Breeding & Racing Magazine

Hayes Buys Coolmore Melb Cup Entry

Irish-bred 3YO staying colt & Melbourne Cup entry Changingoftheguard (Montjeu-Miletrian, by Marju) "will head to Melbourne, but under the care of trainer David Hayes" & not Coolmore's Aidan O'Brien, reported The Herald-Sun. But the chances of Changingoftheguard (who finished 6th in last weekend's UK Gr1 St Leger Stakes over 14.5 furlongs at Doncaster) running in this year's Melbourne Cup "appear unlikely". Changingoftheguard "subject to passing a veterinary examination" will go into quarantine & arrive with the 2nd wave on international horses on October 10. Hayes said Changingoftheguard "would be trained from the Sandown quarantine centre along with the other overseas horses" but noted his "1st thought was to run in either the SAAB Quality (2500m) on the opening day of the VRC carnival or the Queen Elizabeth (2500m) on the final day. I really bought him with 2010 in mind. I'll keep him in training & make a decision re the Melbourne Cup when he gets here. He's the same age & has a similar form-line to Mahler" (also trained by O'Brien to finish 2nd in the English St Leger, before finishing 3rd behind Efficient in the 2007 Melbourne Cup). Hayes added: "I've really been wanting to secure a quality stayer. He has terrific form-lines compared to other European horses that have come here & performed well. The Ulster Derby & Ebor (in which he ran 2nd last month) have been a good guide & he's run his skin off in both of them. He's probably favourite not to run in the Cup, but I never say never. I'll work it out when he gets here."