To earn his berth in Randwick’s two-mile Sydney Cup, contender Campaldino faces a mandatory fitness check after routine veterinary procedures identified cardiac arrhythmia.

Co-trainer Adrian Bott revealed no trace of the irregularity following the near-miss second in the Chairman’s Handicap (2600m) last Saturday, with the horse lacking any background of it.

“He presented with cardiac arrhythmia in the tests this morning,” Bott said.

“He’ll go through the ECG process. He was checked immediately following the race (on Saturday) and all the vital signs, everything was all in order.

“It’s a bit of an unusual case. He’s never had any history. It’s something that has just popped up.

“He hasn’t done any strenuous exercise, but the stewards did their Sydney Cup inspections (on Tuesday) morning and that’s when it was detected.”

Blood has been drawn from Campaldino, who needs to complete a gallop trial before racing authorities on Thursday to be race-ready.

The co-trainer emphasized prioritizing the equine athlete, with entry into the Sydney Cup (3200m) conditional on total fitness.

A clearance would position last year’s Brisbane Cup (3200m) winner for a promising display.

“It’s the program and campaign build-up we have used successfully before to win the Cup with Knights Order and The Offer, so he has followed that path and seems to be peaking at the right time,” Bott said.

“It was an excellent run on Saturday. He is proven at the two-miles. Bit of an awkward draw but he’s got tactical speed to offset that.”

Campaldino, quoted at $8, secured post 14 in Tuesday’s barrier allocation, Tim Clark engaged aboard.

Market elect Mr Monaco ($5) nabbed the outside barrier in the field of 16, after winning wide in the Manion Cup (2400m) previous outing, with River Of Stars and Soul Of Spain in gates six and 12.

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