Racing: Xcellent after the big one

The route is undecided but Xcellent's destination is certain.

The New Zealand Derby winner is heading for the big one, the A$5 million ($5.5 million) Melbourne Cup (3200m).

Said trainer and part-owner Paul Moroney: "We've been there before and enjoyed the experience."

Moroney was a part-owner of the 2000 Melbourne Cup winner Brew who was trained by his brother, Mike.

Paul now trains in partnership with Mike and is in no doubt that the Flemington feature is the right race for Xcellent.

"It's worth the most money, it's the richest race in the southern hemisphere and he's a four-year-old who might slip under the guard of the handicapper to some extent because of his failure in the AJC Derby.

"More importantly, he's certain to go 3200 metres. I've got no doubt that he will get the distance. Everything he's done suggests he's an out and out stayer and he's also got class. It takes a classy horse to win a Melbourne Cup now."

The Caulfield Cup will also be on Xcellent's spring programme but the Cox Plate is an unlikely target.

"I don't think that's his race this year," Moroney said.

"It's not ideal for a horse preparing for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups. But we will probably enter him as a safeguard in case he misses a run in the Caulfield Cup because of a wet track."

Xcellent was an abject failure on a heavy track in the Australian Derby in Sydney and won't be risked again if he faces similar conditions.

"We will be going in with our eyes wide open and he will be scratched if he strikes those conditions again, no matter what the race," Moroney said.

Xcellent was given an unusually light preparation as a three-year-old and little will change in the spring.

"I don't think there's any reason to change what we did with him as a three-year-old. He's a very athletic horse and we know he doesn't need to be raced often or trained hard and we can use that to our advantage."

- NZPA