Ger Lyons loses Irish St Leger hope Nickajack Cave to Black Caviar team

Black Caviar’s trainer Peter Moody believes he has his best chance of landing the Melbourne Cup just months after his return to training after a four-year gap when it was revealed that last week’s Ballyroan Stakes winner Nickajack Cave will be joining his team.

The four-year-old Nickajack Cave had another Melbourne Cup hope Pondus a length and three-quarters behind in fourth when posting his second win of the season in the Leopardstown Group 3 on what now looks like being his final start for Ger Lyons.

The County Meath trainer has already landed two Irish Classics this season thanks to Siskin and Even So, and Nickajack Cave had been in the reckoning for the Irish St Leger on September 13.

However, it has been revealed he was purchased prior to the Ballyroan by a consortium of Australian owners, which includes those who raced Black Caviar and 2010 Melbourne Cup champion Americain.

Nickajack Cave will now enter quarantine before being shipped to Australia where he will exit Spendthrift Australia Park Werribee International Horse Centre on Caulfield Cup day, October 17.

Watch Nickajack Cave impress at Leopardstown last time

"The Melbourne Cup is our sole target," Moody told Racing.com. "There was a suggestion he would run in the Irish St Leger but we were worried that if he won it might have given him too much weight in the Melbourne Cup, so we've decided to bypass that race.

"The owners are dead-set keen on the Melbourne Cup but you always hope this sort of horse develops into a nice 2,000 to 2,400-metre weight-for-age horse post the [Melbourne] Cup and he appears to have the right profile.

Peter Moody: Black Caviar trainer believes he has a brilliant chance of winning the top Flemington prizeCredit: Edward Whitaker

"I've only ever gone into the Melbourne Cup twice thinking I had some sort of chance with Lights Of Heaven and Vouvray and both failed to run out the 3,200 metres," Moody continued. "I'm grateful for the opportunity and fingers crossed we can have a faultless prep."

Moody’s break from training was enforced by stewards in 2016 when he was suspended for six months on cobalt-related charges. He maintained his bloodstock interests and media work and returned with a winner in May this year.

A tilt at the Flemington showpiece on November 3 is also on the agenda for French stayer Pappalino, who will join the likes of Young Rascal, Haky and Gallic Chieftain in the care of Archie Alexander.

Pappalino was formerly trained by Jerome Reynier in Marseille, where he won four times in 13 starts.

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