Melbourne Cup blow for Marco Botti as he rules Dylan Mouth out of the race
Botti has ruled out a trip to Flemington with his six-year-old while Joseph O'Brien is still considering running Rekindling in the Melbourne Cup after his St Leger run
DYLAN MOUTH is unlikely to head for the Melbourne Cup following his below-par effort at Newbury on Saturday.
Marco Botti has shelved a trip to Australia for his six-year-old who also joins Sir Mark Prescott's St Michel in missing the Flemington showpiece.
Botti said: "I don't think Dylan Mouth is going to go to Melbourne. I would say that it is 95 per cent over.
"Obviously the race didn't pan out for him at Newbury. They went very steady and he doesn't have that kick or change of gear.
"I know anything is possible in the race as we have seen before, but you need a lot of luck and the owner didn't want to be going out there with an outsider.
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"It is one thing if you are based in Australia with an outsider and another taking one there, what with the costs. He needed to be a little bit more convincing at Newbury for the owners to go all that way with him."
One horse who is still in the mix for a trip to Melbourne is Joseph O'Brien's Rekindling following his fourth in the St Leger behind Capri.
O'Brien said: "He's come out of Doncaster well. We're very happy with him.
"Australia is still under consideration and Ascot (Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup) is an option as well. I'd say it's 50-50 between the two at the moment.
"If he's going to Australia I think he needs to go into quarantine on September 28, so we've got to decide before then.
"If he goes to Australia, he's in the Melbourne Cup and the Caulfield Cup the week before. The Melbourne Cup is probably the more likely."
Templegate's Treble
NAP 4.35 Kempton - Lightning Charlie: 'Will do better returned to the all-weather'
NB 3.40 Leicester - Willytheconquerer: 'He's a class above this level and should bounce back to form'
TREBLE 2.25 Kempton - Graffiti Master: 'He can build on his encouraging debut here'