Roger Charlton, whose gelding Withhold has been a leading ante-post contender for the Melbourne Cup since winning the Northumberland Plate in June, said on Wednesday that he may be forced to give the gelding a preliminary race in Australia next month to get him into the final 24-runner field for the race that stops the Australian nation on 6 November.
Withhold has not been to the track since his easy two-and-three-quarter-length win at Newcastle this year, which followed a similarly smooth success in the Cesarewitch Handicap at Newmarket last season. The five‑year‑old, who is owned by the Brighton chairman Tony Bloom, was a big gamble for both races before setting off as the 5-1 favourite and Charlton was initially confident that two wins in such valuable and competitive events would secure a place in the Melbourne Cup field without another run.
When the weights were published last week, however, Withhold was one of 14 horses on a mark of 53kg and, as the highest earner in that bracket, effectively 45th on the list of possible runners for the race.
Rekindling, who took the race for Joseph O’Brien’s stable in Ireland last year, got into the field with 51.5kg but, with more than 20 horses still ahead of him in the list, Charlton may need to switch from his original plan to improve Withhold’s chance of a run.
“I think it’s going to be tough to get into the Melbourne Cup,” Charlton said. “Some above us might not run and some might not travel, so things can change. We’ve been encouraged all the way along that we would get into the race, but it has been so popular it has made it a tough race to get into. It would be disappointing if we didn’t get into the race having been encouraged all along.”
Withhold, who is top-priced at 16-1 to win at Flemington Park in November, is in quarantine and due to fly to Australia next week.
“The only way of getting more weight is by winning another race out there,” Charlton said. “One of the races will be too tight with quarantine, but there is the Geelong Cup [at Geelong on 24 October] . However, I’m not sure about that and that is not necessarily the plan.”
Dark Vision’s disappointing run in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster on Saturday is still without an explanation, Charlie Johnston, son and assistant to the colt’s trainer Mark, said on Wednesday. Dark Vision was unbeaten in three starts heading into Saturday’s Group Two race, having been sold to Godolphin since winning the Vintage Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, but he trailed home last of six.
“Nothing major has come to light,” Johnston said. “That run was too bad to be true and we will go back to the drawing board. We won’t make any decision over whether he will run again this year just yet.”
Ayr 1.30 Lariat 2.00 Queen's Sargent (nb) 2.30 Mustaqbal 3.05 Stanley 3.35 Morando (nap) 4.10 Agincourt 4.45 Hot Hannah 5.20 Pammi
Yarmouth 1.50 Nostrovia 2.20 Murray River 2.50 King's Girl 3.25 Financial Conduct 4.00 Rare 4.35 Lady Freyja 5.10 Khamry
Pontefract 2.10 Bugler Bob 2.40 Leigh's Law 3.15 Lord Caprio 3.45 Goodnight Girl 4.20 Pepper Street 4.55 Momtalik 5.25 Sultan Baybars
Chelmsford 5.45 Jack's Point 6.15 Gripper 6.45 Incentive 7.15 Restive Spirit 7.45 Auxerre 8.15 Satchville Flyer 8.45 Midas Maggie 9.15 Blyton Lass
Tips by Chris Cook
