FIVE European horses remain in the picture to participate in The Championships. Connections of Caulfield and Melbourne Cup winner Dunaden, twice Melbourne Cup runner-up Red Cadeaux, Mackinnon Stakes winner Side Glance, Cox Plate runner Mull Of Killough and Group 1 English sprinter Gordon Lord Byron are still in the mix for the Sydney carnival.
Ian Mackay, the CEO of The Championships, said a commitment would be needed within a fortnight so quarantine arrangements could be finalised.
Mackay said the European horses would need to begin their quarantine at Longstones, Newmarket before nominations for The Championships close on February 17.
Dunaden and Red Cadeaux, which provided the quinella in the 2011 Melbourne Cup, could run in the $1.5 million BMW (2400 m) on April 5 and then progress to either the $1 million Schweppes Sydney Cup (3200 m) or target the $4 million Queen Elizabeth (2000 m) on April 19.
Side Glance and Mull Of Killough would end up in the Queen Elizabeth, but with quarantine requirements ending on March 21 at the latest they could kick start their campaigns in the $1 million George Ryder (1500 m) at Rosehill on March 29.
Gordon Lord Byron,a winner of the Betfred Sprint Cup (1200 m) at Haydock in September, a race the featured the former Peter Snowden-trained horse Soul as well as Lethal Force, a winner of the Golden Jubilee and July Cup, could also contest the George Ryder, but then switch back to the $2.5 million TJ Smith Stakes (1200 m) at Randwick on April 12.
Trained by Tom Hogan, Gordon Lord Byron ran second behind Moonlight Cloud in the Group 1 Prix de La Floret (1400 m) on Arc day then at his most recent run finished fourth, beaten two lengths behind Glorious Days in the Hong Kong Mile on Hong Kong International day. (racing network)