THE bitter taste of defeat lingered in the mouths of the deflated connections of beaten Caulfield Cup raiders Kirklees and Cima De Triomphe at Sandown yesterday morning, but both camps remain hopeful of salvaging some pride from their latest Australian excursion, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.It says: Godolphin's travelling foreman, Tommy Strang, reported that Kirklees had pulled up well following his seventh placing at Caulfield, and intended to continue towards the Melbourne Cup.''At this

THE bitter taste of defeat lingered in the mouths of the deflated connections of beaten Caulfield Cup raiders Kirklees and Cima De Triomphe at Sandown yesterday morning, but both camps remain hopeful of salvaging some pride from their latest Australian excursion, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.

It says: Godolphin's travelling foreman, Tommy Strang, reported that Kirklees had pulled up well following his seventh placing at Caulfield, and intended to continue towards the Melbourne Cup.

''At this stage, if he can get through Saturday's race OK we'll be heading towards the Melbourne Cup. He missed the start on Saturday and got too far back, he's a better horse than that,'' Strang said.

The Cumani stable is still searching for answers to explain Cima De Triomphe's poor performance but reported that the horse had come through in good health.

''I wish we could offer a reason why but we really have no idea,'' said stable representative Charlie Henson. ''Today and tomorrow will determine what we'll do with him but at this stage we'll definitely look at another race.''

Both the Godolphin and Cumani stables will be represented in Wednesday's Geelong Cup, a race in which international stayers have a superb record. A win in the $200,000 listed event will secure a Melbourne Cup berth for Crime Scene or Basaltico and importantly will help to pay for the expensive trip to Australia from the northern hemisphere.

''I'd like to say we're confident but we were confident before yesterday [the Caulfield Cup]. He seems to be in good form and we're hopeful he will run well,'' said Basaltico's caretaker Henson.

The Cumanis used the Geelong Cup to qualify last year's eventual Melbourne Cup runner-up Bauer for the race that stops a nation and Basaltico must win to get into the field for this year's race. Should the six-year-old fail, his connections will be hoping he at least earns some money to help cover the cost of the trip from England.

Racing Victoria's Leigh Jordan said a return trip from England for one horse costs owners $150,000, including flights, the cost of quarantine and transporting stable staff.