Racing: Jockey's suspension is cold comfort for Xcellent camp

Melbourne jockey Stephen Baster has copped an eight-day suspension for the interference that caused Xcellent to turn his A$3 million Cox Plate game plan upside down.

But sitting in Row 34 on the flight back to New Zealand from Melbourne yesterday, Xcellent's rider Michael Coleman took no comfort.

Coleman knew the Australian racing press would bag him for a ride that he himself admits looked ordinary.

Coming on top of Xcellent being well beaten on a bottomless wet track in the autumn's AJC Derby, Coleman knew no amount of support was going to put him in favourable light in the eyes of Australians.

Baster was suspended for the interference he caused when he came out under Xcellent's neck when Coleman moved the New Zealander slightly forward outside Baster's mount God's Own and Makybe Diva at the 800m.

"They [the leaders] were doing literally nothing to that point, we'd been absolutely cantering," said Coleman.

"I eased Xcellent out a fraction to see what was going on and to see if there was a chance of making my run. Stephen Baster obviously thought I was making my run and came out at the same time and pushed me wider.

"His move triggered Xcellent, who just took off.

"I know it looked a bad ride, but to a certain extent we were a victim of circumstances," said Coleman.

Makybe Diva's jockey Glen Boss was asked what he thought when God's Own and Xcellent swept around him approaching the home bend.

"I thought: 'what are these fools doing?"' he said.

There was irony that in finishing ninth, Xcellent just missed the A$95,000 ($101,000) paid to horses finishing sixth, seventh and eighth.

What hurt was that the eighth horse, a pencil line in front, was God's Own.

To be fair to a great Australian champion, on the wet Moonee Valley surface on Saturday, you wouldn't have beaten Makybe Diva on a motorbike.

But the Xcellent camp know they have a horse a whole lot better than the ninth placing says and they are desperate to prove it in Australian racing's Holy Grail, the A$5 million Melbourne Cup tomorrow week.

First impressions are that Xcellent has come through what was a tough assignment in good shape. A regulation cardiograph tomorrow will hopefully clear another obstacle.

"He coughed when he was back in the tie-up stalls after the race, but we suspected that was just grit down his throat and a scope later proved that was the case," said part-owner Paul Moroney.

"We don't know yet whether Lee Freedman will make the decision to take Makybe Diva to Flemington to attempt her third straight Melbourne Cup, but you suspect he will provided there is nothing amiss with the champion mare."

And that creates another chance for Xcellent.

Makybe Diva had to create a new Melbourne Cup weight-carrying record for a mare with 55.5kg to win the famous race last year.

This time she has 58kg. On Saturday Xcellent gave Makybe Diva 1kg and in the Melbourne Cup Makybe Diva has to concede 4kg to the New Zealander.

At the end of a gruelling Melbourne Cup every kilo feels like a concrete block. A 5kg turnaround is massive.

The problem could again be the weather.

Further rain fell after the meeting on Saturday night and although Melbourne dawned fine yesterday, the official bureau is predicting rain through until Friday.

"We'll just have to wait and see," said Paul Moroney. "Flemington, of course, is a different beast to Moonee Valley."

Xcellent is nominated for the Hong Kong International meeting in December, but Moroney said if the decision is made to miss the Melbourne Cup, the Sandown Classic the following Saturday week is a possible alternative, but the more likely scenario is a return flight to New Zealand and the spelling paddock.

"We know we have an exceptional horse, we don't have to panic, there is a lot of money on the international circuit and a lot ahead of this horse," said Moroney.

"If we go to Hong Kong, it then gets too tight to do the quarantine, have a break and be back in Melbourne for the Australian Cup and on to Dubai."

Moroney said 34 owners and supporters went for dinner in Melbourne on Saturday night and the mood was very upbeat.

And even Coleman had one bright thought to set aside what was a gloomy look backwards.

"He gave me a terrific feel before everything went wrong at the 800m."

You wait your turn in horse racing.

The Xcellent camp has only to be patient to show the world how good he is.