The Melbourne Cup is still on the agenda for the Luca Cumani-trained Mount Athos despite suffering his third straight defeat at Goodwood on Saturday as he just failed to catch Harris Tweed in the Listed March Stakes.
Cumani who has twice gone close in winning the 3200m marathon at Flemington with Bauer and Purple Moon, had said this week that Mount Athos represents his best chance of plundering the world-famous handicap, and the Italian-born trainer would be able to take encouragement from the six-year-old’s agonisingly narrow defeat early on Sunday morning.
Tactics and pace have played a huge part in Mount Athos’s two disappointing runs in the Hardwicke Stakes (2400m) at Royal Ascot and the Goodwood Cup (3200m), and he showed a little more on this occasion when beaten just a head under first-time pilot Richard Hughes.
Harris Tweed and Mount Athos pulled six lengths clear of third-placed Tac De Boistron, who was making his debut for the Marco Botti stable in his first start since he finished 23rd behind Green Moon in the 2012 Melbourne Cup.
Cumani’s wife Sara confirmed that the Melbourne Cup would be Mount Athos’s next outing.
She said: “I don’t think this is his track and the ground wasn’t ideal but he has run better than he did the last two times.
“Depending on the owner, I think the plan is still to go to Melbourne.
“I don’t think he’ll run again as he likes his races spaced out.
By Owens Wong
