Melbourne Cup 2015: Wohler still sifting through spring hopes

The next few weeks will be pivotal to Melbourne Cup-winning German trainer Andreas Wohler’s chances of chasing Victorian spring carnival riches this year.

Wohler has four horses nominated for spring carnival races but said he was unsure on potential Melbourne visitors who would have to start quarantine next month.

“We just want to see how the horses progress,” Wohler, in Melbourne to attend an awards night on Sunday, told reporters at Flemington racecourse on Friday.

He considers Simba, who is set to race in either Germany or Turkey in two weeks, as the most likely to make the trip.

Simba holds a Cox Plate nomination but Wohler said the Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington would be a likely target if he travelled to Melbourne.

The Caulfield Cup has been the target for Singing but Wohler said the horse ran below expectations when fifth in the Group One Grosser Preis Von Berlin (2400m) on August 9 in his third start this year.

“Maybe we run him once more in Europe and then we want to see how he is and make plans from then on,” he said.

“He had an injury last year and had to be operated.

Cox Plate nomination Turfdonna won the German Oaks which is likely to keep her in Europe this year.

Italian Derby winner Goldstream, also nominated for the Cox Plate, ran fourth in the Secretariat Stakes in America last week in his first start for Wohler.

Asked if he was still a chance to come to Australia, Wohler said: “We’ll just have to see how he improves at home.

“It’s a tough competition for a three-year-old because he has to be weighted here as a four-year-old.”

Wohler is in Melbourne to attend the Scobie Breasley Medal.

He is one of the nominations for the Fred Hoysted Medal, an award for the most outstanding training performance of the season in Victoria.

He earned his nomination for training Protectionist to win the 2014 Melbourne Cup.

Wohler was back at Flemington for the first time since last spring on Friday and while the atmosphere was a far cry from Melbourne Cup day, he said the memories of an unbelievable day in his career came flooding back.

“When you come down here and stand in the parade ring and walk on the track, the heart starts pumping again,” he said.

Article from justhorseracing.com.au

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