Irishman Colm O’Donoghue will forgo rides in Japan to partner Jakkalberry in the Caulfield Cup ahead of his Melbourne Cup bid.
The Marco Botti-trained English horse, who will race under the Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock (ATB) banner, was among a contingent of European raiders who arrived in Australia on Saturday.
Darren Dance of ATB said he wanted the same rider in both races and the jockey has rearranged his schedule.
“He’s had to cancel some rides in Japan to come here because there are a lot of clashes around the Caulfield Cup,” Dance said.
“It’s Champions Day in Ireland and there’s a big day in Japan.”
“I said to him that if he couldn’t ride at Caulfield he couldn’t ride in the Melbourne Cup and he said he’d definitely be right to ride in both because he wanted to ride in the Melbourne Cup.
O’Donoghue spent some time in Melbourne more than a decade ago when he rode for Lee Freedman.
He has had one ride in the Melbourne Cup, finishing last on Honolulu in 2008.
O’Donoghue is one of Europe’s leading riders and is part of the Coolmore operation in Ireland.
Dance said O’Donohue’s winning ride on Jakkalberry in the American St Leger in August had been a defining factor.
“He rode him in the American St Leger and we were pretty happy with the way he rode him,” he said.
“That race was on a flat, turning track like we have here at Caulfield and at Flemington and the way he rode that horse was faultless.”
Jakkalberry is one of two northern hemisphere gallopers ATB will be trying to win major races with this spring with Tac de Boistron to race under Cranbourne trainer Mick Kent’s name.
He also arrived on Saturday with Christophe Soumillon the leading contender to ride him.
