Waikato trainer John Ralph has not given up hope of a start in the Caulfield Cup with The Message.
It appears The Message had little chance of making the field for next Saturday's $A2 million event despite excellent form in the past three months.
The Caulfield Cup is limited to 18 runners and up to three emergencies can be listed. But at this stage it would seem The Message was only the equivalent of the sixth emergency, when taking into account those who are not likely to run.
Final declarations for the Caulfield Cup are taken tomorrow at noon and Ralph said he would be making the $A9652 ($NZ13,070) payment.
"We're hoping to get into the Caulfield Cup," Ralph said from Melbourne last night.
"We've got a 50 per cent chance, they tell me, but who would know?
"It's still not very clear. The attrition rate can be very high as the race nears."
Ralph could have run The Message at Caulfield yesterday in a bid to ensure a cup start. But he said that was not a good option as he also planned a start in the $A2 million weight-for-age Cox Plate (2040m).
The Cox Plate is run the week after the Caulfield Cup and Ralph said it would have been too tough a schedule to race the horse three Saturdays in succession.
Ralph said the Caulfield Cup was probably the better race for The Message because of his light weight of 50.5kg.
"In one he's got 50.5kg and in the other he's going to carry 58kg or 59kg."
It is because of the light weight that The Message is well down in the order of entry for the Caulfield Cup.
On the same day's programme as the Caulfield Cup is the group three $100,000 Coongy Handicap (2000m). Ralph said he would nominate The Message for that race in case he does not gain a Caulfield Cup start.
The Message has been in the best form of his career this season. From his last five starts the Gold And Ivory seven-year-old gelding has won three times in weight-for-age events.
He won the $20,000 Foxbridge Plate (1400m) at Te Rapa on August 12, the group three $100,000 Hawke's Bay Challenge Stakes (1600m) at Hastings on September 16 and the group one $250,000 Kelt Capital Stakes (2040m) at the same venue a fortnight later.
- NZPA
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