Cup penalty

Racing Victoria (RV) Executive General Manager – Racing Greg Carpenter has penalised Mer De Glace (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) 1kg for the G1 Lexus Melbourne Cup.

With the re-handicap following his G1 Caulfield Cup success, the Japanese stayer will now carry 56kg in the Flemington feature.

“Mer De Glace was enormously impressive in winning a very competitive renewal of the Caulfield Cup,” Carpenter said.

“The first six placegetters officially finished within 2l of each of other and there was a litany of hard luck stories from the beaten runners.

“The 1kg penalty is the same given to Caulfield Cup winners Boom Time, Mongolian Khan, Dunaden and Viewed over the last decade. "

Eagle hopes land

A quartet of internationals have arrived and settled in Sydney as they continue preparations for races at the Everest carnival.

Three of the horses are targeting the inaugural $7.5 million Golden Eagle to be run over 1500 metres at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday 2 November.

Never No More (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) for leading Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien, Richard Hannon’s Beat Le Bon (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and the Michael O’Callaghan-trained I Am Superman (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) are being set for the Golden Eagle.

A fourth horse Antilles (USA) (War Front {USA}), also trained by O’Brien, is being aimed at the Rosehill Gold Cup to be run over 2000 metres on Golden Eagle Day at Rosehill.

The four horses arrived at the Canterbury Park Quarantine Centre on Saturday afternoon and did some light walking and pace work on the Canterbury Park Polytrack surface on Monday morning.

Coolmore America announces fees

Triple Crown winner Justify (USA) (Scat Daddy {USA}) topped the 2020 stud fees for Coolmore’s Ashford Stud at US$150,000 (AU$218,000), with fellow Triple Crown hero and star first season sire American Pharoah’s (USA) (Pioneerof the Nile {USA}) fee still to be announced. Following Justify is the brilliant Uncle Mo (USA) (Indian Charlie {USA}) at US$125,000 (AU$180,000). Mendelssohn (USA) (Scat Daddy {USA}) will stand for US$35,000 (AU$50,000).

Late entry for Bart

Black Heart Bart (Blackfriars) has been paid up as a late entry for the G1 Cox Plate.

He had been retired last year but was put back into work with Lindsey Smith ahead of this year's spring carnival and the 9-year-old gelding won last month's G1 Underwood S. at Caulfield in the third start of his campaign.

The six-time Group 1 winner backed up his Underwood performance with a close second in the G1 Caulfield S.

Connections have paid $200,000 to get him in the Cox Plate, which includes the $54,450 final acceptance.

Showcasing colt quickest

A Showcasing (GB) colt from Sam Beatson’s Riversley Park posted the quickest time at Te Rapa on Monday during the first breeze up session ahead of New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready To Run Sale at Karaka on November 20 and 21.

Lot 159, out of the four-time winner Saheel (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) posted 10.52s with Lot 192, a Super Easy (NZ) colt who is a half-brother to the Group 2 winner Boots ‘n’ All (NZ) (Perfectly Ready) running 10.53s.

A Reliable Man (GB) filly, Lot 40, prepared by Katrina Alexander for Westbury Stud breezed up in 10.68s while Lot 365 by Savabeel from Trelawney Stud returned 10.66s.

Another eye-catching effort came from Kilgravin Lodge’s Per Incanto (USA) colt, Lot 106, who recorded 10.7s while a Darci Brahma (NZ) gelding, Lot 170, 10.67s.

Derby hopes in balance

The pressure goes on Long Jack (NZ) (So You Think {NZ}) at Geelong on Wednesday to keep alive his G1 Victoria Derby prospects.

Co-trainer Murray Baker is hoping the 3-year-old will be on his best behaviour prior to racing, after running his race in the mounting yard when sixth to Warning (Declaration Of War {USA}) in the Listed Super Impose S. at Flemington last start.

“He got fizzed up and real colty before his last run,” Baker said. “Being really wound up like that didn’t help his chances at all.

“We’re putting the blinkers on him this time and hopefully that will help. His work has been good and we’re happy with him.

“I’d want to see him running on to be a Derby chance. We won this race a couple of years ago with Weather With You and he was a similar type of chance going into it.”

Jockeys cop bans

Tommy Berry and Matt McGillivray have been suspended for careless riding which led to a fall in the G1 Queensland Derby at Eagle Farm in which fellow jockey Corey Brown suffered serious injuries.

McGillivray, who rode Grand Bouquet (NZ) (Savabeel), was suspended for three weeks while Berry on Nobu (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}), was suspended for two weeks after they were found guilty of the charges.

A third jockey, Tim Clark, was originally also charged but after submissions was found not guilty.

Dual G1 Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Brown fell from Lord Arthur (Camelot {GB}) in the incident on June 8 and suffered serious injuries including fractures in his back.

Nicoletta retired

Group 1 winner Nicoletta (NZ) (Savabeel) has been retired to stud following her unplaced run in the G3 Taranaki Breeders’ S. at Hawera earlier this month.

Owned by Lib Petagna’s JML Bloodstock, she won five of her 32 career starts, including the G1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ S.

“She’s gone to Trapeze Artist, a three-time Group 1 winner by Snitzel,” co-trainer Murray Baker said. "She’s a Group 1 winner herself and had done enough. She was a good mare.”

International assault

Four internationally-trained horses including last year’s G1 Melbourne Cup placegetter Prince Of Arran (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}) will run in the G3 Geelong Cup.

The Charlie Fellowes-trained stayer finished second in the G2 Herbert Power S. in his return to Australian racing on October 12 and has drawn the outside barrier for Wednesday's 2400 metre race, in which the winner will be eligible for a weight penalty for the Melbourne Cup.

Godolphin trainer Saeed Bin Suroor has this year's Ebor H. runner-up Red Galileo (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in at Geelong with the Willie Mullins-trained mare True Self (Ire) (Oscar {Ire}) and John Hammond-trained gelding Haky (Ire) (Muhtathir {GB}) the other Northern Hemisphere-trained contenders.

Despite his third in last year's Melbourne Cup, Prince Of Arran is down the order of entry and in danger of missing a start this time around.

Tragic end

Trainer Willie Mullins has paid tribute to Wicklow Brave (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}) after a fatal fall at Far Hills racecourse in the United States.

The 10-year-old had a remarkable career, striking at Group 1 level on the flat in the 2016 Irish St Leger and also adding a top-level success over fences when winning the 2017 Punchestown Champion Hurdle.

He also twice contested the Melbourne Cup, finishing 22nd in 2016 and 10th a year later.

He appeared to be on the verge of adding another notable win to his record in the American Grand National when he fell at the last jump and fractured his shoulder and had to be euthanised.

"I would like to pay tribute to Wicklow Brave, who was a real legend in our yard," Mullins said. "A career like his will probably never be replicated, going from bumpers to hurdles, back to the flat and then chasing.”