Godolphin stayer Qewy will test his readiness for a second attempt at the Melbourne Cup when he runs at Bendigo.
Qewy’s first trip to Melbourne last year resulted in the Charlie Appleby-trained stayer winning the Geelong and Sandown Cups either side of running fourth to Almandin in the 2017 Melbourne Cup.
He returned to Australia with stablemate Francis Of Assisi, the 2016 Bendigo Cup winner, and Kidmenever and Folkswood.
A pelvic injury stopped Francis Of Assisi while Kidmenever had a case of the thumps when unplaced in the Herbert Power Stakes at Caulfield on October 14.
Folkswood won the Cranbourne Cup before finishing third behind Winx in Saturday’s Cox Plate.
Qewy has his first start this spring in Wednesday’s Bendigo Cup (2400m).
Appleby’s travelling foreman Chris Connett expects Qewy to run a big race on Wednesday.
“Our plan with him is to go forward and let him roll along a little bit and let his stamina come to the fore,” Connett said.
“I think he’s got to go and win nicely to be knocking on the door for a start in the Cup but the way he’s been training we think he can do that.”
Connett says the race won’t be easy with only six opponents.
“There’s a horse in there, Kiwia, that won a Group Three really well the other day,” he said.
Connett said Folkswood had recovered well from his Cox Plate placing.
A decision on whether he runs in the Emirates Stakes at Flemington on November 11 will be left to Appleby.
“He had a light canter today, his first one back,” Connett said.
“He seems to have taken the race well. His weight is just where we want it to be and Charlie will make a decision, but from the start of the carnival we’ve kind of said that’s where we want to go with him.”
