All change at Side Hill as new horses enter facility
The quartet, which comprises British raiders Nakeeta (Sixties Icon), Marmelo (Duke Of Marmalade), Muntahaa (Dansili) and Magic Circle (Makfi), INSERT DATES HERE
The Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) bound Nakeeta finished a very creditable fifth behind Rekindling (High Chaparral) in last year’s renewal of the Flemington showpiece, while Hughie Morrison’s Marmelo (Duke Of Marmalade) is also back for more having finished sixth and ninth in the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups respectively during last year’s Spring Carnival.
John Gosden’s Muntahaa (Dansili), an emphatic winner of the Ebor (1m6f), Europe’s richest handicap contest, at his last start will also head for the Melbourne Cup on what will be his first foray outside of England.
Magic Circle (Makfi) has continued to go from strength to strength since joining the Ian Williams stable and is unbeaten for the Portway handler, having won both the Chester Cup (2m2½f) and Henry II Stakes (Gr 3, 2m) by six lengths on his most recent two outings. The Melbourne Cup-bound six-year-old will have the assistance of Corey Brown on November 6, who partnered Rekindling (High Chaparral) to victory in last year’s renewal of the race.
Meanwhile over in Ireland, Irish Derby (Gr 1, 1m4f) hero Latrobe (Camelot) entered quarantine ahead of a possible tilt at the Melbourne Cup for last year’s winning connections.
Prior to finishing runner-up in the Irish St Leger (Gr 1, 1m6f) at his last start his trainer Joseph O’Brien had mooted concerns over the three-year-old’s stamina, but those worries were assuaged with a fine second behind Flag Of Honour (Galileo) at the Curragh earlier this month.
“We haven’t made a final decision yet, but Latrobe has gone into quarantine and the Melbourne Cup looks the most likely option,” O’Brien said on Thursday.
“If he doesn’t go to Australia then he’d be unlikely to race again until next year.”