LEG INJURY FORCES BANKABLE OUT OF THE MACKINNON STAKES

SOUTH African trainer Herman Brown believes Bankable is on the improve from a mystery leg injury that will prevent him running in Saturday’s Group 1 $750,000 Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington.

Brown decided on Monday not to enter Bankable for the Mackinnon after the horse developed
soreness in the off foreleg over the weekend.

“We did some nerve blocking in the leg yesterday and it seems the problem is above the hoof in the back of the leg, but he seems much better today,” Brown said this morning. “I would say he’s 80 to 90 percent right and we’ll hope to have him back on the track by Thursday or Friday.”

Brown said that would give him enough time to have Bankable ready for the Group 1 $1m Emirates
Stakes (1600m) on Saturday week, 7 November at Flemington.

Brown is also very happy with his Emirates Melbourne Cup hope Mourilyan who again looked well
in an easy workout yesterday.

“Mourilyan will probably gallop with Changingoftheguard on Thursday but I don’t want him to do
much, about 800 metres will be enough,” he said.

Changingoftheguard just had light exercise this morning, but the Ian Williams-trained Munsef worked over about 2200 metres at three quarter pace in what was a solid hitout.

Damien Oliver is expected at Sandown tomorrow morning for his first ride on his new Melbourne
Cup mount, the Chris Waller-trained Warringah.

The Luca Cumani stable is waiting anxiously to see if Basaltico, who is on the brink of getting a
Melbourne Cup start at 28th in the order of entry, will make the cut.

Assistant trainer Charlie Henson said Basaltico had made a lot of improvement since his unlucky
run in the Geelong Cup and Danny Nikolic had been engaged for the Melbourne Cup.

Godolphin’s Kirklees also looked well this morning bowling over about 1600 metres. His trainer
Saeed bin Suroor is due to arrive in Melbourne on Thursday, with no confirmation as yet as to
when and if stable jockey Frankie Dettori will jet into town.

Trainer Mr Lee Freedman has today confirmed with the Stewards that Speed Gifted will not be accepting for this years Emirates Melbourne Cup and will be sent for a spell.

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