A clearer picture of potential international contenders for this year’s Melbourne Spring Carnival features has emerged, with seven horses entering quarantine in the United Kingdom and Ireland late on Saturday.
The horses include Joseph O’Brien’s quartet – Kizlyar, Omni Man, Small Fry, and Starford – along with Roger Varian’s charge Enfjaar, who are in quarantine in Ireland. In England, the Harry Charlton-trained Wine Dark Sea and Ciaron Maher’s Point Of Law have also been isolated.
All these horses are nominated for both the $6 million Caulfield Cup (2400m) set for October 17 and the $10 million Melbourne Cup, which takes place 17 days later. They have all successfully navigated Racing Victoria’s necessary veterinary protocols up to this stage.
“The first seven international horses targeting the 2026 Spring Racing Carnival yesterday entered pre-export quarantine in the UK and Ireland where they will remain for two weeks prior to travelling to Melbourne,” stated RV head of racing Paul Bloodworth. “All seven hold nominations for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups and have satisfied RV’s pre-travel veterinary protocols, passing a compulsory scan of their distal limbs and completing two physical veterinary examinations so far – they must undergo a final examination in PEQ.”
By being part of this initial shipment, which is scheduled to arrive in Melbourne during the final weekend of the current month, these horses will be eligible to compete in the Caulfield Cup.
Currently, Enfjaar, the winner of the Group 3 Glorious Stakes last start, and Wine Dark Sea, a victor of the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer, are the shortest-priced international entries for this year’s Caulfield Cup. Following them are O’Brien’s Omni Man and Starford, as well as Point Of Law, who has joined Maher’s stable after previously being trained by John and Thady Gosden.
Small Fry’s participation in the Caulfield Cup is not guaranteed, as O’Brien and owners OTI are also considering a start in the Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m). Furthermore, Varian has not committed Enfjaar to a Melbourne Cup start, with the Group 1 Champions Stakes (2000m) at Flemington being a potential alternative.
Over the weekend, there were also developments concerning the Melbourne Cup, as Highwayman saw its odds shorten significantly following its victory in the Group 1 English St Leger (2921m) at Doncaster on Saturday night, Australian time.
Additional notable entries are expected on Sunday night, with Trustyourinstinct set to compete against established stayers Scandinavia and Jan Brueghel in the Group 1 Irish St Leger (2816m). Check out the latest racing odds at racing betting markets.
