Luca Cumani has arrived in Australia to prepare Mount Athos and My Quest For Peace for Tuesday's Emirates Melbourne Cup.
Trainer pleased with Melbourne Cup pair
Luca Cumani has arrived in Australia to put the finishing touches to the preparations of Mount Athos and My Quest For Peace ahead of Tuesday's Emirates Melbourne Cup.
Mount Athos has been one of the ante-post favourites for some time after winning his last three races at Newmarket, York and Newbury and Cumani has been keen to keep him fresh.
My Quest For Peace (formerly known in the UK as Quest For Peace) ran a fine trial in the Caulfield Cup behind Dunaden when beaten just over a length into fifth and the Newmarket handler has two good chances to claim a race he has come so close to winning on a couple of occasions.
"They look very well. Most of the time when I've joined them they have had trouble eating or look light and I haven't been happy but this time I am happy, they look great," Cumani told www.racingvictoria.net.au.
"Mount Athos won first up for us in the spring not having raced for six months and was very impressive. He didn't race for two months and then won again in a listed race and then had 45 days off before winning the Geoffrey Freer at Group Three level.
"He's done his best by racing sparingly.
"They are both equally as good (as each other). Both have Group form in England and are in good form. I haven't got a favourite, may the best horse win.
"Both my horses like it fast, but fast by English standards, not fast by Australian standards."
Irish challenger
Dermot Weld's Galileo's Choice is another major European contender and he came through a piece of work in company with a horse of Geelong trainer Rick Page, who strapped Media Puzzle for the Weld's when the horse won the 2002 Melbourne Cup.
"We just wanted a nice sharp piece of work and what we saw just there you would have to be happy with," said Weld's son, Mark.
"He did some really strong work at the Welsh's Hill gallop at the Curragh before coming out here and we just need to keep him ticking over now."
