Overseas racing in the next month will have a big bearing on international contenders at this year’s Melbourne spring carnival.
With the exception of Red Cadeaux, who is in line for a fifth shot at the Melbourne Cup after finishing second on three occasions, new names will be in contention.
Protectionist
Racing Victoria’s international scout Leigh Jordon said the travelling team from last year’s spring carnival had either been retired, were injured or remained in Australia.
Jordon is hopeful Sir Michael Stoute will make his first trip to Melbourne since Distinction ran in the 2005 Melbourne Cup.
Snow Sky, prepared by Stoute for Khalid Abdullah, the owner of Frankel, ran sixth in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes Stakes last weekend after winning the Yorkshire Cup and Hardwicke Stakes at his previous two starts.
“I’ve had some communication with Teddy Grimthorpe, the racing manager, and he said both Cups are back on the radar,” Jordon told Melbourne radio station RSN.
Jordon said looking to this week’s Glorious Goodwood meeting holds interest not only for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups but the Cox Plate.
Arod, trained by Peter Chapple-Hyam and owned by Qatar Racing, a growing force in Australian racing, has been invited to run in the Cox Plate and will line-up in the Sussex Stakes on Thursday.
Jordon said the Goodwood Cup also held interest with Trip To Paris, trained by Red Cadeaux’s trainer Ed Dunlop, a possible Melbourne Cup contender along with recent Group Two Newmarket winner Big Orange.
“In a couple of weeks there’s the York Festival, while next week is the Group Three Ballyroan, a Caulfield Cup exempt race,” Jordon said.
“Then there’s the Prix Kergorlay, the race that Protectionist won last year and Dunaden and Americain have used as well.
“There’s also the Geoffrey Freer which has had horses like Red Cadeaux and Mount Athos winning over the past three years and also on the same week in the US is the Arlington Million and the USA St Leger which we have seen horses coming out of in the past.
“At York there’s the Juddmonte International, the Lonsdale Cup, the Ebor, which we saw Mutual Regard win last year and come along.
“Those races are going to be key to see what comes out this year.”
