Connections of Spanish Mission expect to run their leading Lexus Melbourne Cup (G1) hope next week despite having to face a last-minute veterinary check Oct. 30 in order to be cleared for participation.
The 5-year-old is the general 8-1 second favorite for the Nov. 2 two-mile group 1, but concerns about his involvement arose after he failed an initial veterinary inspection on Thursday morning due to swelling in his right foreleg, and Racing Victoria vets remained unsatisfied following another check at the Werribee International Facility on Friday.
Saturday’s tests will be the final chance for Spanish Mission to prove his fitness—with final acceptances and the draw for the ‘race that stops a nation’ made the same day—but trainer Andrew Balding is confident he will be able to run.
Balding said the morning of Oct. 29: “Spanish Mission is well. He exercised as normal on Friday and will do so again as normal tomorrow before he faces the vet check. Everything with him getting down there and since he’s been there has been so far so good.
“We’ll wait for the draw tomorrow and we’re looking forward to running, hopefully.”
Ought to Spanish Mission take his place, Balding and Joseph O’Brien would be the solely two European trainers represented within the race following the introduction of stricter veterinary protocols on horses touring from Europe to race in Melbourne earlier this 12 months.
The sequence of necessary checks and scans earlier than their departure have been introduced in following a spate of deaths within the Melbourne Cup in recent times and whereas Racing Victoria’s new measures have been off-putting for a lot of, Spanish Mission’s part-owner Barry Irwin, who runs underneath his Staff Valor banner, understands why they’ve been launched.
He stated: “I applaud the thought behind it. Whether or not it is an excessive amount of or not, will not be for me to say. It is their race, they’ll do what they need; we knew what we have been dealing with after we went in.
“We have now a sound horse and we’ve confidence in him. We knew what we have been up in opposition to and if it really works out in our favor nice, but when it does not that is the best way it goes.”
Spanish Mission’s preparation has been overseen by coach Tony Noonan and his son Tom at Werribee and like Balding, each are assured he’ll be capable of take his likelihood within the race, which takes place at 4 a.m. GMT at Flemington on Nov. 2.
Noonan informed Racing.com: “I feel he is in all probability obtained an an infection underneath the pores and skin, however I would count on enchancment actually rapidly. I’d assume there isn’t any doubt, at this cut-off date, he’ll run.
“He was a sound horse underneath saddle on Friday morning, and he is been sound correct by, so this has simply come out of leftfield. As soon as we deal with him, I feel we’ll get a very fast response.”
