Melbourne Cup dramas continue

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The Melbourne Cup hopes of Godolphin took a battering on Thursday with a mystery injury to All The Good placing the Caulfield Cup winner in doubt while a change of heart regarding New Zealander Red Ruler has him back in the running.Local trainer David Hayes has lost the battle with Zagreb's hoof abscess, further reducing the Australian hopes and will now rely on Largo Lad to force his way in via Saturday's Saab Quality.Last year's winner Efficient was regarded as the best chance for a local hors

Local trainer David Hayes has lost the battle with Zagreb's hoof abscess, further reducing the Australian hopes and will now rely on Largo Lad to force his way in via Saturday's Saab Quality.

Last year's winner Efficient was regarded as the best chance for a local horse to beat the European contingent until he was ruled out on Wednesday with injury.

Another New Zealander, AJC Australian Derby winner Nom Du Jeu who was runner-up to All The Good at Caulfield, is now the most favoured of the southern hemisphere horses.

Trainer Saeed bin Suroor said on Thursday All The Good had been lame and had stiffness in his hindquarters after working at the Sandown quarantine centre on Wednesday.

But bin Suroor said he hadn't given up hope.

"There is no swelling and the X-rays don't show any damage," he said.

"We will check him tonight and again in the morning.

"But for now we are not sure what is the problem."

All The Good had been a $12 chance prior to the injury and had been regarded as one of the top chances in the $5.5 million showpiece.

The horse had taken several days to recover from his Caulfield Cup exertions, but had pleased his trainer with his recent work.

Bin Suroor, who arrived in Melbourne last weekend, said he believed All The Good had been in the best form of his career and had been ready to deliver Godolphin its first win in a race it has been trying to win for more than a decade.

The stable has had three Cup placegetters, but has three times had its top chance scratched from the race through injury.

If All The Good joins the casualty list, his Caulfield Cup winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy is among those in the running to ride Red Ruler who reignited a Cup start with a rousing gallop on Thursday morning.

His trainer John Sargent had already freed Corey Brown to take another ride after Red Ruler's Caulfield Cup sixth following which he was found to have a cough as well as a laceration to his off foreleg.

Brown accepted the ride on English horse Bauer but will be aboard the AJC Australian Derby runner-up in Saturday's Mackinnon Stakes which will determine a Cup start.

"I arrived from New Zealand yesterday and watched him gallop this morning and he has really turned the corner," Sargent said.

"We'll see how he runs in the Mackinnon on Saturday and make a decision on a Cup start after that.

"I did tell Corey to take any other ride he could get but I've had several jockeys on the phone already so I don't think we'll have any trouble getting a rider."

The other doubtful international entry, Yellowstone, has continued to improve after injuring his hip in his box on Monday.

Trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam and jockey John Egan said the horse moved freely and showed no sign of pain on the track this morning.

"As far as we're concerned it's all go," Chapple-Hyam said.

English stayer Mad Rush showed he has maintained his form after his unlucky fourth in the Caulfield Cup.

The Luca Cumani-trained runner was fresh and bright at Sandown with the trainer's daughter in the saddle.

Cumani said he was "delighted" with his horse's condition.

"As you can see, he's very, very well," he said.

"Just where I want him."

Stablemate Bauer, who had been in danger of missing a run, didn't appear on the track, Cumani restricting him to a walk around the stable yard this morning.

Race favourite Septimus and stable companions Honolulu and Alessandro Volta will have the most testing gallop of their campaign on Friday with race riders Johnny Murtagh, Colm O'Donoghue and Wayne Lorden up.