Most of the action is still happening elsewhere around the world, both on course and off course it would seem.
Breeders Cup at Santa Anita Update
In our last report, there was a thread of possibility that this year’s Breeders Cup could be moved from Santa Anita to somewhere else, due to the number of racehorse fatalities having occurred there in recent months.
Not long after that announcement, it was confirmed that Santa Anita would still be the location for the event, though protocols around racetrack and racehorse management will be under a tight rein from now until early November.
Contenders for the Prix D’larc de Triomphe
Based on the dates of the international racing calendar, it looks highly unlikely that Cox Plate invitees Almond Eye and Magical will make it to Australia for the Cox Plate.
The Japanese mare’s connections have had the iconic French race as their main target throughout, while the Ballydoyle camp of Aidan O’Brien have more or less confirmed that Magical will once again lock horns with champion mare Enable in Paris, after running second to her in last week’s Eclipse Stakes.
The Prix D’larc will be run on Sunday 6th October, which leaves insufficient time to line up at Moonee Valley given international travel time and a compulsory two week quarantine stand down.
I think it is safe to say that we can scratch them off the invite list.
Lys Gracieux faux pas?
The recent winner of the Takarazuka Kinen; Japanese mare Lys Gracieux would’ve been an interesting participant had she been allowed to enter Australia.
Sadly, this looks like the case, all because of Australia’s strict quarantine laws for horses coming out of Hong Kong.
The mare had raced in Hong Kong in late April; the rule being that any non Australian international horse exiting Hong Kong must complete a 6 month quarantine stand down before being allowed into Australia, in her case this will be the end of October, which is far too late.
As a backup plan, connections will shift their attention to the Breeders Cup meeting at Santa Anita on the weekend of the 2nd and 3rd of November.
In the event that MVRC applies for an exemption with Australian Dept of Agriculture and Water Resources, I doubt very much that the rules will be bent for one horse.
So I think it is safe to say we can kiss this invite goodbye as well.
Just why the MVRC didn’t undertake due diligence on the horse prior to Chairman Don Casboult issuing an invite to the connections immediately after the race defies logic.
I’m sure they’ll know for next time, but still, it’s not very professional nor is it a good look.
Horse profile of the week
He’s yet to receive an invite, but considering the original eleven are dropping off the map, the Australian Bloodstock owned Danceteria could come into contention.
The son of Redoubts Choice who races in the same colours as Protectionist, Brave Smash and Tosen Stardom flashed home late for fourth in the Eclipse Stakes won by Enable last week at Sandown.
She’s done it again! Enable wins the @Coral Eclipse under @FrankieDettori with Magical unable to reel in the dual Arc heroine pic.twitter.com/QHD9pAVfyZ
— Sandown Park (@Sandownpark) July 6, 2019
Danceteria will now head to the Group 1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis – Bayerisches Zuchtrennen (2000m) at Munich on July 20, and try to emulate the feat of Benbatl who won the race last year, then ran second to Winx in the Cox Plate three months later.
Danceteria is currently at $26 on SportsBet,
That’s all for this weeks WS Cox Plate Watch Report. Keep checking in with Kruzey.com.au for more, as we count down to the last weekend in October 2019
