All clear for Godolphin Melbourne Cup team

Hartnell, Godolphin’s leading contender for Tuesday’s A$6m G1 Melbourne Cup, continued his preparation with some light exercise at Flemington on Sunday morning that earned a quiet nod of approval from trainer John O’Shea.

A day after completing his final piece of serious work, Hartnell appeared in perfect order as the finishing touches to his Cup campaign were applied.

“He did his main gallop on Saturday,” O’Shea said.

“It’s now a matter of keeping him ticking over. stretching his legs, keeping him relaxed.

“If the race was tomorrow we’d be ready.”

Hartnell drew ideally in barrier 12 for the 3200m race, a gate that should give jockey James McDonald a number of options as the field sorts itself out in the 1000m run to the first turn.

One of five Godolphin runners in the race, Hartnell will be joined on Tuesday by Oceanographer (Charlie Appleby/Chad Schofield), Qewy (Charlie Appleby/Craig Williams), Secret Number (Saeed bin Suroor/Stephen Baster) and Beautiful Romance (Saeed bin Suroor/Damian Lane).

As Hartnell exercised at Flemington, Oceanographer had a jog at Werribee where he remains in quarantine while Qewy also did light work.

Godolphin’s remaining runners, Beautiful Romance and Secret Number were accompanied for the first time by their local riders in a more vigorous workout on the all-weather track at Werribee under the watchful eye of trainer Saeed bin Suroor who is supervising his 22nd Melbourne Cup campaign for Godolphin.

“Beautiful Romance has settled in very nicely and she’s happy,” Saeed said.

“The jockey was also happy with her, he likes her, and I’m also very pleased with her condition.”

Secret Number, who is on his second trip to Melbourne, having finished second to Dandino in the G2 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Flemington this time last year, is also pleasing his trainer.

“Physically he looks much better than last year, he’s more quiet and more relaxed,” Saeed said.