The two trainers of imported Cups horses part-owned by Australian Bloodstock have cast their eye over their prospective charges and are looking forward to the spring ahead. Newcastle trainer Kris Lees saw Mustajeer for the first time in quarantine at Werribee on Wednesday, while Victorian trainer Paul Preusker had his second look at Torcedor. Lees said Mustajeer, last-start winner of the Ebor, the UK's richest staying handicap, was impressive. "I think he holds his own against the horses that are in there," Lees said. "He looks pretty sound for an older horse, so it looks pretty positive so far." Lees said Mustajeer arrived in Australia a similar weight to what he was when winning the Ebor and to his eye was only a gallop away from being in the right shape for the Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 19, in which he will be ridden by Damien Oliver. "He'll have a gallop towards the end of the week and again sometime next week," Lees said. "Then he'll go to Caulfield when he clears quarantine and stay at Clinton McDonald's and have a gallop on the course proper on the Tuesday before the Cup." Mustajeer is a $15 chance in Caulfield Cup betting and $18 for the Melbourne Cup. Hunter-based Australian Bloodstock bought a stake in Mustajeer before the Ebor. Entered only in the Melbourne Cup, for which he is a $51 chance, Torcedor will head to Preusker's Horsham property to prepare for the race on November 5. "I saw him on Saturday when he arrived and again this morning and he's just ticking over slow at the moment," Preusker said. "We've got to find a little bit so it will be good to get him back home and get a bit of work into him on the heavy sand and spend a few hours on him." Preusker said Torcedor seemed happy in his new surrounds but would benefit from extra work once he clears quarantine on October 12. Meanwhile, Osborne Bulls will press his claims for the Godolphin slot in the $14 million Everest when he runs in the Premiere Stakes at Randwick. His biggest stumbling block in Saturday's group 2 1200m-sprint appears to be Classique Legend, which is already an Everest runner for owner Bon Ho and veteran trainer Les Bridge. Osborne Bulls was a late call-up for the Australian Turf Club's Everest slot in 2018 and finished third behind Redzel and Trapeze Artist. In the autumn he registered seconds in five consecutive group 1 sprints, most recently the Doomben 10,000 in May. Godolphin bought the slot vacated this year by Damion Flower and they have several prospects in the wings. "We scratched him a couple of weeks ago because even though one of his best performances was on a heavy track in the Everest a year ago, I'd prefer his first-up run to be on good ground," trainer James Cummings said. "There's no doubt that he'll be better for the run, but I think he's nearly there." Stablemate Home Of The Brave is entered for Premiere and the Gilgai Stakes at Flemington, where he would take on Everest favourite Santa Ana Lane and another leading contender, Sunlight. Bivouac bolstered his claims for the Everest with his win in the group 1 Golden Rose. Alizee and Trekking are still in the mix for the Godolphin team. "Now that Bivouac has won his group 1, The Everest is on the table," Cummings said. "If he hadn't won last week, we wouldn't be thinking of running in The Everest." If Home Of The Brave runs in Melbourne, the Premiere Stakes field will be reduced to five. Brutal, Land Of Plenty and the Lees-trained Graff are the others.
The two trainers of imported Cups horses part-owned by Australian Bloodstock have cast their eye over their prospective charges and are looking forward to the spring ahead.
Newcastle trainer Kris Lees saw Mustajeer for the first time in quarantine at Werribee on Wednesday, while Victorian trainer Paul Preusker had his second look at Torcedor.
Lees said Mustajeer, last-start winner of the Ebor, the UK's richest staying handicap, was impressive.
"I think he holds his own against the horses that are in there," Lees said. "He looks pretty sound for an older horse, so it looks pretty positive so far."
Lees said Mustajeer arrived in Australia a similar weight to what he was when winning the Ebor and to his eye was only a gallop away from being in the right shape for the Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 19, in which he will be ridden by Damien Oliver.
"He'll have a gallop towards the end of the week and again sometime next week," Lees said.
"Then he'll go to Caulfield when he clears quarantine and stay at Clinton McDonald's and have a gallop on the course proper on the Tuesday before the Cup."
Mustajeer is a $15 chance in Caulfield Cup betting and $18 for the Melbourne Cup. Hunter-based Australian Bloodstock bought a stake in Mustajeer before the Ebor.
Entered only in the Melbourne Cup, for which he is a $51 chance, Torcedor will head to Preusker's Horsham property to prepare for the race on November 5.
"I saw him on Saturday when he arrived and again this morning and he's just ticking over slow at the moment," Preusker said.
"We've got to find a little bit so it will be good to get him back home and get a bit of work into him on the heavy sand and spend a few hours on him."
Preusker said Torcedor seemed happy in his new surrounds but would benefit from extra work once he clears quarantine on October 12.
Meanwhile, Osborne Bulls will press his claims for the Godolphin slot in the $14 million Everest when he runs in the Premiere Stakes at Randwick.
His biggest stumbling block in Saturday's group 2 1200m-sprint appears to be Classique Legend, which is already an Everest runner for owner Bon Ho and veteran trainer Les Bridge.
Osborne Bulls was a late call-up for the Australian Turf Club's Everest slot in 2018 and finished third behind Redzel and Trapeze Artist.
In the autumn he registered seconds in five consecutive group 1 sprints, most recently the Doomben 10,000 in May.
Godolphin bought the slot vacated this year by Damion Flower and they have several prospects in the wings.
"We scratched him a couple of weeks ago because even though one of his best performances was on a heavy track in the Everest a year ago, I'd prefer his first-up run to be on good ground," trainer James Cummings said.
"There's no doubt that he'll be better for the run, but I think he's nearly there."
Stablemate Home Of The Brave is entered for Premiere and the Gilgai Stakes at Flemington, where he would take on Everest favourite Santa Ana Lane and another leading contender, Sunlight.
Bivouac bolstered his claims for the Everest with his win in the group 1 Golden Rose. Alizee and Trekking are still in the mix for the Godolphin team.
"Now that Bivouac has won his group 1, The Everest is on the table," Cummings said.
"If he hadn't won last week, we wouldn't be thinking of running in The Everest."
If Home Of The Brave runs in Melbourne, the Premiere Stakes field will be reduced to five. Brutal, Land Of Plenty and the Lees-trained Graff are the others.
