Will he or won't he? This is the question surrounding UK stayer Sans Frontiere and the likelihood of a Melbourne Cup start. Talk is that the 2kgs penalty he copped for winning the Irish St Leger will prompt connections to decide against an Aussie raid. Handicapper Greg Carpenter lifted Sans Frontieres' weight from 55kgs to 57kgs for his win over 2800m at the Curragh last Saturday. Connections are expected to make a decision over the next 48 hours. Sans Frontieres is now exempt from the Melbourne
Will he or won't he? This is the question surrounding UK stayer Sans Frontiere and the likelihood of a Melbourne Cup start. Talk is that the 2kgs penalty he copped for winning the Irish St Leger will prompt connections to decide against an Aussie raid. Handicapper Greg Carpenter lifted Sans Frontieres' weight from 55kgs to 57kgs for his win over 2800m at the Curragh last Saturday. Connections are expected to make a decision over the next 48 hours. Sans Frontieres is now exempt from the Melbourne Cup ballot.
Stathi Katsidis is copping sprays from just about everywhere for his less than ideal ride on Shoot Out in the Dato Tan at the Valley. Question now is this: How loyal is trainer John Wallace going to be to the Queensland rider? Many southern experts are saying SK can't hack it in Melbourne. Veteran turf scribbler Ken Callander, writing in the Daily Telegraph, says: 'Shoot Out would not have beaten Whobegotyou on Saturday if they had let him start early, but Stathi Katsidis' ride on the Queenslander was sub par. Top Melbourne hoops, Michael Rodd and Luke Nolen, treated Katsidis like a 4kg-claiming apprentice by letting him take the rails going, which was like quicksand, while they strolled around the outside to fight the race out.' PPM's longtime columnist The Optimist is even more scathing. He says: 'Another appalling ride... Send him home and give the ride to someone who understands Melbourne! '