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UK: Melbourne Focus On Kempton

Godolphin Melbourne Cup entry Royal Empire will attempt to promote his claims for a trip to Australia in the G3 September Stakes at Kempton on Saturday.

Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford suggested a Flemington assault was a distinct possibility for Royal Empire after he won last month's Geoffrey Freer Stakes (2600m) at Newbury.

The September Stakes (2400m) will also see rising trainer David Lanigan testing his spring carnival entry Main Sequence for trip to Melbourne.

Irish-born Lanigan is ye to travel to Australia but gathered a wealth of experience in the American breeding industry before assisting the great Sir Henry Cecil.

He took out his training licence in 2007 and has attracted serious clients like the Niarchos family, the owners of Main Sequence.

Main Sequence won last year's Lingfield Derby Trial before running second to Camelot in the Derby at Epsom.

He was gelded during the winter, but it did not seem to have the desired effect was too keen on his comeback in the Listed Buckhounds Stakes at Ascot and appeared reluctant when beaten by Mukhadram in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown.

At his most recent start in late June he was beaten 13 lengths by top Cups prospect Brown Panther over 2400m at Pontefract.

"I hope to put a line through his last run at Pontefract and we might leave the cheekpieces off this time," Lanigan said.

"I've always thought of him as a mile and a half horse but we'll get Saturday out of the way first.

"The Niarchos family would not be opposed to running him in Dubai next year, but if he's going in the right direction, you wouldn't rule Melbourne out."

Lanigan also has Biographer, who was seventh to Royal Empire at Newbury after, entered for Melbourne but rates him unlikely to make the trip.

He plans to start Biographer in the Listed Jockey Club Rose Bowl over 3200m at Newmarket on September 26 as a guide to the Long Distance Cup (3200m) on British Champions Day.

Others of interest in the September Stakes are the Marco Botti-trained Tac De Boistron and Chilean import Sabor A Triunfo.

Tac De Bositron, a Melbourne Cup failure last November, pleased when third on his recent debut for Botti at Goodwood while Sabor A Triunfo has her first start for Australian syndicate OTI Racing for Ed Dunlop.


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