Melbourne Cup Flemington, Victoria Date: 3 November, 0400 GMT Commentary: BBC Radio 5 live
 Dettori and Kirklees won the Helical Bar Gala Stakes at Sandown in July |
Frankie Dettori will miss the Melbourne Cup after his Godolphin mount Kirklees was pulled from the prestigious race. Trainer Saeed bin Suroor was unhappy with the condition of the five-year-old after arriving in Australia. "The horse is not injured but he does not look as good as he was back in England," said bin Suroor. Also withdrawn from Tuesday's field is 2007 Cup winner Efficient, whose stable are managing a long-term injury to the horse's off foreleg. Earlier this week, Speed Gifted was scratched having pulled up sore after running a disappointing 12th in his last outing at Moonnee Valley. "His feet are very tender, he's jarred up all over and pulled a hamstring," said trainer Lee Freedman. "They are all repairable, but not within seven days when you are going into the Melbourne Cup." The five-year-old had been trained by Luca Cumani in Newmarket until moving to Australia after the 2008 season.  | 606: DEBATE |
Speed Gifted won the Group One Metropolitan at Randwick earlier in October to earn general quotes of around 14-1 for the 3 November two-mile handicap. But three weeks later he finished last but one in the Tatts Cox Plate, and it was immediately clear that something was wrong with the horse. Last year's winner Viewed, trained by the brilliant veteran Bart Cummings, and the Jake Stephens-trained five-year-old Alcopop continue to be favoured in the betting. Gololphin still have Crime Scene in the field, while Cumani sends over Basaltico and Cima De Triomphe. Worcestershire trainer Ian Williams has entered Munsef. More than 100,000 spectators attend Melbourne Cup day at Flemington Park and it is a public holiday in the state of Victoria. Only two European horses have ever won the race, Vintage Crop in 1993 and Media Puzzle in 2002. This year's winner will take home £1.7m.
Follow regular Twitter updates from BBC racing correspondent Cornelius Lysaght at http://twitter.com/CorneliusRacing
| 
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
Bookmark with:
What are these?