Due to concerns about COVID-19 and Melbourne's recent change to stage four restrictions, top trainers Charlie Appleby and Saeed bin Suroor have both decided to skip this year's Melbourne Cup in Australia, reports racingpost.com.
Both trainers for Godolphin, Appleby won the Melbourne Cup with Cross Counter in 2018. This year's edition of “the race that stops a nation” is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 3.
“Charlie Appleby advised last night that because of the change to stage four restrictions, he wasn't comfortable sending his staff to Melbourne and Saeed has also advised he won't be coming,” Racing Victoria general manager of international operations Paul Bloodworth told racingpost.com. “It's a great shame. Saeed has been a regular in Australia for 30 years and Charlie certainly over the last five or six years so it's a shame they won't be able to compete.”
Leading owner Lloyd Williams is also considering missing out on the Melbourne Cup, he told racingpost.com on Wednesday. The six-time winner of the prestigious race has several hopefuls in training with Joseph O'Brien in Ireland, and concerns about staff safety while traveling are causing Williams to rethink his plans.
“It's too early to say, but travelling now is a greater consideration than it was 72 hours ago,” Williams told racingpost.com. “If there was any concern for staff travelling, I would not allow my group of horses to come – health is paramount.”
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