G1 Melbourne Cup

Group-winning stayer Giavellotto (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), who ran third in the 2022 G1 St Leger, is under consideration for the G1 Melbourne Cup in November, trainer Marco Botti revealed. A winner of York's G2 Yorkshire Cup S. in May, Francesca Franchini's Scuderia La Tesa flagbearer was fifth in the G1 Goodwood Cup S. in early August, and improved to take third in the G2 Lonsdale Cup S. back at York later that month. Besides the Race That Stops a Nation, the 4-year-old entire holds entries in the Sept. 10 G1...

Former Coolmore partners' runner Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who won the 2020 G1 Derby at Epsom, ran out a three-quarter length winner of an Eagle Farm handicap for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott on Saturday and is targeting the G1 Melbourne Cup in November, according to co-trainer Gai Waterhouse. "Serpentine, the 2020 English Derby winner, greeted the judge in determined fashion at Eagle Farm today on his road to the Melbourne Cup," the First Lady of Australian Racing tweeted. Now racing for an ownership group, the chestnut gelding had placed...

LEXINGTON, KY--On a morning like this, you really couldn't be anywhere in the world but the Bluegrass: as night faded into dawn, a ghostly mist was exhaled from every swale, only to be burned off as the surrounding pastureland yawned and stretched gratefully beneath a sky of cut-glass brilliance. For one new arrival in Keeneland, however, a degree of disorientation remained wholly pardonable. Helpfully, James Ferguson had hit a wide-awake phase when coming down to the quarantine barn to supervise the preparations of Mise En Scene (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) for...

Jockey Kerrin McEvoy will ride likely G1 Melbourne Cup favourite Deauville Legend (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the two-mile race at Flemington on Nov. 1, trainer James Ferguson announced. "McEvoy has been confirmed," said Ferguson, who has worked with McEvoy in years' past. "He's won the race three times and knows his way around Flemington. He's a very good friend of mine and we have worked together a lot in the past." The two-time group-winning gelding is due to enter quarantine shortly. Racing in the colours of K K...

Deauville Legend (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), a dual group winner in the UK this season, is firmly on course for the G1 Melbourne Cup Down Under in November and enters quarantine "a week on Monday" according to trainer James Ferguson. Second in Royal Ascot's King George V S. in June, the 3-year-old gelding franked that form with a narrow victory in the July 7 G3 Bahrain Trophy S. at Newmarket. Runner-up to the subsequently G1 Cazoo St Leger-placed New London (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in Goodwood's G3 Gordon S. on...

Sunday's G1 Comer Group International Irish St Leger hero Sonnyboyliston (Ire) (Power {GB}) will not travel Down Under for a tilt in the 2021 G1 Melbourne Cup. Trained by Johnny Murtagh, the Kildare Racing Club colourbearer took the Listed Martin Molony S. at Limerick in June and, although sixth in the G3 John Smith's Silver Cup S. at York on July 10, bounced back with a narrow win in the Sky Bet Ebor H. there on Aug. 21. The 4-year-old gelding defeated 2020 Melbourne Cup winner Twilight Payment (Ire) (Teofilo...

The well-traveled group winner Spanish Mission (Noble Mission {GB}) will enter quarantine on Thursday before traveling to Australia. His goals Down Under include the Oct. 16 G1 Carlton Draught Caulfield Cup and the Nov. 2 G1 Lexus Melbourne Cup. The May 2 Yorkshire Cup S. hero, who races for Team Valor LLC and Gary Barber, was last seen running second to Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the G2 Lonsdale Cup S. at York on Aug. 20. Trainer Andrew Balding is pleased with the 5-year-old entire and hopeful of...

After winning his first domestic group contest with Eve Lodge (GB) (Ardad {Ire}) in the G3 Sirenia S., trainer Charlie Fellowes has called time on his likable globetrotter Prince of Arran (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}), who finished last of five in the G3 September S. at Kempton on Saturday. The Saeed bel Obaida silksbearer is best known for placing in three editions of the G1 Melbourne Cup--second in 2019 and third in both 2018 and 2020. "It is with a heavy heart that we have decided to retire Prince of Arran,"...

Jockey Frankie Dettori will ride Prince Of Arran (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}) in the Red Sea Turf H. at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 20. A three-time placer in the G1 Melbourne Cup, the Charlie Fellowes trainee is doing well in advance of the $2.5-milllion contest. In his latest start, the gelding was third at Kempton in a two-mile synthetic affair on Feb. 6. "He's in good nick and I'm looking forward to seeing him out there, hopefully the journey goes well," Fellowes told ITV Racing. "We've got...

Prince Of Arran (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}) could get another chance to bid for G1 Gold Cup glory at Royal Ascot in June. Charlie Fellowes's 7-year-old finished eighth in the 2 1/2-mile feature in 2017, but has since developed into a globetrotter of the highest order. Prince Of Arran has been placed in the last two renewals of the G1 Melbourne Cup and finished third over a 1 7/8 miles at the Saudi Cup meeting in February last out. He was then due to run in the Dubai Gold Cup, but...