At First Sight's Melbourne Cup campaign could be over

The Melbourne Cup campaign of Robert Hickmott’s At First Sightmay be over after the four-year-old suffered an elevated temperature last weekend.

The temperature forced At First Sight out of last Saturday’s Group 1 Caulfield Stakes in Melbourne and caused him to miss an entire week of crucial trackwork.

Owner Lloyd Williams admitted that the circumstances did not favour At First Sight’s Melbourne Cup chances.

“You don’t want to miss a day of work at this time of year and he’s missed a week,” Williams said.

“That impacts pretty hard with his Melbourne Cup campaign.

“He was back working this morning, but he’d have to run in the Moonee Valley Cup (Saturday week) to be a chance of running in the Melbourne Cup and I’m not full of confidence he’ll do that.”

With At First Sight’s Melbourne Cup chances in doubt, Williams may have to focus on the Cox Plate bid of his three representatives Efficient, Midas Touch and Linton.

Williams can’t go past the trackwork performances of Midas Touch, who finished third last start in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes at Caulfield.

“Old Efficient seems really well, but I like Midas Touch as a horse,” Williams said.

“He’s the best horse we’ve brought out (from England) in a long while.”

The owner will also be represented in the prestigious Caulfield Cup this Saturday by Green Moon, who drew gate 17 in the barrier draw just minutes ago.