Latrobe’s hopes in limbo

LATROBE’S Melbourne Cup destiny continues to hang in the balance as Team Williams makes 11th hour contingency travel and quarantine plans for the Irish Derby winner.

Lloyd and Nick Williams intend starting $13 chance Latrobe in the Cup, but that rested on the colt being able to travel to Australia last night with stablemate Master Of Reality.

There is no room at Werribee quarantine centre for Master Of Reality, but trainer Joseph O’Brien is keen for the horse to accompany Latrobe to Melbourne because of the pair’s close bond.

Nick Williams said it was uncertain if Master Of Destiny would be granted one of the eight spots to be vacated by horses heading to local trainers tomorrow after completing their 14-day quarantine.

“We don’t know yet, probably know later in the day,” he said. “Latrobe could be paired with another horse at Werribee with Master Of Reality able to do his quarantine at Broadmeadows.

“Latrobe’s not quirky, he’s just young — it’s a dangerous game to be travelling young horses, to take these horses without their mates.

“It’s all right when you’ve got an eight-year-old gelding, but when you’ve got a threeyear-old colt you need to make sure you have a consistent environment. We are also very wary about taking his mate away from him, so we need to get his mate on the plane.

“He’s very different to (last year’s winner) Rekindling,” Lloyd Williams said.

“This horse is still a work in progress — I think he has the potential to be a better horse than Rekindling. I think you’ll see the best of him over a mileand-a-half (2400m), whereas Rekindling is just a deadset two-mile (3200m) horse.”