Bin Suroor: 'We've brought the right horses'

GODOLPHIN trainer Saeed Bin Suroor believes the Dubai team have "brought the right horses" as they launch their 12^th assault on the Melbourne Cup with Modun and Lost In The Moment.

"The horses look in good form, good condition - I'm really happy with them," said Bin Suroor. "It's not easy and we've tried many, many times but I think these are the right horses."

Kerrin McEvoy was on hand at the Werribee Inetrnational Quarantine Centre on Thursday morning to get acquainted with his big-race mount Modun, bought by Godolphin out of Sir Michael Stoute's stable after he won the September Stakes on the Kempton Polytrack.

At over 17hh, the four-year-old is the biggest horse in the MelbourneCup. "We liked him physically and the way he ran when he won the September Stakes," said Bin Suroor.

"I like the way Modun runs," added Bin Suroor, who has watched his horses finish second on three occasions with Central Park (1999), Give The Slip (2001) and Crime Scene (2009).

The trainer went on: "He's physically very imposing - we thought he would be the right horse to bring here but I was surprised to see him so well here in Melbourne. Physically and mentally he is really well - 100 per cent ready."

McEvoy was also pleased with Modun after putting him through his paces in a solid seven-furlong spin. "He felt good and he's got some class for a lightly-raced horse," said the jockey, who won the Cup on Brew in 2000.

"In my experience, a horse with UK form over a mile and a half can stack up right over two miles on an Aussie track."
Modun's new stablemate Lost In The Moment, the mount of William Buick, worked in a separate gallop.

"Both horses are in good form," added Bin Suroor. "They've been in our thinking a long time to come here. When Lost In The Moment was second at Goodwood, it gave us the confidence to bring him here.

In other Cup news, Luca Cumani's potential challenge is down to three after the trainer ruled out Sahara Sun following the former Chilean-trained colt's disappointing effort in Wednesday's Bendigo Cup.

Cumani's remaining trio are Manighar, who will wear blinkers on Tuesday, Drunken Sailor and 2008 runner-up Bauer, who may not get a run as he needs more horses to drop out.

For the same reason, Ebor winner Moyenne Corniche will run in Saturday's Lexus Stakes on the Victoria Derby card in a bid to ensure he gets into the field.

Victory in the Lexus carries an exemption from the Cup eliminations procedure, where Moyenne Corniche currently stands in 26^th position - two places outside the 24-runner cut-off point.

Stablemate Saptapadi, who will not run on Saturday, is one place below Moyenne Corniche but one in front of Bauer.

"I don't really want to run on Saturday and we're going to take our chances with Saptapadi but we've had to declare Moyenne," said the trainer, who is prepared to stand a A$2,000 fine and scratch on the day if needs be.

"We could still lose three or four more horses," he added. "If I find out before Saturday that we're definitely in theMelbourne Cup then we won't run. The problem is that we won't find that out until after Saturday's races."