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No quick call on Melbourne Cup bid for Qewy

J A McGrath

The remarkable Australian form of both Qewy and his trainer Charlie Appleby continued on Wednesday when the pair won the G3 Bendigo Cup.

The winner 12 months ago of the G3 Geelong Cup and the Listed Sandown Cup, Qewy (Kerrin McEvoy) broke the 2,400m track record in his half-neck defeat of Kiwia.

In between his two wins in Australia last season, Qewy finished fourth in the G1 Melbourne Cup and his latest success has raised the possibility of him running in next Tuesday’s 2017 renewal of the race.

Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby says there will be no rush decision on whether veteran stayer Qewy lines up in Tuesday's G1 Melbourne Cup at Flemington.

Appleby, currently based at Del Mar for the Breeders' Cup, watched Qewy's gutsy win in the G3 Bendigo Cup on a mobile phone in a San Diego restaurant.

He said he was proud of the way the son of Street Cry 'toughed' it out in a tight finish.

"It's a great credit to our team, who have travelled down to Melbourne, and full credit to Qewy himself, who is such a tough, reliable campaigner.

"I understand they have run a track record, or close to it, so he will have had a hard race.

"We won't be in any hurry about deciding on the G1 Melbourne Cup. Let's see how he has come out of this. 

"I will discuss it with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed in the next 48 hours," Appleby added.

Jockey Kerrin McEvoy said the win was a typically strong staying effort.

“We got into a nice spot then stepped it up from the four furlongs and made sure it was a staying test,” he said.

“He’ll come on for the run and if he was to go to the Cup he’d be a top-10 chance for sure.”