A degree of certainty regarding the international contingent for this year’s Spring Carnival features in Melbourne was provided late on Saturday, as seven horses entered quarantine in the UK and Ireland.
Joseph O’Brien’s quartet, consisting of Kizlyar, Omni Man, Small Fry, and Starford, along with Roger Varian’s charge Enfjaar, entered quarantine in Ireland. Concurrently, the Harry Charlton-trained Wine Dark Sea and Ciaron Maher’s runner Point Of Law were isolated in England.
All are entered for both the $6 million Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 17 and the $10 million Melbourne Cup 17 days later, and have successfully passed Racing Victoria’s essential veterinary protocols up to this point.
“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,” RV head of racing Paul Bloodworth stated. “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.”
Being part of the initial shipment, which is scheduled to arrive in Melbourne on the final weekend of this month, allows these horses the opportunity to participate in the Caulfield Cup.
Enfjaar, the winner of the Group 3 Glorious Stakes last start, and Wine Dark Sea, a Group 3 Geoffrey Freer winner, are currently the shortest-priced international contenders for this year’s Caulfield Cup. They are followed by O’Brien’s Omni Man and Starford, and Point Of Law, who has joined Maher’s stable after previously being trained by John and Thady Gosden.
Small Fry is not a guaranteed starter in the Caulfield Cup, with O’Brien and owners OTI also considering a run in the Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m). Furthermore, Varian has not committed Enfjaar to a Melbourne Cup start, as the horse might instead compete in the Group 1 Champions Stakes (2000m) at Flemington.
The weekend also saw developments regarding the Melbourne Cup, with Highwayman climbing betting charts after securing victory in the Group 1 English St Leger (2921m) at Doncaster on Saturday night, Australian time.
More high-profile entries are expected on Sunday night, as Trustyourinstinct prepares to face star stayers Scandinavia and Jan Brueghel in the Group 1 Irish St Leger (2816m). You can bet on the race with leading betting sites.