A confrontation is looming between expatriate Australian trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam and Racing Victoria Ltd (RVL) officials over the fitness of the English Melbourne Cup hope Yellowstone.Yellowstone has been in doubt for much of this week after becoming cast in his box on Monday.The horse suffered bruising to muscles on the top of his rump which kept him off the training track for one day.Yellowstone has satisfied Chapple-Hyam and jockey John Egan in his work since, cantering Thursday and trottin
A confrontation is looming between expatriate Australian trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam and Racing Victoria Ltd (RVL) officials over the fitness of the English Melbourne Cup hope Yellowstone.
Yellowstone has been in doubt for much of this week after becoming cast in his box on Monday.
The horse suffered bruising to muscles on the top of his rump which kept him off the training track for one day.
Yellowstone has satisfied Chapple-Hyam and jockey John Egan in his work since, cantering Thursday and trotting out on Friday.
But a difference of opinion between RVL vet Paul O'Callaghan and the trainer came after the horse's latest piece of work at Sandown.
O'Callaghan said the horse appeared "choppy" in its action and has ordered a further inspection on Saturday.
But Chapple-Hyam said Yellowstone had fully recovered and was sound.
"I don't need this, the horse doesn't need it," she said.
"He's sound, John's happy with him. He rides him trackwork and in all his races and he can't fault him."
Egan backed up the trainer, declaring Yellowstone to be "absolutely perfect".
Further fuel was added to the situation when Egan declared the Sandown track unfit for horses to gallop on Friday.
For that reason, he said, he had decided to keep Yellowstone to a slow canter, the move being interpreted in some quarters as a possible reluctance to put the horse under pressure.
While Egan found the track unsuitable, other jockeys, including champion international rider Johnny Murtagh, described it as "perfect".
"I wish we had a track like that to work on at home every day of the week," he said.
Chapple-Hyam will take Yellowstone to Flemington on Saturday where he will work on the synthetic Viscoride track.
He will then be inspected by RVL vets.
The situation is expected to be more straightforward for the second of the doubtful internationals, Caulfield Cup winner All The Good.
All The Good, a $12 chance in the Cup immediately after his Caulfield win, is now at $26, a price that also reflects his prospects of making the 24-horse field.
The Godolphin-owned horse came up lame after he worked at Sandown on Wednesday and missed gallops on Thursday and Friday.
His trainer Saeed bin Suroor said the lameness became more severe during Thursday and had failed to improve in the subsequent 24 hours.
But bin Suroor said he had been unable to identify the problem or determine its cause.
"He is lame, he looks worse today than the day before," bin Suroor said.
"But until today there is no heat or swelling in his leg."
The picture proved far more encouraging for the Cup favourite Septimus after he worked at Sandown today.
With Murtagh up, Septimus and stablemates Honolulu and Alessandro Volta did their usual two canters, warming to the task in the second of them over 1400m.
As usual, Septimus gave the other pair a start but unlike his previous work he dashed past them both in the straight, finishing off the gallop in 25 seconds for the final 400m.
"He's in top shape," Murtagh said.
"When Melbourne Cup day comes he'll be 110 per cent.
"He feels the same now as he has all season, as good as he has ever been."
Murtagh rode Septimus to three successive victories before handing over to Seamus Heffernan when the horse scored a 13-length win in the Group One Irish St Leger at his most recent start.
Another to impress today was the Irish mare Profound Beauty who produced her sharpest piece of work to date with race jockey Glen Boss aboard.
Profound Beauty worked with the French mare Varevees, giving her a start and picking her up without any trouble in the straight.
If anything, Boss thought the mare may have shown a fraction too much dash.
"She may have actually been a little bit too sharp," Boss said.
"If she's going to run a strong two miles (3200m), I might have wanted to see her a little less explosive.
"But she's in great order, she moves beautifully and she's very happy and very well."
The Luca Cumani-trained Mad Rush also indicated his wellbeing by dumping the trainer's daughter as he trotted at Sandown today.
Mad Rush, the second favourite behind Septimus, has been a little fresh all week, but after being remounted he got down to business, performing a strong 1400m canter.