Cox Plate Plans For Major Cup Contenders

Sydney Morning Herald

Friday October 17, 2008

Craig Young

LAST year's Caulfield Cup hype horse Maldivian and race winner Master O'Reilly yesterday completed serious workouts for tomorrow's $2.5 million staying test, with their trainers also looking to run the pair in next weekend's Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.

Maldivian's gallops at Flemington were carried out in the dark this week. That didn't stop one punter from coupling the horse in a Caulfield Cup-Cox Plate double with TAB Sportsbet for a $400,000 pay-out.

On a day when Master O'Reilly's trainer Danny O'Brien, who quinellaed the cup last year with Douro Valley - which lines up again - learned his first emergency Barbaricus would also start in the race, Racing Victoria stewards ordered another blood test be taken from Kiwi hope Nom Du Jeu.

"Results of tests revealed the white blood cell count had improved," RV chief steward Terry Bailey said yesterday. "We will take another one as a precaution but I do believe the horse is on track."

Bailey dismissed suggestions on a Melbourne radio show all was not well with Caulfield Cup favourite and the people's horse Weekend Hussler.

"Trainer Ross McDonald knows the rules, and he hasn't rang us with any concerns," Bailey said. "He did when the horse had the foot abscess earlier this preparation."

Nom Du Jeu beat fellow Kiwi and Caulfield Cup rival Red Ruler to win the AJC Australian Derby at Randwick in the autumn, with the latter flying in to Melbourne on Tuesday night with New Zealand Oaks winner Boundless, whose trainer Steve McKee arrived the next evening.

"My mare travelled over very good. All is well for the cup," McKee said yesterday. "She only had a canter this morning. She did all her work at home. She can't do much more now."

McKee said Boundless and Red Ruler, which was due to jump a few hurdles this morning, had "mated up".

Maldivian's jockey Michael Rodd said the gelding had been working in the dark to keep him out of the spotlight, and a victory would not be a surprise for the horse which was scratched at the barriers when a short-priced cup favourite last year.

"Some people may be worried about drawing barrier 18 but I'm quite comfortable with it," Rodd said.

"Weekend Hussler will push forward from his gate [11], which is in the middle of the field and, between him and Maldivian, there are no horses that go forward.

"I can envisage being able to track Weekend Hussler over, and its jockey Brad Rawiller is going to be keen to find a good position on him. With any luck I can slot in outside of him or in front of him and get just as good a run."

Maldivian's trainer Mark Kavanagh, who revealed the racing career of last year's Turnbull Stakes winner Devil Moon was all but over due to laminitis, said his gelding was ready for cup mark II.

"He is a gross horse, and if he runs as well as I hope in the Caulfield Cup, then we'll look at backing him up in the Cox Plate," Kavanagh said.

O'Brien rated Barbaricus as a cheeky chance while confirming Master O'Reilly and Douro Valley were right at the top of their games. Barbaricus earned a run when David Hayes scratched last year's Victoria Derby winner Kibbutz due to a hoof abscess.

Meanwhile, Irish trainer Dermot Weld's Melbourne Cup mare Profound Beauty has a bruised hoof after ripping off a plate. She has missed two days' work at the Sandown.

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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