Significant interest in this year's $6 million Melbourne Cup continued at the weekend with the first two stayers over the line in England's richest handicap appearing set to journey to Victoria this spring.
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Just 24 hours after Dermot Weld and the Queen indicated that they may have starters at this year's spring carnival, the Ebor placegetters have now added to that imposing list.
For popular former jockey turned trainer Johnny Murtagh, a trip to Australia for the Melbourne Cup is in his plans for Mutual Regard, the winner of the 2800-metre handicap.
"I never won this race as a jockey, but I was second a few times," Murtagh said.
"Ascot might be on his agenda now but we'll see about the Melbourne Cup as he loves fast ground," he said.
And the connections of Van Percy, who continues to improve and who looked strong finishing second to Mutual Regard, say he is a definite starter.
"I'm delighted, he's run a good honest race and he keeps improving," trainer Andrew Balding said.
"That's it now, he'll be off to Australia, he goes into quarantine in September and we will look at options out there.
"We will have to see if he goes up enough in race to get into the Melbourne Cup," he said.
Racing Victoria international recruiting scout Leigh Jordan said it would be good to have Murtagh, one of the most popular jockeys in the world, in Australia this spring but was concerned that Mutual Regard may not earn enough weight to make the field for a Melbourne Cup.
"Mutual Regard and for that matter Van Percy are excellent stayers but unfortunately while the Ebor is England's richest handicap it's still a handicap and doesn't attract the same lift in weight that group races do.
"However they're both in excellent form and it would be great to have them here in the spring."
The lightly raced Glorious Protector, who scored in the August Stakes at Windsor at the weekend, looks to be a Cox Plate and Caulfield Cup threat following his victory.
While Mutual Regard relishes hard ground the Dermot Weld-trained Pale Mimosa, who won so well on Friday at York, is not as effective on hard tracks.
However Estimate, the mare who finished second to Pale Mimosa, is effective on all tracks and will be perfectly suited in Melbourne this spring.
