Godolphin's Melbourne Cup contenders from Europe have settled in well to the Werribee Quarantine Centre, and hopes remain high the 'Royal Blues' can finally land Australia's world-famous 'two-miler,' at Flemington on November 3.
Godolphin's Melbourne Cup contenders from Europe have settled in well to the Werribee Quarantine Centre, and hopes remain high the 'Royal Blues' can finally land Australia's world-famous 'two-miler,' at Flemington on November 3.
Sky Hunter, Elhaame and Secret Number have been sent by Saeed bin Suroor on an assignment that is very familiar to the trainer, and they completed their first significant piece of work in Australia on Monday, on the track at Werribee, 25 miles west of the Central Business District.
"I have been coming here to Melbourne for nearly 20 years now. I love the place," Saeed said.
"But, it is time that we won the Cup. We have had three seconds and one third, with some very good horses, and this year I feel we have a good chance of cracking it," he said.
Saeed is due to fly into Melbourne at the weekend. Since the horses touched down on October 10 following their 29-hour flight, door-to-door from Newmarket, UK, they have been the responsibility of Rachel Dore, travelling head girl for Godolphin.
"They have all settled in well'" she said. "They are very like humans, in that it takes time to get over the long flight and to settle back into a routine. But I feel they have done that, and I am very happy with what I am seeing, they are fresh and well," she said.
Sky Hunter did some brisk work by himself on the course proper Turf at Werribee, ambling at half-speed over the first two furlongs (400 metres) before working home strongly over five furlongs (1,000 metres), all of it completed on the bridle.
Both Elhaame and Secret Number also each worked solo, over six furlongs (1,000 metres).
Tony Howarth, who has been monitoring operations from Godolphin's UK headquarters, pointed out:
"All the serious preparation has been done already in Newmarket. It is run-of-mill stuff they are doing at present.
"It is planned for them to have one more strong piece of work, after Saeed arrives," he added.
Godolphin have had seconds in the Melbourne Cup with Central Park, Give The Slip and Crime Scene, and a third with Beekeeper.
