Famed international trainer Luca Cumani is hoping the delay of quarantine facility approvals at Werribee doesn’t mar his chances of making it third time lucky in the 2010 Melbourne Cup this November.
Cumani has twice placed second in the world renowned Melbourne Cup with great grey Bauer in 2008 and Galileo gelding Purple Moon 12 months earlier in 2007.
This year Cumani is hoping to do one better and take home the Loving Trophy in the 150th edition of the Melbourne Cup on November 2 at Flemington.
Both runners-up were narrowly defeated, giving Cumani mixed feelings of pride and frustration especially with Bauer who went down by a mere nose to the Bart Cummings-trained Viewed two years back when Cummings claimed his record 12th Melbourne Cup win.
The Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival campaigns of a number of overseas raiders have been disrupted after the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service refused to sign off on a manual for the Werribee facility near Melbourne, increasing Cumani’s concerns.
Eight-year-olds Bauer, who has been sidelined since the 2008 Melbourne Cup where he suffered a tendon injury, and Purple Moon are again on target for a run in the Cup and are two of five horses Cumani has nominated for the $6 million Melbourne Cup.
The Newmarket trainer’s other entries are improving mare Becqu Adoree, in-form gelding Drunken Sailor and five-year-old Manighar.
Of all Cumani’s nominees Manighar is the top rated chance paying $31 at [sportsbet] after a gallant second place finish to fellow Melbourne Cup bound Americain over 3000m at Kergorlay last week.
Purple Moon is next at $41 followed by Bauer ($51), Drunken Sailor ($61) and $151 long-shot Becqu Adoree.
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While ongoing injury issues mean “Bauer is still an imponderable,” said Cumani, Manighar and Drunken Sailor are well on their way heading into quarantine on September 8 and due to fly out for Australia two weeks later.
Bauer’s fitness will be tested at home first before embarking on a Cup campaign, with a run at either Goodwood or Windsor depending on the ground, scheduled for his return to racing to Saturday.
The 2010 Melbourne Cup weights are released next Wednesday, September 1 and will make Cumani’s Cup assault on the Flemington feature clearer.
The handicap announcement for the world’s richest handicap will also shake up the Melbourne Cup betting markets at [sportsbet] as many of the outside chances will drop out of contention.
Return to Races.com.au regularly through the spring as we detail the form guide of the Melbourne Cup contenders and keep you up to date with the latest news.
The hottest Melbourne Cup odds are available right now not through the TAB but at online bookmaker [sportsbet], who also have a free $100 bet for new sign ups!
