Racing: First start since June

Missing the Caulfield Cup might work in My Ambivalent's favour as she heads to Flemington tomorrow.

The quirky but talented English mare was taken out of the Caulfield Cup five days before the race because of a stone bruise and now goes to the Melbourne Cup for her first start since late June.

The Roger Varian-trained mare also attracted headlines when she was led riderless from the track at Werribee less than two weeks ago when she appeared lame.

That lameness was fleeting and two veterinary inspections since have cleared her to race.

Varian arrived in Melbourne on Thursday and given her problems, he was pleasantly surprised by her work the following morning.

"It was a shame we missed the Caulfield Cup. Obviously that was our first target when we came out here," Varian said yesterday.

"But she's fit, well and healthy and she has a great record running off the back of a break.

"She's a fresh filly and in this game I often think things happen for a reason and perhaps missing Caulfield will give us an advantage come Tuesday in the Melbourne Cup."

My Ambivalent has "a lot of personality" on the training track and tends to get worked up pre-race.

Varian said that was the way the mare had always been and she could still perform. "She can be a little bit sparky on race day, that's her nature. If she's too placid, she's probably not being herself."

He said they would be as prepared as they could be to get her to the start without the mare wasting too much energy.