The Australian
Alan Lee From: The Times August 26, 2010
TWO heroic failures have merely reinforced Luca Cumani's ambition to win the Melbourne Cup.
Bauer, absent through injury since being foiled by a nose two years ago, could be one of three contenders for the Newmarket trainer at Flemington on November 2.
Cumani's love of international racing is stimulated by Australia's greatest prize.
Bauer was his second successive runner-up, following Purple Moon in 2007, but the frustrations have done nothing to dampen his determination.
Three horses from the wise Italian's stable will be listed when the weights are revealed next week but Cumani admits: "Bauer is still an imponderable but Manighar and Drunken Sailor are definitely going and will start their quarantine on September 8 before flying out a fortnight later.
"Bauer is part-owned by Simon O'Donnell, the former Australia all-rounder, adding to the intrigue in an Ashes winter. Before his bid is confirmed, though, he must prove his wellbeing on the racecourse, starting either at Goodwood or Windsor on Saturday."
It will be a last-minute decision depending on the ground," Cumani said yesterday.
"He doesn't like it soft so we will go where conditions are best. After such a long time off, one run won't be sufficient, so we will look for another race before deciding if he is to travel.
"He had a tendon injury, which always leaves a question mark. The seeds of it were sown in his Cup run two years ago and it has been a long road back. You can never be confident from one day to the next but he has coped with all the work so far."
Cumani admits to confused emotions after Bauer's agonising defeat.
"Pride and frustration, a bit of both," he said. "I am always happy when they run well but to come so close for a second time was deflating, too."
He feels his hand is strong, this year, and Kieren Fallon, the stable jockey, is likely to face a challenging choice of mount. Fallon was second on the fast-finishing Manighar in a group race at Deauville last weekend and has another chance to weigh up Drunken Sailor in the Windflower March Stakes at Goodwood on Saturday.
"I've been surprised by Drunken Sailor's progress," Cumani confessed.
"We bought him for a Dubai campaign but he has run very consistently back on the turf over here. I was delighted with Manighar on Sunday and, finally, we seem to be in tune with each other.
"They will both have time to acclimatise in Australia and will each run once before Flemington, one of them in the Caulfield Cup and the other in Geelong. If Bauer makes the trip, he will go straight for the Cup."
Cumani is enjoying a fruitful summer on home soil, the partnership with Fallon complemented by the development of J.P. Guillambert, whose double for the yard last Saturday featured the latest step in the rehabilitation of Seta after her flop in the 1,000 Guineas.
The Times
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