Ground concerns for Septimus

Joint-favourite may miss Melbourne Cup

By Simon Dilger   Last updated: 2nd November 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

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Septimus 2006

Septimus: 'Too valuable'
I don't think this track is fair for any of our horses. It got too firm, the surface, and I've got to think of the horse first. He's too valuable.

Derrick Smith
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Derrick Smith will order trainer Aidan O'Brien to withdraw Septimus from the Melbourne Cup if the ground is too firm.

Smith, one of the spearheads behind the mighty Coolmore operation, has expressed concern with the conditions at Flemington ahead of Tuesday's contest.

Speaking to Melbourne newspaper The Age after Saturday's Victoria Derby meeting, Smith said that the five-year-old stayer was 'too valuable' to risk on fast ground.

"If the track is as firm on Tuesday as it was (on Saturday), I'll be asking Aidan to scratch," he said.

"I don't think this track is fair for any of our horses. It got too firm, the surface, and I've got to think of the horse first.

"He's too valuable."

Decision

Victoria Racing Club chairman Rod Fitzroy however has said that the track will be watered before Tuesday.

And O'Brien will reportedly walk the course on Monday afternoon before making a decision on Septimus' participation.

The Irish St Ledger winner is joint-ante-post favourite for the race along with the Luca Cumani trained Mad Rush.

Cumani said he was pleased that the four-year-old colt had been drawn in gate four.

"Four is good as it allows us to save ground all the way around," he said.

"Hopefully, we won't get shuffled too far back and Ollie (Damien Oliver) will be able to get a good position and hold that position into the straight."

Surprised

Dermot Weld is confident his four-year-old filly Profound Beauty will stay two miles despite never having been tested over a mile and six furlongs.

Weld, who won the Melbourne Cup with Vintage Crop (1993) and Media Puzzle (2002), said: "I was pleasantly surprised that she got the mile and six the day she won (at Leopardstown in July).

"And having watched it again, she gives every reason that she should get the two miles.

"If she gets the two miles, she should be in the shake-up. She's not really bred to stay but she's relaxed and we're hopeful.

"I'm very happy with her and I expect her to run a good race, but think Septimus and Mad Rush are going to be very hard to beat."