Group 1 return
Jockey Brenton Avdulla is hoping to make a Group 1 winning return when he partners Aliferous (Hinchinbrook) in Saturday’s Queensland Oaks.
Avdulla has not ridden in Australia since April 22 after taking a short-term riding contract in Japan.
He has been a regular rider for Aliferous' owners Australian Bloodstock and he knows the filly well after winning the G2 Adrian Knox S. on her at Randwick during the Sydney autumn carnival.
Brenton Avdulla aboard Aliferous in the G2 Adrian Knox S.
Rising to challenge
Co-trainer Adrian Bott has enjoyed readying Hush Writer (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) for his first-up appearance over 2400 metres in the Listed W J McKell Cup at Rosehill.
"It may seem strange for us in Australia, but they wouldn't think twice about it in Japan or France where he's done his previous racing and training,” he said.
"He is a bit one-paced. It's probably a bit unfair on him starting in anything under 2000 metres, he'd be out sprinted against our sharp, speed horses.
"He's had plenty of groundwork, he's had the trials and he's had an exhibition gallop and he's very forward going into Saturday's race."
Enable To Miss Royal Ascot
Plans to kick off Enable's (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) 5-year-old campaign in the G1 Prince of Wales’s S. at Royal Ascot have been scrapped, and the dual G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner will be re-routed to the G1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on July 6.
“Following a piece of work on the Limekilns this morning both John Gosden and Frankie Dettori feel that Royal Ascot will come too soon for her,” Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner/breeder Khalid Abdullah, said in a statement.
“She will now be aimed at the Eclipse at Sandown on July 6. Her main target remains the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.”
Enable
Halvin To Ride Emirates Park's Mehdaayih
John Gosden’s go-to stable rider Robert Havlin has been handed the ride on Emirates Park Pty Ltd’s Mehdaayih (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in Friday’s G1 Investec Oaks at Epsom after the owners opted to stay loyal to the jockey who partnered her in her last three outings.
The bay filly is currently disputing favouritism with Pink Dogwood (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), one of a quartet to race for Aidan O’Brien, among the 13 fillies who stood their ground for the Classic.
Crunch time
The racing future of Boom Time (Flying Spur) will be on the line at Caulfield on Saturday.
The Lindsay Park-trained 2017 G1 Caulfield Cup winner has disappointed in three runs since a tendon injury halted his spring campaign last year.
Saturday's Catanach's Jewellers H. will offer Boom Time a final chance has stave off retirement.
"He's at his distance, he's had three runs, if he doesn't win, or go close, he'll probably be retired, but if he runs well he'll campaign in the spring," co-trainer David Hayes said. "His trackwork suggests he's on song, but his race performances have been very poor."
Boom Time in the G1 Caulfield Cup
Flower refused bail
High-profile racehorse owner Damion Flower has been refused bail after a magistrate said the strong drug smuggling case against him appeared to show he'd made "supervision actions."
Flower is accused of helping to smuggle more than 55 kilograms of cocaine in black duffel bags through Sydney Airport.
Magistrate Robert Williams on Thursday said Flower's family had offered property worth more than $3 million as bail surety, but said he had some difficulty in balancing that against the strength of the prosecution case, the seriousness of the charges and the large quantity of drugs recovered.
Damion Flower
Doomben a happy place
Winter Bride (Not A Single Doubt) returns to her favourite haunt to tackle the G2 Moreton Cup at Doomben ahead of a tilt at the G1 Tatts Tiara.
Trainer Toby Edmonds and her owners, Segenhoe, have shied away from the G1 Stradbroke H. on Saturday week.
"We decided against the Stradbroke and she will be aimed at the Tatts Tiara," Edmonds said. "She is probably better placed against the fillies and mares at Group 1 class."
A three-time Group 3 winner, Winter Bride has won three times at Doomben and finished runner-up in the Listed Mode Plate.
Winter Bride
Start locked in
Niccanova (Nicconi) will run at Doomben in a bid to force his way in to the G1 Stradbroke H. field.
The 5-year-old will jump from gate 12 in Saturday's Listed Spear Chief S. and trainer Steve Tregea said under normal circumstances he wouldn’t run the gelding.
"He is a casual horse in his races, but from a good barrier you can ride him along a bit to be more forward, but if you do that from a wide barrier you risk getting posted throughout," Tregea said.
"I don't think he will be out of the place in a Stradbroke, but really he will have to win on Saturday to make the field."
Sydney target
Our Big Mike (NZ) (Don Eduardo {NZ}) enjoyed a successful summer campaign in Australia late last year and his connections are hoping to replicate those results in the coming month.
The Craig and Shaun Phelan-trained gelding placed in two runs in Melbourne before winning the Listed Pakenham Cup in December and he could add another stakes win to his tally when he lines-up in the Listed WJ McKell Cup at Rosehill on Saturday.
“He seems all good and is bright enough. We are happy with the way he has settled in,” Shaun Phelan said.
