International race day
In association with the Gold Coast Turf Club, Magic Millions has announced an international race day to coincide with Australia's premier breeze up auction.
It will be supported by eight leading overseas racing clubs and associations on Saturday, October 12, three days before the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YOs in Training Sale and Spring Racehorse Sale.
The eight sponsors on the day will be the Macau Jockey Club, Metro Manila Turf Club, Perak Turf Club, Selangor Turf Club, Singapore Turf Club, Thailand Horse Racing Association, Yulong Jockey Club China and the Wuhan Jockey Club, China
"We are again expecting strong support from owners and trainers from the clubs taking part in this important international event held at the Gold Coast," Magic Millions Sales Director David Chester said.
Winner No.17 for Deep Field
Newgate's Deep Field has closed the gap on Better Than Ready in the race to be Australia's leading first-season sire on winners to just won after Scorpius claimed a maiden win on debut at Moe.
Scorpius, bred by Spendthrift Australia and raced by United Syndications for trainer Mick Price had 0.5 of a length to spare in the 1100m.
He moves to within one of Lyndhurst Stud's Better Than Ready who has had 18 individual winners in his first crop. He also moves within one of the 18 winners his own sire Northern Meteor had in his first season in 2012/13.
Another son of Northern Meteor, Zoustar, also marked a 2-year-old winner at Moe with the victory of the filly Stardayz, also over 1100m. She is Zoustar's fourth 2-year-old winner for the season.
First shot at Group 1
The new Anderson-Heathcote training partnership is looking forward to its first Group 1 runner with growing confidence.
Chris Anderson and Robert Heathcote will have Ballistic Boy (Smart Missile) in Saturday's JJ Atkins at Eagle Farm.
The 2-year-old turned in a good Atkins trial when he came from a long way back to run fifth in the BRC Sires' Produce S.
“The big fellow did a really good job in the Sires and we have been saying all along he will be a nice horse over some ground. Ballistic Boy is safely in the field for the Atkins so it has been all go."
Quickie ready for Derby
Leading G1 Queensland Derby hope Mr Quickie (Shamus Award) tuned up for Saturday's race with a strong piece of work at Pakenham on Monday.
Mr Quickie has not raced since finishing an unlucky third in the recent G1 South Australian Derby but trainer Philip Stokes told racing.com that he was happy with his preparation ahead of his trip north.
"He’s just got to travel up there now. I think the horse will travel well because he’s a tough horse but until they do, you’re never sure," Stokes said,
Mr Quickie, currently second pick behind the Chris Waller-trained Nobu (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}), leaves for Brisbane on Tuesday.
Moore no regrets over skipping Japan trip
Trainer John Moore has no regrets over not sending his star miler Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road To Rock) to Japan to tackle the G1 Yasuda Kinen.
The legendary trainer told the South China Morning Post that he felt Beauty Generation would have been more than competitive in the race which was won in an upset by Indy Champ (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}), with superstar Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) finishing third.
"He would have given it a shake,” he said. “I would have been second [in running], I wouldn’t have led the grey horse [Aerolithe], maybe sat outside him."
“I’m happy with what I saw, we got a good look at Almond Eye but I’m not sorry [we didn’t go]. I’m happy to still have him here to [try and repeat] what he did this season.”
G3 winner for So You Think
So You Think (NZ) has his first American stakes-winner after Coachwhip (USA) claimed the G3 Matron S. at Arlington over the weekend.
The 5-year-old had been stakes placed on four previous occasions and broke through for trainer Jack Sisterson and breeder and owners Calumet Farm.
So You Think has only had a handful of runners in the United States from his northern hemisphere crops.
So You Think (NZ), sired his first American stakes-winner in Coachwhip (USA)
Steeple success for Max
Trainer Raymond Connors and jockey Isaac Lupton combined to claim the McGregor Grant Steeplechase at Ellerslie on Monday with Max (NZ) (Gallant Guru),
Connors and Lupton share a terrific history at Ellerslie and marked their latest success when Max swept home from back in the field to claim his seventh win from 26 starts.
It completed a jumps double for sire Gallant Guru, whose Arite Guru (NZ) won the Coca-Cola Hurdle to open the meeting.
Tommyra (NZ) (Raise the Flag {GB}) won the other feature jumps race, the KS Browne Hurdle for Shaun Phelan and Toby Autridge, while Suffice To Say (NZ) (Sufficient {NZ}) claimed the Dunstan Feeds Steeplechase for Aaron Koru and Team Rogerson.
Meeting transferred
Victoria’s wet weather has led to the transfer of Tuesday’s Warrnambool meeting to Casterton.
RV stewards inspected the Warrnambool track on Monday afternoon and requested the meeting be moved due to surface water.
The Warrnambool track was rated a Heavy 10 on Sunday before receiving 14mm of rain overnight.
There have been a number of distance changes for the races.
