Stodge

Back to the racing.... As @mardigrashas said, the best horses (three plus one helped by a big weight concession) finished well ahead of a lot of dead wood. Is this the race you lot want? Let's be honest - half a dozen class European challengers would have made for a better race - take nothing away from the winner, she was superb - but where was the strength in depth? Racing Victoria need to rethink the obvious attempts to stop the Europeans winning the race - the truth is, the best of the Australian and New Zealanders will always hold their own against the best Europeans but if you have a weak field expect the prize to head north. If you suppose SPANISH MISSION ran to his European mark, you'd put VERRY ELLEEGANT on about 121 which ties in with her runs against ADDEYBB in the spring. That would make her a serious European Group 1 player - inferior (arguably) to MISHRIFF and ST MARK'S BASILICA but I'd love to see her in Meydan in a race like the Sheema Classic taking on MISHRIFF and the top Japanese runners. That would be a global racing event.

Just two European runners in tomorrow morning's (for me) race. TWILIGHT PAYMENT made every yard last year and was given enough rope by the other jockeys - won't happen this time. He's got the two stall and comes into this on the back of a fine run in the Irish Leger. Despite that, the 6 lb rise looks a lot - is he really 6 lb better than last year or is the field that much worse? SPANISH MISSION is rated 117 over here - the same as TWILIGHT PAYMENT yet gets 2 lbs. He was third in the Gold Cup and a close second to STRADIVARIUS at York. He's not got a bad draw but I just wonder when they stack at the top of the Flemington straight, whether he'll have the tactical speed some of the 2000m or 2400m runners have. British stayers are replete with stamina - few have speed. As an aside, I reckon STRADIVARIUS would have won the MC twice or three times. I've backed GREAT HOUSE at 25s each way more for an interest - I think next year will be his year.

News this afternoon SPANISH MISSION missed the first flight of European runners owing to muscle spasms. Expected to be on the second flight but that means no prep race before the Cup apparently.

Hard to ague with that. TWILIGHT PAYMENT will presumably have more weight than last year. SPANISH MISSION is interesting - you could argue on his run against STRADIVARIUS at York he'd be right in this but I'm not sure he would have the speed when they quicken off the home turn at Flemington.

A weekend of burst bubbles up here. SNOWFALL perhaps the biggest though I think there was a lot to like in the defeat. POINT LONSDALE turned over in the National as the balance swung away from Ballydoyle and Coolmore to Newmarket and Godolphin. NATIVE TRAIL looks a juvenile colt of real promise while HURRICANE LANE duly won the Leger and I think he's going to be a big player over 2400m next season.

I don't get this defensive attitude - horse racing is now global. At Longchamp on Sunday, a Japanese horse won the Foy making every yard and beating three European Group 1 winners. Who cares if a Northern Hemisphere horse comes over and wins the Melbourne Cup? If he or she is a great horse, so be it. I don't know why the top Australian horses don't come to Ascot - well, I do, it's winter for you and the prize money's crap. It's your good fortune you have the money to attract the good horses (just like Hong Kong and Meydan). I'd have loved to have seen WINX and LYS GRACIEUX in Britain or even Meydan but there you go. We also have increasing numbers of shuttle stallions so quality breeding is also becoming global.

Sunday looks a cracking day - SNOWFALL in the Vermeille and POINT LONSDALE in the National. I can't oppose the former but I think Godolphin's NATIVE TRAIL may beat the latter. Some rain at Doncaster - now Good, Good to Soft in places. I don't think it'll stop HURRICANE LANE and 10/11 might loom a real steal at 4pm tomorrow,

STRADIVARIUS was very good, wasn't he? I do wonder if yesterday's Park Hill winner, FREE BIRD, might give him some problems. Sunday has TWILIGHT PAYMENT in the Irish Leger - he's favourite over SONNYBOYLISTON but I fancy BARON SAMEDI to beat them both. MASTER OF REALITY also in the field.

I'm on POETIC FLARE at 4/1 for the Irish Champion - everything looks in this favour as long as it stays dry in Dublin. MOTHER EARTH is 11/8 for the Matron and should win before her tilt at the Golden Eagle. Final declarations for Sunday tomorrow.

https://www.racingpost.com/news/international/spanish-mission-leads-the-charge-for-spring-carnival-international-runners/509423 Six European horses left in the Melbourne Cup. SPANISH MISSION TWILIGHT PAYMENT MASTER OF REALITY AWAY HE GOES RODRIGO DIAZ SONNYBOYLISTON TWILIGHT PAYMENT, SONNYBOYLISTON and MASTER OF REALITY are all in the Irish Leger on Sunday.

I think he'd be an ideal candidate for the Melbourne Cup but he's obviously had issues. He's a similar horse to FIORENTE who won the race in 2013 and is on the same UK rating, 108, as that one was and also comes off a decent run in the Hardwicke.

BAAEED did the job nicely in the Moulin and joins a strong crop of 3-y-o milers. HURRICANE LANE is 4/6 to follow up his Irish Derby and Grand Prix de Paris wins in the Leger on Saturday. On the figures, he's a good thing if he sees out the 2800m.

A busy weekend approaching in the UK and Ireland with the final classic, the Leger, on Saturday at Doncaster but most eyes will be on Ireland for the opening day of Champions Weekend at Leopardstown. Sunday sees the second day of Champions Weekend at The Curragh and the big Arc Trials day at Longchamp.

When will the weights be published?

A couple of old friends in that Wyong Cup - MOHICAN HEIGHTS, who was down the field in the Derby and Leger last year and ALAKAHAN, who raced in Ireland as a younger horse. The winner raced in France as a younger horse and the third was a handicapper in the UK. Interesting piece in the Racing Post about exports of horses from the UK to Australia and from Australia to Hong Kong.