Leading Melbourne Cup hope Cleveland to miss Spring Carnival and stay at home
Joseph O’Brien’s challenge for a third win in the Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) has been weakened after it was revealed that leading hope Cleveland (Camelot) will not travel to Australia to take part in the Spring Carnival.
The highly regarded Chester Cup (2m 2.5f) winner had figured on the second line of the betting for the November 1 contest at Flemington, with a syndicate which features Lloyd and Nick Williams having bought into the northern hemisphere four-year-old prior to his second behind stablemate Gear Up (Teofilo) in the Ballyroan Stakes (Gr 3, 1m 4f) at Leopardstown early last month.
O’Brien revealed on Wednesday night that the favoured options for Cleveland were now the Irish St Leger (Gr 1, 1m 6f) at the Curragh on September 11, as well as either the Irish Cesarewitch (2m) at the Curragh on September 25 or the Long Distance Cup (Gr 2, 2m) at Ascot on October 15.
Speaking to ANZ Bloodstock News yesterday, Nick Williams said: “We’ve just decided we’re going to run him in the Leger and then probably go to the Cesarewitch and Long Distance Cup.
“We just don’t think he’s quite seasoned enough yet [for a trip to Melbourne].
“He had the CT Scans yesterday but we decided [his schedule] before the results came out. I think he will be one for next year. If we look after him, he’ll look after us.”
The news that Cleveland will not be heading south further weakened O’Brien’s Carnival challenge, coming hot on the heels of the surprise news that State Of Rest (Starspangledbanner) will not be attempting to defend his title in the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) after it was revealed he had suffered a career–ending injury and will now take up stud duties.
Racing Victoria yesterday released details regarding international horses who have been granted provisional approval to travel via the Werribee International Horse Centre (WIHC) as part of the Victorian Spring Racing Carnival.
The first shipment will consist of El Bodegon (Kodiac), who will join Chris Waller, My Oberon (Dubawi) and Night Endeavor (Shalaa), who are to be trained by Annabel Neasham and the Ciraon Maher and David Eustace partnership respectively, and Melbourne Cup hope Rodrigo Diaz (Gold Horn), who will remain in the care of David Simcock.
These horses will be required to enter pre-export quarantine in the UK on Monday and pass a physical examination by an RV appointed vet before being cleared to conduct their quarantine at the WIHC upon arrival in Victoria. Also scheduled to join this group on the first shipment is the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Artorious (Flying Artie) who is returning home after competing in the UK and France.
Those horses granted provisional approval to travel via the WIHC as part of the second shipment are Camorra (Zoffany), who is set to continue his racing in the care of Ben and JD Hayes, and the European-trained Melbourne Cup challengers Loft (Adlerflug) and Without A Fight (Teofilo). These horses will be required to enter quarantine in the UK on September 26.
As well as Cleveland and State Of Rest, other Europeans who had been entered for races at the Carnival but who will not now be travelling are Northern Ruler (Ruler Of The World) and Tashkhan (Born To Sea), as well as the recent Ebor Handicap (1m 6f) winner Trawlerman (Golden Horn).