Connections of Spanish Mission are Far More Concerned about the prospect of Earth than the quality of the opposition Before the 1 million Jockey Club Derby Invitational Stakes at Belmont.
The David Simcock-trained three-year-old heads to America this weekend for the St Leger next week in preference to Doncaster.
He also won a trial when impressing from the Bahrain Trophy, but his owners, that the Team Valor and Earle Mack, have decided to bypass Doncaster.
«There’s rain in the forecast for a few of days, and who knows if (Hurricane) Dorian will come up the coast. Long Island is up the coast,» Team Valor’s Barry Irwin informed www.bloodhorse.com.
«The weather is the big concern. The horse versus the conditions and the competition, we feel very good about that.
«Even though he has run a mile and a half and more, he is a versatile horse.
«After he won his final race(Jamie Spencer) told us,’don’t just think he’s a stayer – today it would not have mattered what the distance was’.»
Whatever the results at Belmont, the Melbourne Cup is already looming large on the horizon.
«With horses by Noble Mission, many of them look like the old they get, the better they will get. This coach was telling me one that no matter what he does this year, Spanish Mission would be better next year and even better that the year after that,» said Irwin.
«We’re looking at a horse we can campaign until he is at least five, with this large race in Australia in your mind. Among our plans is that we trust he could be and I would really like to win.
«Ideally, he could run into it at five or five, but if he continues to improvehe can do it next year.»
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