A big win in France has shot Joshua Tree into Melbourne Cup contention. He completed a clean sweep of the Group races at Deauville for the British raiders when winning the Darley Prix Kergorlay. JockeyRyan Moore was content to cut out the early pace aboard the 5YO, tracked all the way by the favorite Vadamar and Melbourne Cup winner Americain in third. Moore asked Joshua Tree for his finale inside the 220m mark. He proved too good. Americain was 4th. Trainer Marco Botti says: "We've always

A big win in France has shot Joshua Tree into Melbourne Cup contention. He completed a clean sweep of the Group races at Deauville for the British raiders when winning the Darley Prix Kergorlay. JockeyRyan Moore was content to cut out the early pace aboard the 5YO, tracked all the way by the favorite Vadamar and Melbourne Cup winner Americain in third. Moore asked Joshua Tree for his finale inside the 220m mark. He proved too good. Americain was 4th. Trainer Marco Botti says: "We've always had the Canadian race, the Woodbine International, in mind for Joshua Tree, but I will speak to the owner...He may go to Australia, or we may follow the plan we had and go to Woodbine in October. He was second in the race last year.' Joshua Tree's victory rounded off a successful weekend for Botti who won with Jakkalberry in the inaugural American St Leger at Arlington on Saturday night.

The Black Caviar 'will she, won't she' saga rolls on...Latest report, in the Melbourne Herald-Sun, says the odds are shortening that Black Caviar will race again in the autumn, but a decision will not be made until next month. It says senior part-owner Neil Werrett rates Black Caviar's chances of racing next year as 50-50 and if she does she'll be limited to a handful of starts and will definitely be retired at the end of the season. It's expected BC will return to the stables of trainer Peter Moody in another 2 weeks.

Look out for NZer Guiseppina in Melbourne. James McDonald rode Guiseppina in an exhibition gallop between races at Te Rapa on Saturday and says she was outstanding. Co-Trainer Steven Ramsay says the Grp 1 Telegraph winner will resume in the Grp 1 Makfi Challenge Stakes at Hastings on September 1 but there's also a chance she could go straight to Melbourne. He has yet to settle on an Australian campaign though it's very likely Guiseppina will chase sprint riches at Flemington in races for fillies and mares.