Ethiopia's fourth in Lexus pleases Pat Carey as he attempts to improve on last year's failure in Melbourne Cup

TRAINER Pat Carey was certain Ethiopia was progressing well towards the Melbourne Cup but his form wasn't backing those thoughts up.

Gondokoro, ridden by Karel Stryja (left) and Ethiopia, ridden by Katelyn Mallyon (right) enjoy a stroll along Balnarring Beach.

TRAINER Pat Carey was certain Ethiopia was progressing well towards the Melbourne Cup but his form wasn't backing those thoughts up.

So Carey took last year's ATC Australian Derby winner to Flemington on Saturday wanting to see something and walked away pleased after Ethiopia's fourth in the Lexus Stakes.

"He needed to put his hand up and he deserves to be there (Cup field),'' Carey said yesterday. "He ran the fastest last 1000m in the race and he had to carry 58.5kg and will drop to 54.5kg."

Carey's explanation for Ethiopia's return to form was simply that he enjoyed being back racing on the wide open spaces of Flemington.

"I know he finished fourth in last year's Cox Plate, but my personal view is that he's best suited on bigger tracks which suit his big strides," he said.

From the beginning of Ethiopia's spring campaign, Carey has had the luxury of knowing the four-year-old was certain to get a run in the Melbourne Cup and he could get him to peak today.

"It's been comforting to know he didn't have to fight to get in," he said.

Gondokoro, ridden by Karel Stryja (left) and Ethiopia, ridden by Katelyn Mallyon (right) enjoy a stroll along Balnarring Beach. Picture: Alex Coppel

Ethiopia ran last in the 2012 Melbourne Cup but Carey said to forget about that as he hurt himself in the run.

"He's going to the race a mature horse who's sound and in fit condition,'' he said. "He's ready to run the distance."

Carey was pleased with Ethiopia's first-up fifth in the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington but he then finished last in the Underwood Stakes at Caulfield and 14th in the Caulfield Cup.
"If you examine those runs, he wasn't suited by the tempo in the Underwood and he was in the wrong spot,'' the Mornington trainer said.

"After dissecting his Caulfield Cup run, I thought it was full of positives.

"The Lexus is a great guide to the Cup. I'm going into it believing there will be no horse in better condition."

Ethiopia is a $71 chance with TAB fixed odds.

He will be Carey's third runner in a Melbourne Cup. Thong Classic finished 13th in 2002.