rodrigo Diaz was due to arrive.
The first shipment of horses for the Melbourne Spring Carnival is due to arrive on September 25 while the second load is due two weeks later.
And Lovett said if they wait for the second shipment there was still no guarantee of getting arriving.
“We’ve been trying to get these boys on flights for a couple of weeks, but we haven’t got close,” Lovett told RSN.
Lovett said they had hoped to get Rodrigo Diaz to Australia to give him a run prior to the 2021 Melbourne Cup and hopefully win his way into the race at Flemington on November 2.
But the most likely path is to now run in the Doncaster Cup on Saturday.
“The horse is going to run at Doncaster and to be fair he’s going to have to run very well,” Lovett said.
While getting staff into Australia is causing concern for internationally trained horses, the problem will not affect horses on a “one-way ticket”.
Australian Bloodstock acquisition Gold Trip is set to go into training with Ciaron Maher and David Eustace when he arrives from the UK.
“He passed all the tests Racing Victoria introduced with flying colours and he’ll enter quarantine,” Lovett said.
“Harry Eustace has been looking after him. We’re looking forward to getting him out here and then Ciaron and David will take him over at Werribee.”
