International Cup runners unscathed

By Australian connections,

The five international runners in Tuesday's $5.65 million Melbourne Cup at Flemington came through the race relatively unscathed, with UK stayer Munsef now likely to start in the Group Two Sandown Classic on Saturday week.Munsef, who finished 12th to Shocking, has a superficial wound to a hind leg but trainer Ian Williams said it was nothing serious.Williams said he was far from disappointed with the eight-year-old's effort considering the trouble he ran into over the last 800m."It would have be

Munsef, who finished 12th to Shocking, has a superficial wound to a hind leg but trainer Ian Williams said it was nothing serious.

Williams said he was far from disappointed with the eight-year-old's effort considering the trouble he ran into over the last 800m.

"It would have been better if he had finished in the first 10 and earned some prizemoney, but 12th in a Melbourne Cup when he was only about six lengths from the winner was a good effort as far as I am concerned," he said.

It was Williams' first runner in the Cup and he said he would love to come back again if he can find the right horse.

The $350,000 Sandown Cup (2400m) is run under weight-for-age conditions.

Both Crime Scene, who exceeded most expectations with his gallant second, and the fast-finishing third placegetter Mourilyan ran arguably the best races of their careers.

Godolphin's head trainer Saeed bin Suroor said he was not at all disappointed with having to settle for another second placing in the Melbourne Cup, their third since first tackling the race in 1998.

"We will keep coming back until we win it," he said.

"Maybe we will bring more horses next time in case one breaks down."

Crime Scene arrived this year as the second stringer to Kirklees who did not accept for the race because the trainer felt the horse did not look 100 per cent upon inspection last Saturday morning.

"Kirklees is a much better horse than Crime Scene," he said.

South African trainer Herman Brown was delighted with Mourilyan because he feared the horse would not get so close given the way the 3200m handicap was run.

"It turned into an 800-metre sprint and he has to be ridden quietly so I was thrilled with the way he finished it off," he said.

Although Warringah finished last after leading for much of the way, the lack of genuine pace was also against him because he was unable to pick up and sprint when the speed went on.

Warringah leaves Sandown on Wednesday or Thursday and, after a spell, Rosehill trainer Chris Waller will prepare the five-year-old for the autumn carnival.

Charlie Henson, assistant trainer for the Luca Cumani stable, also said the way the race was run did nothing to help the chances of Basaltico who finished 18th.

"He needs genuine pace on all the way to show his best and although I know the Cup can be a stop-start race they were only hacking along when they went past the post the first time," Henson said.

Henson said he was not sure if Basaltico, who is now 50 per cent owned by Australian connections, would remain in Australia or return to Cumani's Newmarket stable in the UK.