All four original emergencies in the 2014 Caulfield Cup field are now set to gain a start in the Group 1 event at Caulfield tomorrow after talented mare Dear Demi was ruled out of the race with a throat infection.
Dear Demi has been ruled out of the 2014 Caulfield Cup field due to a throat infection. Photo by: Steve Hart
Trainer Clarry Connors had been happy with the form of Dear Demi heading into the Group 1 Caulfield Cup, but he told TVN this afternoon that the Dehere mare had been plagued by a cough over the last couple of days and she had not responded to treatment in the last 24 hours.
“She had a little bit of a cough, we treated her and thought she might come good but she hasn’t improved,” he said.
“If anything she has got worse today.
“I had the stable vet look over her and Singo’s (John Singleton‘s) vet came and looked at her too and we all agreed that realistically she shouldn’t run.”
“It is disappointing because a lot of work has gone in to getting to this point,” Conners said.
“Many, many man hours and then you have something like this happen 24 hours out from the race.”
Dear Demi joins Gris Caro, Dandino and Bande as horses that will miss the Caulfield Cup and it means that imported stayer Renew has gained a start in the face, despite being originally being named the four emergency.
Renew made his Australian racing debut with a disappointing effort in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) at Caulfield last Saturday and was transferred to the care of young Ballarat trainer Archie Alexander earlier in the week.
Alexander has worked for some of the biggest names in racing right around the world, including Aidan O’Brien, Todd Pletcher and Lloyd Williams, but he has been training under his own license for less than a year and now has a runner in one of the biggest races on the Australian racing calendar.
Rising young hoop Regan Bayliss has been booked to ride Renew in the 2014 Caulfield Cup and he will be making his Group 1 debut after impressing with his form during the 2013/2014 racing season to date.
Bayliss has ridden 20 winners during the racing season to date and he currently sits in fourth place, behind only Dwayne Dunn, Damien Oliver and Brad Rawiller, in the Melbourne Metropolitan jockeys premiership.
Renew will jump from barrier two and is currently available at 2014 Caulfield Cup odds of $201.
