There could be as many as 12 Europeans on the first shipment of horses for the spring carnival, due to arrive September 29, but two high profile gallopers will not be amongst them.
Both Dandino, trained by James Fanshawe, and Reliable Man, trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre, will instead stay in Europe to target races there.
Leading Irish jockey Johnny Murtagh had declared Dandino “an ideal horse for the Melbourne Cup” following his recent second in the Glorious Stakes behind Quest for Peace, but a representative for Fanshawe confirmed Dandino would stay in England after he missed a scheduled run due to track conditions last weekend.
He was as short as $35 in some Caulfield Cup markets.
Meanwhile, Racing Victoria’s international scout Leigh Jordon confirmed that last year’s French Derby winner Reliable Man would not be coming to Australia following a change in ownership.
He was at $41 in both the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate markets with TAB Sportsbet.
Despite their absence, it is still expected to be one of the largest contingents of horses to ever arrive for the Melbourne Spring Carnival, with 12 horses currently slated to arrive in the first batch on AFL Grand Final day.
Heading the group will be last year’s Melbourne Cup quinella Dunaden and Red Cadeaux, with both horses slated to take in the Caulfield Cup on the way to a rematch in this year’s Melbourne Cup at Flemington on November 6.
Joining them will be 2010 Melbourne Cup winner Americain, who makes his return to Australia less than five months after he left these shores. He is likely to take in the Moonee Valley Cup on the way to his third and final tilt at the Melbourne Cup, where he will aim to match Peter Pan (1932/1934) as the only horse to win two Melbourne Cups in non-consecutive years.
Luca Cumani is expected to bring four horses, including his first ever Cox Plate runner in Arlington Million runner up Afsare.
Current Melbourne Cup favourite Mount Athos and OTI Racing pair Quest for Peace and Ibicenco will also be on the plane for Cumani, while OTI Racing will also bring out Gatewood (John Gosden) and Prairie Star (John Hammond).
Champion French trainer Andre Fabre will have his first Australian runner with Brigantin set to run in both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.
Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock will bring two horses – recent American St Leger winner Jakkalberry, for Marco Botti, and French Group 2 winner Tac de Boistron, who joins the stable of Mick Kent.
There are a number of horses still in the mix to join the first contingent, including Andrew Balding’s potential Cox Plate aspirant Side Glance.
For those wishing to run in the Caulfield Cup, Geelong Cup or Cox Plate, they must be in quarantine by September 12, with an option to enter quarantine later if the target is solely the Melbourne Cup.
With the first shipment expected to feature record numbers, the number of imports in that second wave of arrivals – those horses who will contest the Melbourne Cup only – is expected to be smaller than normal.
However, the second shipment is likely to include horses representing Godolphin and Dermot Weld, with both stables expected to have runners in this year’s Melbourne Cup.
The likely make-up of this year’s international contingent is expected to be much clearer in just over two weeks, following the start of quarantine for the first shipment and the key lead up race – the Irish St Leger – for the second shipment.