The international assault on Victoria's Spring Racing Carnival begins when the first group of horses enter quarantine in England and Ireland overnight. A total of 16 horses, including France's past two Emirates Melbourne Cup winners Americain and Dunaden, are set to commence two weeks of pre-export quarantine.All bar one will undertake their quarantine at Newmarket, England before travelling to Australia to complete a further two weeks quarantine at the TAB International Horse Centre at Werribee
The international assault on Victoria's Spring Racing Carnival begins when the first group of horses enter quarantine in England and Ireland overnight. A total of 16 horses, including France's past two Emirates Melbourne Cup winners Americain and Dunaden, are set to commence two weeks of pre-export quarantine.
All bar one will undertake their quarantine at Newmarket, England before travelling to Australia to complete a further two weeks quarantine at the TAB International Horse Centre at Werribee.
Dual Cup-winning trainer Dermot Weld's 2012 contender Galileo's Choice will quarantine at Weld's Irish base for the next fortnight before joining the UK-based contingent upon departure.
The contingent are due to fly into Melbourne on AFL Grand Final Day, 29 September, and are currently scheduled to be released in time to compete on BECK Caulfield Guineas Day, 13 October.
Regular visitor Luca Cumani has a quartet of horses set to enter quarantine headlined by the TAB's Melbourne Cup favourite Mount Athos.
Joining him are Melbourne-based OTI Racing's pair Quest For Peace and Ibicenco, who are entered for both the BMW Caulfield and Emirates Melbourne Cups, and Sportingbet Cox Plate contender Afsare.
Simon O'Donnell and Terry Henderson's OTI Racing also shares in the ownership of two other Cups contenders entering quarantine - the John Gosden-trained Gatewood and French stayer Prairie Star who today officially joins the stable of Melbourne trainer Danny O'Brien.
French maestro Alain de Royer Dupre has last start Prix Kergorlay placegetter Shahwardi joining Americain in quarantine with the pair entered for all three Spring majors.
Two other French stayers, the Andre Fabre-trained Prix Kergorlay runner-up Brigantin and Tac de Boistron, who has been acquired by Cranbourne trainer Mick Kent, are other Cups nominees entering quarantine as is Australian-owned Jakkalberry who will be UK-based Italian trainer's first visitor.
Set to round out the contingent at Newmarket are a trio of horses that will join Australian trainers in Saghann (Anthony Freedman), Why Not (David Hayes) and Energia Elegante (John Sadler).
Whilst Saghann is nominated for the Melbourne Cup, Energia Elegante is the most intriguing of the trio being a three-year-old Brazilian filly.
Last year's Melbourne Cup runner-up Red Cadeaux is being reserved for the second shipment which is due into Melbourne on BMW Caulfield Cup Day, 20 October.