Defending G1 Melbourne Cup winner Twilight Payment (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), Sir Dragonet (Ire) (Camelot {GB})'s full-brother Sir Lucan (Ire) and G1 Goodwood Cup runner-up Away He Goes (Ire) (Farhh {GB}) have entered quarantine for trips to the Melbourne Spring Carnival.
The Joseph-O'Brien-trained Twilight Payment won the G3 Irish St Leger Trial on Aug. 13 and finished second in the G1 Irish St Leger two weeks ago, and he will pre-quarantine in Ireland for two weeks before shipping Down Under. Sir Lucan, who will remain in Australia and join Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, and Away He Goes, who will be the first runner at the carnival for trainer Ismail Mohammed, have joined Spanish Mission (Noble Mission {GB}) at Sidehill Stud in Newmarket. The Andrew Balding-trained Spanish Mission had been intended for a multi-race campaign in Melbourne, but his export was delayed this week after he experienced muscle spasms.
Twilight Payment's Grade I-winning stablemate State Of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) and the French Group 2 winner Gold Trip (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}) have already touched down in Australia, and both are targeting the Oct. 23 G1 Cox Plate. As part of the new requirements for international participants in the carnival, both horses will undergo a standing CT scan before being given the final stamp of approval for the Cox Plate.
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