Global racing giant Godolphin has come agonisingly close to winning the Emirates Melbourne Cup with three seconds and everything suggests they would love to break their maiden status in this year’s 150th edition.
RVL General Manager – Racing Operations, Leigh Jordon says the prospects of another Godolphin raid look positive ahead of the closure of nominations for the $A6m handicap on 3 August, 2010.
“All the signs are positive that Godolphin will again target the Spring Racing Carnival in the hope of securing that elusive Emirates Melbourne Cup,” Jordon said.
“Which horses remains a mystery, but we were very taken with the win of Kite Wood in a Group 2 race at Longchamp in France over the weekend.
“The race was over 3100 metres, he gave a great front running display and won in the manner of a horse that would be suited to the Emirates Melbourne Cup.”
The four-year-old will now be set for the Group 1 Ascot Gold Cup over 4000 metres on Thursday, 17 June - day three of the famous Royal Ascot Carnival.
“We'll be watching that race with great interest to see how Kite Wood and several other quality stayers perform,” Jordon said.
Another Godolphin horse creating interest for Jordon is former French-based galloper Cutlass Bay, despite his failure in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup (2100m) at The Curragh, Ireland on 23 May.
The previously unbeaten four-year-old won the Group 1 Prix De Ganay – a ballot exemption race for the Tatts Cox Plate – at Longchamp on 2 May.
“The reports are he failed to handle the ground at The Curragh, but he's obviously a high quality horse so we'd definitely be interested in attracting him to this year's Carnival,” Jordon said.
Under the guidance of trainer Saeed bin Suroor, Godolphin's three seconds in the Melbourne Cup (3200m) have come courtesy of Crime Scene (2009), Give The Slip (2001) and Central Park (1999), whilst Beekeeper finished third for the stable in 2002.
Their biggest triumph in Australia came with the win of outsider All The Good in the 2008 BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) when piloted by Australian jockey Kerrin McEvoy.