Racing: Euro Cup raiders touch down

Luca Cumani. Photo / Getty Images

Luca Cumani has moved a step closer to an elusive Melbourne Cup win with the safe arrival of his three contenders for this year's race.

The UK-based Cumani, who trained second placegetters Purple Moon (2007) and Bauer (2008), has brought Manighar, Drunken Sailor and Becqu Adoree on this visit.

The three stablemates were part of a 10-horse shipment that completed a 30-hour flight yesterday which included stopovers in Sharjah and Singapore.

All horses travelled well and are in quarantine at the Werribee International Horse Centre alongside spring carnival contenders from Japan, Hong Kong and Macau.

Manighar (equal 11th in elimination order), is assured of getting a Caulfield Cup start but Drunken Sailor (equal 27th) and Becqu Adoree (equal 42nd) have to rely on the attrition rate.

All three also have the Melbourne Cup as a target.

Another arrival was Americain, the first Australian runner for leading French trainer Alain De Royer-Dupre.

Six-year-old Americain has won six of his 18 starts and last start beat Manighar by a short neck in the Group Two Kergorlay (3000m) in France on August 22.

Five-year-old Manighar is a winner of six of his 12 starts but hasn't won since October last year when he landed the Group Two Prix Chaudenay (3000m).

Drunken Sailor is a six-year-old and last-start winner of the Listed March Stakes (2800m) at Goodwood on August 28.

Becqu Adoree has won four of 12 starts and last start was fifth in the Listed Chalice Stakes (2414m) at Newbury on August 1.

Manighar, Becqu Adoree and fellow arrival, the Allan Swinbank-trained Stanstill, are all owned by Simon O'Donnell and Terry Henderson's Australian-based OTI Racing.

Another notable arrival was promising French stayer Laristan, a new addition to the David Hayes stable, and a quartet of horses who have been purchased by Victorian owner Lloyd Williams.

Laristan is also nominated for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.

Lightly-raced Irish import Akzar is the only one of Williams' imports nominated for the Melbourne Cup.

Epsom Derby runner-up At First Sight and three-year-olds September Morn and Amber Grey have been purchased with an eye to the 2011 Cups.

Global powerhouse Godolphin has recent dual Group One winner Campanologist, Holberg and Eastern Aria in quarantine at Newmarket in England and the three horses are scheduled to arrive in Melbourne on October 11.

Eastern Aria recently joined the Godolphin operation but the five-year-old mare will continue to be trained by Mark Johnston for the Melbourne Cup. The move is a first for Godolphin as Eastern Aria will be the only horse in Britain not trained by Dubai nationals Saeed Bin Suroor and Mahmood Al Zarooni.

Like Cumani, Godolphin has gone close without success in the Melbourne Cup with three seconds - Central Park (1999), Give The Slip (2001) and Crime Scene (2009).

- AAP