KEY POINTS:
The Melbourne Cup preparation of the heavily-backed Irish hope Mahler is back on track after some personal grooming and in-depth analysis.
As well as being pleased with his horse's overnight improvement, legendary trainer Aidan O'Brien had his Cup hopes boosted when he inspected the Flemington track on Thursday, declaring it one of the best in the world.
Sporting a new, summer coat Mahler did his usual pair of canters at Sandown yesterday with O'Brien again beside him every step of the way.
O'Brien had been concerned with the horse after seeing him exercise for the first time in two weeks on Thursday.
Mahler sweated heavily after only light work and was far from relaxed during his training.
The trainer duly ordered the winter coat that the horse had begun to grow before leaving Ireland to be clipped and for a few subtle changes to be made to his routine.
"I'm much happier today, he relaxed well, he wasn't tense like yesterday," O'Brien said.
So pleased was O'Brien with the improvement in Mahler's attitude that he will put his Cup rider Stephen Baster on him for his final piece of fast work today.
The trainer had been wary about allowing Baster to familiarise himself with the horse, fearing it may cause Mahler more anxiety.
But after calling Baster to Sandown to watch Mahler exercise, he was as happy with the rider as he was with his horse.
Baster accompanied O'Brien as he tailed Mahler stride-for-stride in a car around the Sandown track.
"It was very important to have him here this morning," O'Brien said.
"He could see what we were doing and how we were thinking.
"I'd say he's a very bright fellow, a very sharp fellow."
O'Brien was almost ecstatic about Flemington after seeing it for the first time. "It's some track," he said. "I was really impressed, I couldn't believe it.
"I didn't know what to expect, but there's not many tracks better than that in the world."
Meanwhile, English trainer Luca Cumani, a Melbourne Cup veteran, gave second favourite Purple Moon another quiet morning at Sandown.
Cumani said he would decide day-by-day what work to give Purple Moon, but he doubted he would have another gallop before Tuesday's big test. The third member of the international team, Tungsten Strike, had two canters yesterday and is likely to gallop today in his final piece of serious work.
Cumani put the seal of approval on the work of his wife and daughter yesterday after watching him exercise at Sandown.
At the same time, he also revealed an ulterior motive for his raid on the world's richest handicap race.
Cumani arrived on Thursday and was suitably impressed when he inspected his horse.
So happy was he with the condition of Purple Moon that he made the decision not to give his charge any more serious work before he steps out at Flemington.
Purple Moon has been in the care of Cumani's daughter Francesca, who rides him in all his exercise, and his wife Sarah, who returned to England as her husband was leaving to come to Melbourne.
The gelding finished an unlucky sixth in the Caulfield Cup after being blocked for a run in the straight.
' Purple Moon has raced only four times for Cumani after a promising three-year-old season when trained by Sir Michael Stoute.
Earlier, he had a brief hurdling career during which he won a 3200m race in Scotland.
He has won two of his four starts under Cumani, including Europe's best handicap race, the Ebor (2800m) at York in which he landed a substantial betting plunge.
Cumani explained that he had sought out Purple Moon as an ideal Melbourne Cup horse.
"His profile as a three-year-old was that of an improving stayer," he said.
While the huge prizemoney is an obvious attraction for Purple Moon's connections, Cumani revealed another.
"The real reason we are here is because the owner wanted to go to the Barrier Reef," he said.
- NZPA, AAP
* Watch out for your free sweepstake chart in Tuesday's New Zealand Herald.
