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Racing Victoria (RV) has announced that 29 horses have entered pre-export quarantine in England and Ireland overnight in preparation for Victoria's 2020 Spring Racing Carnival.

The high-class contingent, which includes 16 internationally trained horses and 13 horses who will join Australian trainers upon their arrival down under, will complete two weeks quarantine before arriving in Melbourne on Friday, 2 October.

Upon arrival they will be required to undertake a further two weeks quarantine at the TAB Werribee International Horse Centre before being permitted to race from Stella Artois Caulfield Cup Day – Saturday, 17 October – onwards.

The list of horses that have entered quarantine is:

Anthony Van Dyck - Aidan O'Brien (Ireland)

Armory - Aidan O'Brien (Ireland)

Magic Wand – Aidan O'Brien (Ireland)

Tiger Moth – Aidan O'Brien (Ireland)

Santiago – Aidan O'Brien (Ireland)

Wichita – Aidan O'Brien (Ireland)

Buckhurst – Joseph O'Brien (Ireland)

Master Of Reality - Joseph O'Brien (Ireland)

Pondus - Joseph O'Brien (Ireland)

Twilight Payment - Joseph O'Brien (Ireland)

Stratum – Willie Mullins (Ireland)

True Self – Willie Mullins (Ireland)

Ashrun – Andreas Wohler (Germany)

Aspetar – Roger Charlton (UK)

Dashing Willoughby – Andrew Balding (UK)

Prince Of Arran – Charlie Fellowes (UK)

Involved – Ciaron Maher & David Eustace

Sir Dragonet – Ciaron Maher & David Eustace

Tinandali – Ciaron Maher & David Eustace

Mr Satchmo – Chris Waller

Selino – Chris Waller

Almania – Kris Lees

Collide – Kris Lees

Le Don De Vie – Anthony & Sam Freedman

Nickajack Cave – Peter Moody

Port Guillaume – Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes

San Huberto – Matt Cumani

Skyward – Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young

Sound Of Cannons – John O'Shea

RV General Manager – International & Racing Operations, Paul Bloodworth, said: "The start of pre-export quarantine is another important step in the journey for horses being targeted at Victoria's Spring Racing Carnival. Like their connections, we're hoping that everyone's preparations continue to go smoothly over the next fortnight and that we get to see all 29 horses arrive here as planned in Melbourne on 2 October.

"It's an incredibly talented group of horses led by Anthony Van Dyck who will be the first Epsom Derby winner to compete in Australia. There's a terrific blend of horses that will be very familiar to Australian racing fans and punters, along with some of the emerging talent that has been in great form in Europe throughout this year.

"Prince of Arran, True Self and Magic Wand were all feature winners in Victoria during last year's Spring Racing Carnival so we're really pleased to see them on the way back, while Twilight Payment and Master of Reality both contested last year's Melbourne Cup, the latter of course being second past the post before being demoted to fourth on protest.

"The Lexus Melbourne Cup, Stella Artois Caulfield Cup and Ladbrokes Cox Plate are the primary targets for many of the horses that have entered pre-export quarantine, but not all are guaranteed starts so you can expect to see a number of them contesting other feature races throughout the Carnival which will add great depth and generate plenty of interest."