Looks like that hot Japanese prospect Jaguar Mail will not be running in the Caulfield or Melbourne Cups. A report in The Australian says: 'Japanese stayer Jaguar Mail will almost certainly miss the Melbourne and Caulfield cups...But Meiner Kitz is Melbourne-bound and is rated by Japanese pundits a better horse than the 2006 winner and runner-up, Delta Blues and Pop Rock. And Meiner Kitz -- $21 in early betting -- could be joined by another Japanese stayer after connections of Meisho Dontaku pai

Looks like that hot Japanese prospect Jaguar Mail will not be running in the Caulfield or Melbourne Cups. A report in The Australian says: 'Japanese stayer Jaguar Mail will almost certainly miss the Melbourne and Caulfield cups...But Meiner Kitz is Melbourne-bound and is rated by Japanese pundits a better horse than the 2006 winner and runner-up, Delta Blues and Pop Rock. And Meiner Kitz -- $21 in early betting -- could be joined by another Japanese stayer after connections of Meisho Dontaku paid the late entry fee for both cups. Japanese horses have been prevented from competing since 2007 because of equine influenza, and the delay in approving quarantine arrangements for them this year is being blamed for the likely withdrawal of Jaguar Mail, according to top racing commentator Naohiro Goda. "I have spoken to the trainer yesterday and unfortunately Jaguar Mail will not go to Australia," Goda said.

Jaguar Mail, Meiner Kitz and Meisho Dontaku ran 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the Grp 1 weight-for-age Tenno Sho in May over the Cup distance of 3200m. Naohiro Goda rates 6YO Meiner Kitz -- whose flight to Australia has been booked -- as one of Japan's greatest stayers after his second in the recent Tenno Sho and an easy win in the race the previous year.

Chris Waller's former assistant trainer Paul Shailer has set up shop in New Zealand and will open doors as a trainer in his own right this month. Before his 8 year stint with Waller, Shailer had undergone his apprenticeship with Kevin and Kathleen Gray in the Central Districts.