LONDON: Desert Hero will start the vetting procedure for the Lexus Melbourne Cup, with trainer William Haggas eager to keep all avenues open for his St Leger third.
The Sea The Stars colt, who is owned by the King and Queen, was beaten just over three lengths by Continuous at Doncaster on Saturday and is a general 12-1 shot for the Flemington feature on November 7.
International runners in the two-mile contest are subject to a series of veterinary checks before being permitted to run by Racing Victoria, a process which Haggas will begin with Desert Hero, although he underlined undertaking those checks does not necessarily mean the horse will make the trip.
He told the Nick Luck Daily Podcast: “We want to leave all options open, so the horse will go through his veterinary tests.“I think we start tonight and then we’ve a couple of days (of) MRIs, tomorrow and Wednesday, so we will get those completed. That doesn’t mean he’s going, but the weights come out tomorrow and then we can collate all the information. Who knows, the veterinary protocols might rule him out anyway, so we will see what happens.”
The King and Queen were at the Town Moor track to see Desert Hero post a gallant effort in defeat, with the crowd providing a warm reception.The King and Queen assumed the late Queen’s racing interests following her death, with Desert Hero giving them a first Royal Ascot success when winning the King George V Stakes in June.