Some clarity around which internationals might take part in this year’s Spring Carnival features in Melbourne was provided late on Saturday when seven horses entered quarantine in the UK and Ireland.
Joseph O’Brien quartet Kizlyar, Omni Man, Small Fry and Starford entered alongside Roger Varian’s Enfjaar in Ireland, while the Harry Charlton-trained Wine Dark Sea and Ciaron Maher’s Point Of Law were isolated in England.
All are entered for both the $6 million Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 17 and the $10 million Melbourne Cup 17 days later and have passed Racing Victoria’s necessary veterinary protocols to this point.
“The first seven international horses targeting the 2026 Spring Racing Carnival yesterday entered pre-export quarantine in the UK and Ireland where they will remain for two weeks prior to travelling to Melbourne,” RV head of racing Paul Bloodworth said.
“All seven hold nominations for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups and have satisfied RV’s pre-travel veterinary protocols, passing a compulsory scan of their distal limbs and completing two physical veterinary examinations so far – they must undergo a final examination in PEQ.”
Being in the first shipment, which is scheduled to arrive in Melbourne on the final weekend of this month, enables horses to participate in the Caulfield Cup.
Last-start Group 3 Glorious Stakes winner Enfjaar and Group 3 Geoffrey Freer winner Wine Dark Sea are the shortest-priced internationals in this year’s Caulfield Cup, ahead of O’Brien’s Omni Man and Starford and Point Of Law, who has joined Maher after previously being trained by John and Thady Gosden.
Small Fry is no certainty to contest the Caulfield Cup with O’Brien and owners OTI also considering a start in the Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m), while Varian is not committed to a Melbourne Cup start with Enfjaar, who could run in the Group 1 Champions Stakes (2000m) at Flemington.
There were also Melbourne Cup developments over the weekend with Highwayman racing up betting charts following victory in the Group 1 English St Leger (2921m) at Doncaster on Saturday night, Australian time.
More big-name entries are engaged on Sunday night with Trustyourinstinct to take on star stayers Scandinavia and Jan Brueghel in the Group 1 Irish St Leger (2816m).
