News

English trainer Luca Cumani plans Melbourne Cup raid

20th Jun 2011

Herald Sun - Tim Habel - Monday, 20 June 2011

ENGLISH trainer Luca Cumani's Melbourne Cup team is gathering momentum after the Royal Ascot meeting.

Cumani, a regular visitor in the past decade for two Cup seconds, Purple Moon (2007) and Bauer (2008), has Manighar and Drunken Sailor likely to repeat their visits from last year.

Manighar finished fourth to Fame And Glory in the 4000m Ascot Gold Cup on Friday, while Drunken Sailor ran third in the 2400m Hardwicke Stakes.

Mainghar's Melbourne part-owner Terry Henderson said Cumani rated the effort a career-best run.

They also have Chilean Derby runner-up Sahara Sun pencilled in for a Cups campaign. Cumani also has Afsare, who will run in the Group 3 Curragh Cup (2800m) in Ireland next week as another possible raider.

Cumani said Drunken Sailor connections were keen on another trip to Australia for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.

Hardwicke runner-up Harris Tweed, not to be confused with the New Zealand stayer of the same name, is also a possible visitor, as is Gold Cup third Brigantin, trained in France by Andre Fabre.