Kiwi Melbourne Cup hope Mahrajaan will miss this Friday night’s Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) after suffering an insect bite at his Warrnambool base.
Cambridge trainer Shaune Ritchie had hoped to use the $750,000 feature as New Zealand and Auckland Cups winner Mahrajaan’s final lead-up to the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 5.
But the insect bite, which Ritchie believed was probably a spider bite, has meant a change of plans for Mahrajaan, who could now tackle Wednesday week’s Group 3 Bendigo Cup (2400m).
“He’s got an insect bite of some sort and a leg that’s blown up. We’ve scanned it and it’s not a ligament issue but with all insect bites, they take a little bit of time to get the swelling out,” Ritchie said.
“He won’t be running Friday night. We’ll have to treat him for the pain and to help with the swelling and he’ll almost certainly go to the Bendigo Cup next week.”
Ritchie, who trains in partnership with Colm Murray, noted that the Ciaron Maher-trained Interpretation won last year’s Bendigo Cup before finishing sixth in the Melbourne Cup six days later.
“He did back up from a Metropolitan to win a New Zealand Cup last year and while I know that’s a different class, it does show he’s capable of running one week and backing up the following week,” Ritchie said of Kitten’s Joy seven-year-old Mahrajaan.
“He’s in great order. The question is whether he has the turn of foot to win a Melbourne Cup, but we do know he runs the two miles out. But I’ll be reluctant to take a spot up if he can’t perform in the Bendigo Cup because we need to see more than what we saw at Caulfield last time.”
Mahrajaan, assured of a start in the Melbourne Cup if connections opt to run, finished 13th in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) at Caulfield, although Ritchie was forgiving of his charge in his first run for five weeks.
“He had to go back on a track which had a fierce leaders’ bias and they ran that race slower than any other on the day and the leader was off and gone,” Ritchie said.
“We need an improved performance though to justify running in the Cup.”
Ritchie was delighted with the way Mahrajaan had settled in at Warrnambool, where he had beach access and was enjoying a slower pace of a country stable.
“He’s actually in the box next to where Prince Of Penzance was when he won his Melbourne Cup,” Ritchie said.
“They are beautiful big boxes and he’s got access to water walkers and he’s right by the beach. He’s got his paddock which is the same size as home, so his environment is perfect for him as a horse who likes his routine.
“From his training, we know he’s in great form, but it will just come down to class and we know the Melbourne Cup is a worldwide race now and it’s not easy to win. But he’s here and it would be nice to have him there in the best possible order to see how good he is.”
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