Nom Du Jeu is an early casualty in the race to the Cups and the jury is out on Mr Tipsy but trainers Murray and Bjorn Baker still have high aspirations for Harris Tweed.Nom Du Jeu wasn't paid up for when first declarations for the Cups were taken last week with the Bakers running out of time to get him ready for the staying features.The 2008 AJC Australian Derby winner and Caulfield Cup runner-up has had a recurrence of the cannon bone soreness that ruled him out of the autumn carnival in Sydney

Nom Du Jeu is an early casualty in the race to the Cups and the jury is out on Mr Tipsy but trainers Murray and Bjorn Baker still have high aspirations for Harris Tweed.

Nom Du Jeu wasn't paid up for when first declarations for the Cups were taken last week with the Bakers running out of time to get him ready for the staying features.

The 2008 AJC Australian Derby winner and Caulfield Cup runner-up has had a recurrence of the cannon bone soreness that ruled him out of the autumn carnival in Sydney.

But his kiwi trainers still remain hopeful of getting Nom Du Jeu to the Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley next month.

"He's got what is commonly known as cannon bone bruising, it's when everything is pretty much spot-on but they don't let go, they're just feeling something," Bjorn Baker said.

"He's out of the Cups but he's still in the Cox Plate.

"We've had a lot of wet tracks at home and he hasn't had a chance to gallop on a good track so we've still got to reserve judgement a little bit.

"We're going to persevere for another week or two and see if he really lets down but if he doesn't we'll save him for the autumn."

While Nom Du Jeu is in doubt for the spring carnival in Melbourne the Bakers' are happy Harris Tweed is on track.

The four-year-old claimed the Tulloch Stakes in the autumn before finishing a narrow second to Roman Emperor in the AJC Australian Derby.

He finished down the track when he resumed over 1600m at Hastings last month but Bjorn Baker wasn't concerned by that effort.

"He only went okay but as a three-year-old he couldn't win in maiden company over a mile and he's a horse that's going to need further so we're not overly concerned," Baker said.

"He needed the run the other day and he'll probably run again (next Saturday) at Hawkes Bay over 2000 metres and then two weeks after that, possibly in the Kelt.

"Hopefully he'll then come over for the Cups and once he gets to 2400 plus, that's when he'll really hit his straps."

Sydney Cup placegetter Mr Tipsy finished eighth to Ready To Lift in the Kingston Town Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday and didn't run on as Baker would have liked.

His short-term goal is the Metropolitan Handicap (2400m) at Randwick ahead of a Cups campaign in Melbourne, although with just 51kg in both Cups he will probably need to win a good race along the way to earn a weight penalty.

Rounding out the Bakers' team of raiders is the little-known Mountain Road who will make his Australian debut in the Newcastle Cup (2300m) at Broadmeadow on Thursday.

"We won't know really how he's going to go until he races but one thing is he's a genuine horse," Baker said.

"He wouldn't be in Mr Tipsy's league but we'll hope for the best."

A Listed winner in New Zealand, Mountain Road has won seven of his 26 starts.