Charlie Appleby’s Caulfield Cup runner-up Scottish will bypass the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday of November and instead take advantage of a Winx-less 2016 Emirates Stakes four days later.
Scottish heads to the 2016 Emirates Stakes over 2000m instead of stepping up to the two miles of the Melbourne Cup. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
On debut down under for the powerhouse international Godolphin stable, Appleby’s Teofilo five-year-old Scottish made an immediate impression running second to Jameka in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m).
He was among 32 Melbourne Cup second declarations taken by Racing Victoria this week, but has since been confirmed as a non-final acceptor for the ‘race that stops a nation’.
Scottish currently sits 11th on the Melbourne Cup order of entry, guaranteed a start in the $6 million Group 1 classic at Flemington Racecourse on Tuesday November 1.
His non-acceptance paves the way for stayers further down the ballot for the two mile showdown to gain a start including stablemate Qewy.
Last Wednesday the fellow Appleby-trained Street Cry seven-year-old had his first run in Australia winning the Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m).
He is now set to make the Melbourne Cup field where he’ll be out to complete the Geelong Cup – Melbourne Cup double recently achieved by French raiders Americain (2010) and Dunaden (2011).
Qewy currently pays $26 in futures Melbourne Cup odds at Ladbrokes.com.au, markets set to firm when final acceptances are taken at the end of Victoria Derby Day this Saturday.
Scottish has been removed from Melbourne Cup betting markets with news he would instead take to the Flemington track on November 5 in the $2 million Group 1 Emirates Stakes (2000m).
“He was quite keen in the Caulfield Cup and if he was to do that again in the Melbourne Cup it would write him out early so it’s back to his preferred trip at home [2000m] and I think he’s a really good chance,” Appleby’s travelling foreman James Ferguson told Racing Victoria on Wednesday.
“Scottish has continued to do well since the Caulfield Cup and we are happy to have him dropping back in distance from 2400 metres to the 2000 metres of the Emirates.”
Previously known as the Mackinnon Stakes and run on Derby Day, the new-look Emirates Stakes is a weight-for-age feature on the last day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
News this week that Chris Waller has spelled his superstar dual Cox Plate winning mare Winx means more horses are now keen to head to the Emirates Stakes, which was briefly considered for Winx.
“I think Sheikh Mohammed and Charlie [Appleby] have pondered on it a long time and at the end of the day, with Winx coming out, it makes it a much more viable option for everyone,” Ferguson said.
As for Qewy’s chances in the Melbourne Cup nest week, Ferguson rates him as a genuine Each Way chance.
“I think he’s got an each-way chance if he’s able to go out and dominate as he did in the Geelong Cup,” he said.
“I know he stays the distance and he’ll definitely put up a good fight.”
To get behind Scottish in the Emirates Stakes odds and check out all-in 2016 Melbourne Cup betting odds head to Ladbrokes.com.au now.
