The first shipment of international horses for the Melbourne Spring Carnival are due to arrive on Tuesday night.
El Bodegon and My Oberon are joining the Chris Waller and Annabel Neasham stables respectively to prepare for the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on October 22 while
Rodrigo Diaz, trained by David Simcock, is set to run in the Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 1.
The trio will head to the Werribee International Horse Centre to continue their Spring Carnival preparations where they will be joined by Artorius who is returning to Australia following a campaign in Europe.
Unfortunately, the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace galloper Night Endeavour, who holds an entry for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, and who is travelling with that quartet, cannot enter the Werribee quarantine facility.
“The horse underwent four veterinary examinations over a period of five weeks in the UK displaying single limb lameness at an inspection prior to entering quarantine and then multiple limb lameness at its final inspection in pre-export quarantine,” Racing Victoria said in a statement.
“The four examinations were conducted in person by the same RV-appointed veterinarian and were also filmed for review by the RV veterinary panel who collectively made the decision to exclude Night Endeavor noting that the horse’s suitability to race had deteriorated from its initial examination to its final one.
“Night Endeavor, which is travelling to Melbourne on tonight’s first shipment, will be taken to the Government’s Mickleham Quarantine Centre upon arrival to undertake its two weeks post-arrival quarantine.
“In line with RV’s import policy, should connections wish to start Night Endeavor in an official trial or race in Victoria within 10 weeks of completing quarantine at Mickleham the horse will need to undergo a CT scan of its distal limbs and pass two inspections by an RV-appointed veterinarian.”
RV advised Melbourne Cup hopes Camorra (Ben and J D Hayes), Deauville Legend (James Ferguson), Hoo Ya Mal (Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott) and With A Fight (Simon and Ed Crisford) have been granted approval to enter Werribee on the second shipment, due into Melbourne next month.
However, connections of other international raiders Alfred Boucher, Earl Of Tyrone, Eldar Eldarov and Point King have indicated they will not be travelling to Australia.
Second acceptances closed on Tuesday for the Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 15 and the Cox Plate.
There are 48 horses remaining in contention for the Caulfield Cup and 41 in the Cox Plate.
