Australia not on the agenda for Crystal Black Trainer Gerard Keane outlined plans for stable star Crystal Black for the coming season. While the Tattersalls Gold Cup is the main aim in the early part of the campaign, the Meath man appeared to rule out a tilt at the Melbourne Cup. The seven-year-old was unbeaten in four runs last term, culminating with a Group 3 win at Leopardstown in August. A trip down under for the carnival had been mooted before injury curtailed that particular plan. While a tilt at Group 1 company at the Curragh is the main objective at the minute, Keane acknowledged that if his charge fell short at the highest level, there are plenty decent prizes to be won in the coming months. Keane said: "We are hoping to go to the two of them (Alleged Stakes and Mooresbridge Stakes), I think there is a good three weeks between them. Then the main plan, if he runs well enough in either of them, he would go for the Tattersalls Gold Cup. "That's the first half of the year over with then. If that doesn't work out, we will have to think of a different plan I suppose." When asked about Australia being in his mind, he replied: "Not really, no. The ground would be very fast down there and that wouldn't really suit him. He got away with it last year (in Royal Ascot), but he's a massive big horse and you wouldn't want to keep running him on it. "I don't know about Australia, but we will travel somewhere with him. There's plenty of other options, obviously unless he gets sold. "He's in great form. He was supposed to have a racecourse gallop and he got a stone bruise, so we didn't get there. "No matter where he goes first time, he will need the run. "Obviously, it is a different kettle of fish this year with the company you are going to have to keep. If he isn't good enough, he is a Group 3 horse anyway and he would pick up plenty of prize money you'd imagine." Additional reporting by Michael Graham.
