Young Godolphin stayer Cross Counter did his Melbourne Cup chances no harm when he was beaten by his classy stablemate Old Persian at York on Wednesday.
Trainer Charlie Appleby provided the quinella in the G2 Great Voltigeur Stakes for three-year-olds over a mile and a half when Old Persian beat the favoured Cross Counter by a head.
Old Persian is to stay in the UK in quest of the St Leger at Doncaster but Appleby confirmed Cross Counter would be heading to Australia with stablemate Hamada as his contenders for the $7 million Melbourne Cup at Flemington in November.
“The result couldn't have worked out any better," Appleby said.
"We've got one horse who will head to the St Leger and the second horse will do what he was always expected to do – go to Melbourne for the Cup."
Appleby said Cross Counter would not start again before the Melbourne Cup.
"I came here after Goodwood rather than going to Australia because I didn't want to take a three-yearold there and have to give him a prep run then go into a Melbourne Cup,” Appleby said.
"I thought it'd be easier to get a run into him here and try to get his weight up then run him off the plane as a fresher horse.
" I think we have a nice team going to Australia but it depends on how they travel.
“That’s their biggest challenge. If they turn up they are going to be big players.”
Cox Plate entries Poet’s Word and Benbatl were beaten in the G1 Juddmonte International at York, won by the John Gosden-trained Roaring Lion.
King George Poet’s Word started an odds on favourite but finished an unlucky second after getting boxed in on the rail at a critical stage.
Roaring Lion burst away with clear running to score by three and a quarter lengths with P:oet’s Word chasing late to finish second.
Godolphin’s Benbatl finished fifth.
A rematch between Roaring Lion and Poet’s Word seems unlikely as the winner is expected to head to the Irish Champion Stakes in September, a race that Sir Michael Stoute has all but ruled out for Poet’s Word.
“The Irish Champion Stakes wouldn’t be a possibility,” Stoute said.
“I don’t know where we’ll go now. It’s too early - he’s in everything he could be in.”
