TWO genuine Melbourne Cup contenders have left Joseph O’Brien’s yard to be trained in Australia. The move follows new veterinary requirements introduced by the Victoria Racing Club which will make it more difficult for overseas-trained horses to run in the Flemington race.

O’Brien has already won the Melbourne Cup twice in his short career and his team this year was expected to include Dawn Patrol and Pondus, both of whom are owned by leading Australian owner Lloyd Williams. However, both horses have been moved to Australia in advance of the Cup entries being published.

Pondus finished second to True Self in a Flemington Group 3 race last November for O’Brien and had been in good form in Ireland this season. Dawn Patrol was trained by Aidan O’Brien to finish third in the 2020 Irish Derby. Acquired by Williams and transferred to Joseph O’Brien this year, the four-year-old was an eyecatching second to Cadillac in the Group 3 International Stakes at the Curragh last month. He is already joint favourite for the Melbourne Cup with some Australian bookmakers.