Dermot Weld is up to his old tricks again, and this time it's the 'will he, won't he' game with his Melbourne Cup contender Profound Beauty. Although the mare has gone into quarantine, Dermot is still saying that no final decision has been made on whether she'll make the Down Under raid. He says: 'We will wait and see how she is and how she is training and discuss the situation with her owners in about two weeks' time before making a final decision on the Melbourne Cup.' Meantime, at least he's
Dermot Weld is up to his old tricks again, and this time it's the 'will he, won't he' game with his Melbourne Cup contender Profound Beauty. Although the mare has gone into quarantine, Dermot is still saying that no final decision has been made on whether she'll make the Down Under raid. He says: 'We will wait and see how she is and how she is training and discuss the situation with her owners in about two weeks' time before making a final decision on the Melbourne Cup.' Meantime, at least he's been able to make a final decision about Rite of Passage: He's OUT of the Cup.
There's news from the Godolphin camp, too. It's bringing a strong team for the spring. Holberg will be the #1 raider for the Godolphin stable. He won the Foundation Stakes (2000m) at Goodwood overnight. Her has 53.5kgs in the Melbourne Cup and is 36th in the order of entry. The other members of Godolphin's Melbourne Cup squad are Campanologist, as well as the galloping companions Once More Dubai and Pompeyano. Eastern Aria, the Park Hill Stakes winner at Doncaster, will be in the care of trainer Mark Johnson in Australia but will carry the Godolphin royal blue colous instead of the green and red silks of her owner Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, the Crown Prince of Dubai and Sheikh Mohammed's son.
Latest news from the UK: Frankie Dettori will ride Holberg, while Craig Williams will partner Eastern Aria. No jockey has been finalised for Campanologist, twice a Group 1 winner this term in Germany. The Racing Post says: 'Eastern Aria, a daughter of Halling, ran on in gutsy fashion to win the Group 2 DFS Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster on Sep 9 in the green and red colours of Sheikh Mohammed's son, Sheikh Hamdan, who has a large string with Johnston that is, in effect, a Godolphin nursery. However, news that she will carry the Godolphin silks in future while staying with the Middleham trainer represents a new departure for the Dubai team.'
Connections have decided to retire Predatory Pricer. The classy 5YO suffered an infection to a hind tendon following his 2nd to Shoot Out in the Liston Stakes on Aug 14.