Septimus Scratching Threatened

The Sunday Age

Sunday November 2, 2008

By ANDREW EDDY

AFTER Melbourne Cup favourite Septimus last night drew favourably in barrier 10 for Tuesday's race, his part-owner Derek Smith dropped a bombshell by saying he would instruct his trainer Aidan O'Brien to scratch the horse if the Flemington track was as firm as it was for yesterday's Victoria Derby meeting.

Smith, a principal of Coolmore Stud with fellow part-owners of Septimus, John Magnier and Michael Tabor, last night said his major concern with the Melbourne Cup was not so much the horse's opposition, but rather the track he must race on.

"If the track is as firm on Tuesday as it was today, I'll be asking Aidan to scratch," he said.

"I don't think this track is fair for any of our horses. It got too firm, the surface, today and I've got to think of the horse first. He's too valuable," Smith said.

Victoria Racing Club chairman Rod Fitzroy agreed that yesterday's track was too firm, but tried to soothe the concerns of the Irish by saying the track would be watered before Tuesday. "In hindsight, I think the track should have had five millimetres last night, but we will be watering tonight and again tomorrow if it is needed," he said.

Septimus was certainly the talk of last night's draw, with Dermot Weld's son Mark saying that Septimus drawing alongside Coolmore's outsider Alessandro Volta (barrier 11) was noteworthy.

"The big obvious out of the draw is that Coolmore now seem to have a huge advantage as they have their principal runner beside the pacemaker. Their intention is there to set the pace and set a strong pace and so that draw is good for them."

Weld said that Coolmore's Honolulu should not be disregarded despite drawing the outside gate. "Don't underestimate him. Take Septimus out and he's one of Europe's best stayers. But Vinnie Roe drew 24 and he found it very tough from out there so we're very pleased to have barrier two (for Profound Beauty)," he said.

"It might be a year too soon maybe, but we've got Glen Boss and he seems to get on really well with the fillies and mares so we're hoping for a place. Anything more than that will be a bonus.

"I think the race is an opportunity for the European trainers this year that might not be there again as I don't think there's a (Makybe) Diva there."

Luca Cumani said he was relieved with barrier four for Mad Rush after a spate of poor draws. "Yeah, four is good as it allows us to save ground all the way around. Hopefully, we won't get shuffled too far back and Ollie (Damien Oliver) will be able to get a good position and hold that position into the straight."

Jane Chapple-Hyam said she was pleased with Yellowstone's 12 barrier as he had drawn alongside Coolmore's Alessandro Volta and Septimus.

"I think we'll just sit up on Septimus' backside," she said.

Flemington trainer Danny O'Brien goes into the Cup with three runners and he said last night that he was happy with all three.

"Barbaricus (barrier three) can take the box seat from there while Master O'Reilly (six) can probably take a more forward position than first planned. I don't even mind the wide draw (21) for Gallopin as he can also go forward when needed."

Nigel Blackiston said he could not find too many positives out of barrier 17 for Littorio, but felt the horse had more to give than he showed in his unplaced Mackinnon Stakes run. "I'll take the blinkers off him to help him go to sleep. I put them on to sharpen him up but I think they have made him a little hesitant around horses at his last two runs. I think he's a horse that wants two miles."

Richard Gibson, trainer of French mare Varevees, just shrugged his shoulders when the mare drew 23. "Barriers are totally irrelevant," he said.

Yesterday was a day leading Adelaide rider Clare Lindop will never forget.

Late morning, she cheered home Michael Rodd on Moatize to win the Saab Quality as she was promised by Cups King Bart Cummings that she would ride the four-year-old in the Melbourne Cup if he won the Saab and gained a start.

Then, just three hours later, she rode the race of her life on $101 chance Rebel Raider to become the first woman rider in 154 years to win the Victoria Derby.

Gai Waterhouse trained her 90th group1 winner yesterday when boom colt Northern Meteor won the Coolmore Stakes, followed 45 minutes later by another when Theseo won the Mackinnon Stakes.

© 2008 The Sunday Age

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