TRAINER David Hill spent yesterday rearranging travel plans and pencilling in a lead-up Australian race as River Verdon's Melbourne Cup mission gathered momentum.
Hill, who leaves for America on Monday, plans to have River Verdon back in work by August 1 - and he will be here to supervise every step of his preparation.
''As far as I am concerned, it is all systems go and if we get the co-operation of the Jockey Club in relation to the right early season races, then we are going to have a crack at the Melbourne Cup,'' said Hill.
''I have spent part of the day rescheduling my travel arrangements for getting back to Hong Kong and I have also been looking at races in Australia.'' Pencilled in as a possibility for River Verdon is the Werribee Cup, a major country cup meeting which is held six days before the Melbourne Cup and is a traditional lead-up race to the November showdown.
River Verdon's final programme depends almost entirely on quarantine arrangements.
The Victoria Racing Club has informed the Jockey Club that River Verdon must spend three weeks in quarantine in Hong Kong and two in Australia.
