Raiders ramp up Cup bids Tough stayer: Mount Athos, prepared by Luca Cumani in England, will be aimed at the Melbourne Cup again this year. Major races across Europe this weekend could determine the make-up and size of the international contingent of stayers for the Melbourne Cup. Meetings at York, Goodwood, the Curragh and in France at Deauville will give some spring carnival hopefuls their last chance to qualify for the Cup, with entries closing on Tuesday, September 3. However, international trainers and owners have been well warned by Australian racing officials not to venture to Melbourne for the spring carnival unless they are qualified and capable of getting enough weight to make the Cup. Both Australian recruiting officer Leigh Jordon and Racing Victoria chief handicapper Greg Carpenter again stressed the problems that faced connections of horses that arrived in Melbourne but did not have enough weight to make the Cup field. Both Leigh and I are always concerned at horses coming here and don't make the race because they didn't get enough weight. It is a very expensive trip across the world not to make it," Carpenter said. On Friday Simenon will contest the group 2 Lonsdale Cup over 3200 metres at York. Simenon is trained by Willie Mullins, who brought the erratic Holy Orders out for the Cup six years ago. Pale Mimosa, a Dermot Weld-trained mare, will also be competing at the meeting. Weld's other good staying mare, Voleuse De Coeurs, is likely to contest the Irish St Ledger trial at the Curragh on Saturday. The event will also feature Aidan O'Brien's promising stayer Ernest Hemingway. Some believe that to make the Cup field this year a horse will need at least 53.5 kilograms. At Goodwood on Saturday, another Melbourne Cup hopeful in Mount Athos will start in the March Stakes. Mount Athos is having his last start before the Melbourne Cup. The lightly-raced Opinion, a winner of four of her past 10 starts, will run in the Ebor Handicap this weekend. French horses Now We Can and Very Nice Name will be on trial for the Cup when they contest the group 2 Prix Deauville over 2500 metres at the weekend. Now We Can is trained by Nicholas Clement. ■ Sydney jockey Tommy Berry will miss the first-up ride on the Queen's horse, Carlton House, after being suspended for careless riding in two separate races at Canterbury on Wednesday. Berry had been pencilled in to partner Carlton House in the Tramway Handicap (1400 metres) at Randwick on September 7, the first time he would have sported the Queen's silks in a race. I'm just glad it's not group 1 time. There is still a few weeks until then and it's good to get it out of the system," Berry said. He started the day on a high, combining with trainer Gai Waterhouse to win the first three races with Danas Best, Forever Loved and Our Desert Warrior.