A couple of foreign races of interest:

Later on tonight at Kempton Park it's the Sun Racing September Stakes, a Group 3 race over 2400m. In the field are Melbourne Cup nominees Mountain Hunter and Prince of Arran. Last year's Caulfield Cup winner Best Solution is the race favourite with Prince of Arran at $12 in the 12-strong field, and Mountain Hunter at $34.

Tomorrow night at Longchamp it's the Group 3 Prix Gladiateur, with Haky contesting the 3100m Group 3.


There was a bit of movement in Cup futures betting this week with Constantinople gaining a fair bit of interest. Both he and Cape of Good Hope were purchased by Lindsay Park clients and will now be trained by Hayes-Hayes-Dabernig.

"There’s a bit of hype about this horse (Constantinople) but I want to get my hands on him and see how he is, but I think he’s a false favourite," David Hayes, said.

"I bought Rostropovich for this year and these two I’ve bought, I hope they run well this year and the market says they will, but I’m more keen for the future.

"This is a bonus this year."

They're both expected to arrive in the first shipment of foreign horses. Interestingly David Hayes said their work at Werribee would be limited following all the injuries that occurred at the facility last season.

Much of the interest is on account of the similarities between Constantinople this year and Cross Counter the last: born within a week of each other a year apart, their respective Cup preps are very similar. Cross Counter went into the Melbourne Cup without a warm-up with his last race the Voltigeur Stakes.

Cross Counter carried 57kg and finished a 0.2L 2nd in a race run on Good-Firm in 2'28.34s. Constantinople carried the same weight on a Good track, a 1.75L 2nd behind the St Leger Stakes favourite Logician - in 2'27.91s.

The race prior Cross Counter set a new record in the Gordon Stakes, carrying 57.5kg around in 2'31.39s. Constantinople carried 59kg and finished 2nd by 0.4L in 2'35.67s.

Cross Counter snuck in another race (a 2L victory in the Woodford Reserve Handicap) between the Gordon Stakes and the next one they have in common: the King George V Stakes. Here Constantinople came 2nd finishing 0.4L back in 2'32.74s on Good-Soft. Cross Counter didn't finish as highly (4th 2.75L) carrying 0.5kg less in a much quicker race: 2'28.36s - though it was on a track that was Good-Firm.

Constantinople: 8 starts for 2 wins and 5 placings.
Cross Counter (at the same time): 7 starts for 4 wins and 2 placings.


The benchmark handicap for horses of this age has also gone up 1kg this year.