Cox option for O'Brien

NEWS ROUND-UP:AIDAN O'BRIEN has given both Henrythenavigator and Duke Of Marmalade a potentially fascinating extra option by entering the pair in the Tatts Cox Plate in Australia on October 25th.

O'Brien's two multiple Group One winners are among 15 Ballydoyle candidates for the three Spring Racing Carnival feature events including the Emirates Melbourne Cup, where both triple Gold Cup winner Yeats and his potential successor in staying events, Septimus, have been putforward.

Yeats ran in Australia's greatest race in 2006, managing only seventh, but would have to carry a big weight on November 4th at Flemington.

That possibility will not be taken up by last year's runner-up Purple Moon, who has not been entered by Luca Cumani and the Newmarket trainer relies instead on Bauer, Mad Rush, Ladies Best, Sanbuch and Speed Gifted.

Dermot Weld, already twice the winner of the Melbourne Cup, can choose from Consulate, Ghimaar and Profound Beauty, while other intriguing horses include Michael Stoute's St Leger possibility Patkai and Jeremy Noseda's Sixties Icon.

"For a trainer who is making headlines around the world, this is a glowing endorsement of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival as a truly international racing event. Aidan has nominated all his Group One headline performers," said Racing Victoria's director of racing operations Leigh Jordon.

"These are without doubt, the best quality international entries we have received since the inception of international competition in the Spring Racing Carnival in the early '90s."

Septimus is the clear favourite for the Melbourne Cup at 9 to 1 with Paddy Power while Yeats is priced at 16 to 1 along with Australian sensation Weekend Hussler.

Weekend Hussler, who is trained by Ross McDonald, has won an amazing six Group Ones since October, the latest in April's George Ryder Stakes. He worked well on Tuesday and McDonald said: "I couldn't be happier with him and he did a half-mile jump out this morning under his work rider Les Deer. He handles anything - he's won on slow, dead and fast ground and it was heavy when he won the Ryder."

Weekend Hussler is yet to be tested over further than a mile and he will have to travel double that if he is to win the Melbourne Cup.

McDonald continued: "On pedigree he is out of a mare by Helissio, who won the Arc de Triomphe, and there are other staying mares in the family. He is such a relaxed horse and every time he is ridden, he goes to sleep.

"I don't think there will be a problem with two miles but we'll see as he progresses through his preparation in the Underwood Stakes over 1,800 metres, the Yalumba Stakes over 2,000, and then the Caulfield Cup."

Meanwhile, connections of Oui Say Oui are hoping she can take the step up in grade in her stride when lining up in Sunday's Ballygallon Stud Debutante Stakes at the Curragh. The daughter of Royal Applause was an impressive two-length winner on her debut at this venue, beating Dermot Weld's Carefree Smile.

She is now set to step up to Group company for the first time with Fozzy Stack, son and assistant to trainer Tommy, saying: "She is in the Hurricane Run Stakes at Tipperary on Thursday, but we are leaning towards the Debutante at this stage. She did it well the last day and like all Curragh maidens, it looked like a hot little race. She is a very smart filly and if all goes well on Sunday, she will run in the Goffs Million."

The John Oxx-trained Baliyana was sent off a short-priced favourite for the same Curragh maiden but could only manage third.

She is set to reoppose and Oxx believes the extra furlong will see her at least get closer to her conqueror. "She ran a nice race on her debut over six furlongs and the trip would probably have been a bit short for her," said Oxx. "We were thinking she would run a good race but we weren't surprised that she didn't win over that trip and she was still green.

"I would hope that race has brought her on a bit and she should run better on Sunday."

Both fillies are likely to face a stiff examination with Jim Bolger's Albany Stakes heroine, Cuis Ghaire, still among the possibles.

Her stablemate, Marina Of Venice, is also entered and was impressive on her racecourse bow, while Aidan O'Brien is currently double-handed with Perfect Truth and Spira.