Europeans pass Melbourne Cup examination
In the interest of fairness, all the top 35-ranked horses had to be looked at by Racing Victoria vets, with the final declarations for the 24-strong field to be made on Saturday afternoon.
Dermot Weld’s Profound Beauty had been found to be slightly lame on Thursday and it was not until Friday morning that she got the go-ahead, with the trainer listening on the phone waiting to pack his bags for Australia.
It was an even closer shave for Luca Cumani’s Bauer, who had been troubled by a hoof and was not given the green light until late afternoon, according to the local Herald Sun newspaper.
The grey, who was second in 2008, is number 24 in the elimination order and should be assured of getting a start, but could still be knocked out as an automatic place is given to the winner of the Lexus Stakes on Saturday. Other British raiders, Illustrious Blue and Godolphin’s Campanologist and Eastern Aria, were passed fit, but Godolphin’s Holberg, who is most unlikely to make the cut, is being treated for a hoof complaint.
The main local interest for the 150th Melbourne Cup now concerns Saturday’s Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington where the top two in Tuesday’s betting, Shocking and So You Think, are to meet. Legendary Australian trainer Bart Cummings, who had to be admitted to hospital this week with a chest infection, produced So You Think to win the Cox Place on his latest start, but there are concerns about his ability to stay the two-mile trip.
