VINTAGE CROP looks set to run in the Foster's Melbourne Cup on November 5th for an amazing fourth time provided he can prove he retains his ability in his forthcoming races.
Vintage Crop (9st 2lb), who carried 8st 10lb to victory three years ago and has since shouldered 9st 6lb and 9st 4lb, is on target to make his reappearance in the Irish St Leger, also the next objective for another Irish entry Oscar Schindler (8st 13lb).
"I'd love to see him run for a fourth time but we will make our decision according to how he performs. He still has plenty of weight for a 10 year old," said Dermot Weld who described St Leger bound Gordi as "very unlikely".
Classic Cliche and Grey Shot emerged as the most likely English based contenders to tackle the race as interest from Ireland and Britain in Australia's famous event hit new heights yesterday.
Vintage Crop, Oscar Schindler and the two English stayers are among a record 34 horses from Ireland and Britain out of a total entry of 291.
Despite being allotted top weight of 9st 9lb, last year's St Leger winner Classic Cliche will be put into quarantine immediately after he has run in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe while connections decide their next move. And he could be joined in the challenge for the £1.1 million event by Goodwood Cup winner Grey Shot, who races in the Lochsong colours of Jeff Smith.
Mark Johnston complained that Australian handicapper Jim Bowler had given him little incentive to go by rating Double Trigger (9st 6lb) four pounds higher than Vintage Crop.
"I am desperately disappointed because while he has dropped Trigger, Vintage Crop has been dropped a kilo too. He's taken no account of the fact that Vintage Crop has run well in the three Melbourne Cups and Trigger has run badly in one," he said.
"We are in exactly the same position as last year in that there is no real incentive to go. Unless we get sponsorship we are unlikely to ago. The coverage we got last year was unbelievable but nobody was interested."
The strong entry from the northern hemisphere was welcomed by Les Benton, general manager of the Victoria Racing Club. "The international component continues to expand to the extent that now any stayer of world note must include Melbourne in November in its racing schedule," he said.
"I would love to see five or six of them run. That would be a tremendous achievement bearing in mind the money on offer. It must be a huge enticement as well as the £30,000 we are paying all the way down to 10th place."
But while that may be optimistic Classic Cliche's handicap weight, 3lb below what White Muzzle received when he was engaged two years ago, may be lenient enough to entice Godolphin to Australia instead of Canada.
The four year old has missed some work because of a minor problem and sidesteps Saturday's September Stakes at Kempton. But racing manager Simon Crisford said: "He's been fairly treated but he will run in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, and possibly the Prix Foy before that.
He will start quarantine the day after the Arc and then we will decide whether he will go to Melbourne or run in the Breeders' Cup Turf in Toronto. The important thing is that he runs in the right race but the door to Australia remains open.
Grey Shot, conceding 4lb, finished fourth (behind Celeric at York last time but gets the same weight (8st 9lb) as that rival in the Cup weights.
A decision on Celeric's participation is likely to be made within a fortnight after he has met Double Trigger in the Doncaster Cup.
Coral made Australia's Saintly the 12 to 1 favourite but then offer 16 to 1 Classic Cliche and Vintage Crop, 20 to 1 Celeric, 25 to 1 Court Of Honour, Double Trigger, Gordi and Grey Shot, 33 to 1 Blushing Flame, Oscar Schindler and Overbury, 50 to 1 Taufan's Melody, Always Aloof and Lear White.
