Lloyd Williams’ highly rated imported galloper Alandi has been ruled out of the remainder of the Spring Racing Carnival including the 2010 Melbourne Cup.
Galileo six-year-old Alandi, trained by Robert Hickmott while Down Under, arrived in Australia back in May but after just two starts will return to Ireland missing both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.
Alandi was the top weighted entry for the $2.5million Caulfield Cup on October 16 and the $6 million Melbourne Cup at Flemington on Tuesday November 2 allocated 58kg.
Williams acquired Alandi for a large seven-figure sum solely to target the 150th Melbourne Cup, but after two failed runs in Australia the dual Group 1 winner will return to the stables of Irish trainer John Oxx.
Oxx will prepare Alandi for the Ascot Gold Cup next June instead.
Alandi made his Australian debut finishing 13th and beating home just one other runner, stablemate Mourayan, in the Straight Six (1200m) at Flemington on May 15 and then came dead last in the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at the same track earlier this month.
Second on the 2010 Emirates Melbourne Cup order of entry behind Sans Frontieres, Alandi was installed as a $101 chance to win the famous Flemington feature through Sportsbet.
Lloyd Williams-owned Contenders Running this Weekend:
- Mourayan – The Metropolitan at Randwick on Saturday
- C’est La Guerre – Craven Plate at Randwick on Saturday
- Zipping – Turnbull Stakes at Flemington on Sunday
Williams’ fellow import Mourayan will start in the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick tomorrow, the five-year-old’s performance to determine whether he continues on the Cup path.
Mourayan is at $21 through Sportsbet to win tomorrow with Herculian Prince and Mr Charlie the equal $4 favourites in The Metropolitan betting.
Another horse from Williams’ spring contingent running tomorrow is 2008 Melbourne Cup third placegetter C’est La Guerre who will represent Hickmott in the Craven Plate paying $8 in the Sportsbet markets.
Then on Sunday at Flemington’s Melbourne Cup Preview Day, the stable’s Danehill nine-year-old Zipping will line up in the $500,000 Group 1 Turnbull Stakes, a $12 chance to win ahead of the likes of Shocking, Shoot Out and Dariana.
Zipping is heading towards the 2010 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on October 23, making his fourth appearance in the $3 million weight-for-age feature before attempting his fourth win in the Sandown Classic on November 13.
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