Melbourne Cup Decision Yet To Be Made For Pale Mimosa

Pale Mimosa entered quarantine in Ireland overnight, but the talented mare is still no certainty to make the trip to Australia for the 2014 Melbourne Cup at Flemington on November 4.

Dermot Weld has not had a runner in the Melbourne Cup since Galileo's Choice finished behind Green Moon in the 2012 edition of the race.

Dermot Weld has not had a runner in the Melbourne Cup since Galileo's Choice finished behind Green Moon in the 2012 edition of the race. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

The second group of European-trained Spring Racing Carnival contenders entered quarantine in both Newmarket in England and Ireland overnight and the likes of Cox Plate hopeful Adelaide and Melbourne Cup contenders Willing Foe, Cavalryman and Gatewood are all certain to be on the plane that is set to arrive in Australia in just over two weeks.

Connections of Pale Mimosa have kept open the possibility of running the Singspiel mare in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m), but Weld told RSN this morning that a decision on whether she makes the trip to Australia will not be made until the last minute.

“A decision doesn’t have to be made for two weeks or close to it,” Weld said.

“We will just see how she is training, she what the makeup of the race is like, she what the forecast of weather is and make a final call then.

“We would like to see a little bit of rain.

“She doesn’t have to do very much at this stage, she has got her work done to be quiet honest with your.

“She will just be kept ticking over, she just raced the other day and she is a very fit mare and a very big mare.

“I will naturally discuss it with the connections and it is a joint decision.”

Pale Mimosa recorded her maiden win at Group level when she defeated Estimate, Times Up and Cavalryman to take out the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup (3299m) at York on August 22, but she was slightly disappointing when fifth behind Brown Panther in the Group 1 Irish St Leger (2816m) at Curragh on September 14.

Weld said that he was thrilled with the performance of Pale Mimosa in the Lonsdale Cup and he believes that she had a number of excuses for her poor effort in the Irish St Leger.

“She was impressive when she won the Lonsdale at York,” Weld said.

“She beat the very good mare of Her Majesty’s that was second and who went down to win the Doncaster Cup, so the form is pretty rock solid.

“Pale Mimosa is a nice mare and she went into quarantine today, but no decision has been made whether she goes or not.

“I was a bit disappointed by the run to be quiet honest with you, but she had three runs in quick succession.”

“She won her Stakes race, she won the Group 2 at York, she travelled over and travelled back and she just didn’t run quiet up to her form.”

Pale Mimosa is currently available at Melbourne Cup odds of $34 with Ladbrokes Australia.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.