Racing: Japanese runners to miss Melbourne Cup again

MELBOURNE - Japan will be without any runners in the Melbourne Cup for the third year in a row.

The Australian quarantine department has advised Racing Victoria that quarantine protocols for Japanese horses will not be finalised until after the Melbourne Cup in November.

"It is disappointing," racing operations manager Leigh Jordon said. "The Japanese have had runners wanting to come out each year and again we have another year without them."

The only Japanese horses to contest the Cup were Delta Blues and Pop Rock, the first two home in 2006.

Jordon said among the prospects this year was Dream Journey, a last-start winner in Japan who is owned by the same interests as Delta Blues.

Jordon said an import risk assessment paper was being prepared by biosecurity officials which addressed the issues regarding the importation of horses to Australia.

"They [officials] want to put the Japanese situation in with every other import risk assessment being considered on all quarantine centres around the world and it should happen next year."

- AAP