News

Trainer Mike de Kock has Melbourne Cup in sights

12th Jul 2009

Herald Sun - Adrian Dunn - Monday, 13 July 2009

GLOBE-TROTTING trainer Mike de Kock has the Melbourne spring carnival on his radar.

De Kock, who this season set up a base in England, has told Racing Victoria's international scout Leigh Jordon he has former Aidan O'Brien stablemates Macarthur and King Of Rome in mind for Melbourne's spring carnival.

Macarthur won last year's 2400m Hardwicke Stakes at the Royal Ascot meeting and was placed behind Duke Of Marmalade in the 2400m Coronation Cup at Epsom for O'Brien.

The rising six-year-old failed to fire in three runs for de Kock in Dubai. He hasn't started since finishing second last in the Sheema Classic.

King Of Rome also campaigned in Dubai with modest success.

Jordon also received favourable feedback from trainers Sir Michael Stoute and Jane Chapple-Hyam and Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford.

Stoute won the Princess Of Wales's Stakes (2400m) at Newmarket on Friday with Doctor Fremantle, a high-quality stayer.

Doctor Fremantle, fourth in the Epsom Derby last year, has won two of his three runs this campaign.

Godolphin's Schiaparelli finished third behind Doctor Fremantle on Friday at his first run this year.

Schiaparelli was handicapped at 56kg for both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups last year. He has since won Group 1 races in Italy and Germany.

Crisford told Jordon that winning the Melbourne Cup remained a "high priority" for Godolphin.

"Simon told me that winning the Caulfield Cup with All The Good was their biggest success last year," Jordon said.

All The Good has not recovered from the injury that caused him to miss the Melbourne Cup and is not expected to be among Godolphin's Cup entries.

Chapple-Hyam said she would like to campaign Judgethemoment in Melbourne and would assess the situation after the horse ran in the 3200m Goodwood Cup on July 30.

Jordon also met trainer Luca Cumani, who confirmed Bauer, expected to resume this month, as a definite starter. Cumani said he hoped to bring another horse to accompany last year's Melbourne Cup runner-up.

While Cumani's Presvis, runner-up in the Singapore International, is on the RVL wish list, Jordon said the horse was more likely to head to Hong Kong's international day in December.

Jordon will meet O'Brien and Dermot Weld in Ireland before he heads to France to sell the spring carnival to Pascal Bary, trainer of Gloria de Campeao, winner of the Singapore International.