Geordieland heading to Melbourne

Geordieland, an excellent fourth under top weight in the Ebor last time, will have his next race in the Emirates Melbourne Cup on November 7.

The Jamie Osborne-trained stayer has been allotted 54kg (8st 7lb) in Australia’s greatest race and quarantine arrangements for the five-year-old are being finalised.

“He will not run in the Irish Leger and he will not run in the Caulfield Cup - next stop Melbourne,” Osborne said.

“We would plan to travel at the end of September.

“He’s been fantastic since York. He’s come out of that race really well.

“He’s in very good order. He’ll go there fresh, he needs no work. This horse ticks a lot of the boxes and we are more than likely going to get fast ground.

“When he was second in the Goodwood Cup it was firm ground and that was arguably one of the best runs of his life.”

Geordieland was beaten just under two lengths at York under the steadier of 9st 10lb.

Glistening and Young Mick, who were second and third on the Knavesmire, have been given 51kg (8st) and 52kg (8st 3lb) respectively in the Melbourne Cup.

“If we are 4lb better off with Young Mick for a length and three-quarters that will do,” the Lambourn trainer commented.

“I was of the opinion that had the ground remained fast at York it might have made the difference and put us two lengths further forward than we were, which would have won us the Ebor. The ground just turned against him a tad.

“Lumping big weights around like he did in the Ebor is infinitely more difficult when there is cut in the ground.

“What the ground might have done at York is get us better handicapped with Young Mick, Glistening etc.

“So if we are lucky enough to get competitive in the Melbourne Cup it could be thanks to the rain at York.”