A strategy employed with success by Bart Cummings will be used by trainer David Payne this week to try to lift Sydney stayer Lang into this year's Melbourne Cup field.Payne will start the Sydney Cup placegetter in the $100,000 City Tattersalls Cup (2400m) at Randwick on Saturday.While Melbourne Cup runners will be put under microscope in the $2.5 million Caulfield Cup, there is some spring relevance for five Tattersalls nominations.Payne is hoping for a Lang victory - and then a Melbourne Cup we
A strategy employed with success by Bart Cummings will be used by trainer David Payne this week to try to lift Sydney stayer Lang into this year's Melbourne Cup field.
Payne will start the Sydney Cup placegetter in the $100,000 City Tattersalls Cup (2400m) at Randwick on Saturday.
While Melbourne Cup runners will be put under microscope in the $2.5 million Caulfield Cup, there is some spring relevance for five Tattersalls nominations.
Payne is hoping for a Lang victory - and then a Melbourne Cup weight penalty - to improve the galloper's tenuous order of entry position.
Similarly, three other Melbourne Cup entries nominated for the Tattersalls - Book Of Kells, Chiefcomingfirst and Zazabeau - need to win to pass a crucial balloting clause for Australia's richest race.
At 46th, Galileo's Daughter is best placed of the Tattersalls quintet to force her way into the Melbourne Cup field but she too needs a victory.
Cummings has over the years often boosted his Melbourne Cup stocks through the Tattersalls Cup because it allows hopefuls to win a significant prizemoney race over a qualifying distance.
In spite of his Sydney Cup placing, Lang is well down the latest order of entry in 50th place but Payne believes the staying enigma deserves a shot at making the Melbourne Cup field.
"He's got to shape up on Saturday but I think he will because he is just starting to get fit now," Payne said.
"If he wins, we'll probably say `what the hell' and give him a chance to run in the Melbourne Cup."
Cummings' Book Of Kells and Zazabeau haven't met an important Melbourne Cup balloting condition and are 65th and 85th respectively in the order of entry.
But Book Of Kells, last season's Tulloch Stakes winner, ran his best race of the spring at his most recent start when fifth in The Metropolitan Handicap won by Newport at Randwick on October 4.
Last start Brisbane placegetter Chiefcomingfirst also needs to win on Saturday to boost his chances of making the Melbourne Cup field.
The Tattersalls Cup has attracted 13 entries, including Gai Waterhouse's emerging middle distance galloper Lorne Dancer.
Payne, meanwhile, had his Melbourne team reduced by one on Monday.
Baci Amore has been sent for a spell after coming off worse for wear in his unplaced Caulfield Guineas run on Saturday.
"It was a roughhouse race and Baci Amore pulled up lame. He's gone to the paddock," Payne said.
Baci Amore's injury leaves Payne with one horse - Emperor Bonaparte - on a Victoria Derby trail.
Emperor Bonaparte will contest the Norman Robinson Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.
Other Payne runners at Caulfield will be well-performed mares Hurried Choice and Vecchia Roma.