Mourinho gets the shove from Cox Plate field

MANNY Gelagotis described as "disappointing" the omission ofMourinho from Saturday's Cox Plate field, reports Racing Network.
Connections of Mourinho, a last stat winner of the Cranbourne Cup, paid a $130,000 late entry fee for the Cox Plate.
But, the Moonee Valley Racing Club committee left outMourinho and the Mark Kavanagh trained Chivalry from the $3 million race after final acceptances were taken at 8.30 this morning.
Gelagotis said he couldn't understand how Mourinho, a horse with a rating of 106, could be overlooked in favour of Wandjina, a 90 rated horse.
"My owners should feel disappointed," Gelagotis said.
Moonee Valley Racing Club chairman Bob Scarborough described the task confronting the Committee as "difficult"
Scarborough said there had been "lengthy discussion" aboutMourinho, but said the fact that the seven-year-old had never raced in Group 1 races counted against him.
He said in Mourinho's favour was his Tasmanian Derby success along with his JRA Cup win at Moonee Valley.
"He certainly enjoys Moonee Valley but at the highest level we felt that he didn't warrant a run," Scarborough said.
Scarborough said Wandjina, the other horse who was supplemented into the race with a $130,000 late entry payment, was a 1000 metre winner and there had been "some difficulty" in accepting his nomination.
"His run in the Caulfield Guineas when coming from last to run third rating 112 was worthy of inclusion," Scarborough said.
"We compared it to So You Think's inclusion in the Cox Plate as a three-year-old when he finished fourth in the Guineas.
"Wandjina's form exceeded So You Think's and his performance exceeded that of Shamus Award last year in the Guineas."