KIRKLEES AND CIMA DE TRIOMPHE PRIMED FOR CUP START

LESS than two weeks out from the BMW Caulfield Cup the Godolphin and Luca Cumani stables are confident their runners Kirklees and Cima De Triomphe are on target for the race.

Although their trackwork has been limited to easy canters, there is no doubt Kirklees and Cima De Triomphe are winding up nicely for the race.

Both horses are likely to have only one serious gallop before the Cup on Saturday,17 October but

there is no doubting the improvement they have made in their general appearance over the past

four or five days.

Kirklees and stablemate Crime Scene walked a lap of the course proper at Sandown today

(Monday) before cantering from near the 1600 metres to the winning post.

As has been the case in all their work so far, Crime Scene (ridden by Niall Collum) went out about 15 lengths ahead of Kirklees (ridden by Gary Mitchell) before being eased up in the straight as Kirklees made up a lot of ground in the run to the line.

Travelling foreman Tommy Strang said they would have two similar canters tomorrow (Tuesday) before doing a ‘’piece of work’’ on Wednesday.

Strang said it still had not been decided if Frankie Dettori would be in Melbourne to ride Kirklees in the Caulfield Cup but Kerrin McEvoy was on standby to take the mount.

“It all depends on the runners we (Godolphin) are going to have at the Champions’ Day at

Newmarket on the same day,’’ Strang said. “Frankie wants to come (to Melbourne) but he may be required to ride at Newmarket.”

Cima De Triomphe and stablemate Basaltico also did separate canters working from near the 1200m. Although Crime Scene and Basaltico are not going to run in the Caulfield Cup they are both shaping up as genuine chances for the Geelong Cup on Wednesday, 21 October.

Meanwhile, Singapore-trained mare Jolie’s Shinju will gallop at Caulfield tomorrow (Tuesday) in preparation for Saturday’s Group 1 Yalumba Stakes.

The six-year-old will again be examined by RVL Chief Vet Paul O’Callaghan after her work.

Her connections will decide after the trip to Caulfield whether she will be shifted there or to

Flemington to continue her preparation for the Tatts Cox Plate on Saturday 24 October.

Jolie’s Shinju is now out of quarantine and will be unable to remain at Sandown with possibly six more international spring contenders arriving in Melbourne on Saturday morning.

Mourilyan and Bankable are on the flight from England along with Munsef, Dermot Weld’s mare Profound Beauty, the former Sir Michael Stoute-trained Warringah, which has been sold to a client of Sydney-based trainer Chris Waller and Changingoftheguard who is joining the David Hayes stable.

It has not yet been decided if Changingoftheguard will run during the spring or be sent for a spell.

RACING VICTORIA MEDIA RELEASE

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