Zoustyle out of carnival
Undefeated sprinter Zoustyle (Zoustar) will miss the rest of the Queensland winter carnival after contracting a virus.
The Tony Gollan-trained 3-year-old will be withdrawn from Saturday's Listed Daybreak Lover Plate and won’t race again until the spring.
"It is nothing serious, but it is just a low-grade virus which meant we couldn't prepare him properly for Saturday," Gollan said. "With so many horses coming from all over the place there are plenty of virus-type illnesses around.
"He can have three weeks off and then we can get him back for a tilt at the spring carnivals."
Zoustyle
No Stradbroke start
Manuel (Commands) is out of the G1 Stradbroke H. at Eagle Farm after working poorly.
The winner of the G1 C F Orr S. in February ran last in the G1 Doomben 10,000 in his first Queensland run on May 11.
McEvoy ordered Manuel to trial at the Gold Coast two weeks ago and he impressed when he ran the leader down after giving away many lengths.
But he was far from happy after travelling from Melbourne to Queensland to watch him work on Tuesday. "Manuel has done a good job this year, but I think he has come to the end of it," McEvoy said.
With the withdrawal of Manuel and Oregon's Day (Domesday), Tyzone (Written Tycoon) now obtains a run in the 18-strong field.
Manuel after his win in the G1 CF Orr S.
Currie guilty again
Toowoomba trainer Ben Currie has been found guilty on a further five charges, this time involving positive swabs.
Currie is already serving a four-year disqualification over text messages which stewards found indicated the use of an electrical device.
He is awaiting sentence on 12 other charges after being found guilty of race day treatments. Another 14 similar charges are yet to be heard while Currie is seeking internal reviews of convictions.
Racing Queensland stewards heard evidence regarding the positive swabs on Monday and Tuesday.
Ben Currie
Fairgray joins TBV board
Yulong Investments Australian Chief Operating Officer Sam Fairgray has joined the board of Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria.
Fairgray has been COO of Yulong since January 2018, overseeing the Chinese-backed operation's considerable expansion, which includes stallion and broodmare properties acquired in the past year, plus around 200 racehorses worldwide.
Fairgray joins the board in place of Matthew Tillett, who steps down after three years.
Yulong's Yueshang Zhang and Sam Farigray (blue shirt)
“While it is a loss to see Matt step down, in order to pursue opportunities within the racing industry, I would like to thank Matt for his hard work and dedication. In saying that, I am excited for Sam to join us on the Board, where there is no doubt his experience, passion and skill set will help drive breeding in Victoria to new heights,” James O’Brien, TBV President said.
Racing NSW restricts race starts
Racing NSW will introduce a rule which restricts a horse from having more than five starts during a 30-day period.
The new rule will be introduced from July 1 and has been brought in on welfare grounds.
The rule also states a “two-year-old shall not be permitted to start in a race on consecutive days”.
“Racing NSW (or the Stewards exercising powers delegated to them) may decline to receive, or at any time after having received, reject any nomination or entry when the frequency of starts of the horse are, in the opinion of Racing NSW (or the Stewards exercising powers delegated to them), considered detrimental to the welfare of such horse,” LR41B reads.
Another rule change sees horses who have spent 12 months on the side-lines or has come back from major fractures or other orthopaedic injuries needing to trial in order to be allowed to race.
RV not surprised by prizemoney boost
Racing Victoria has insisted it as not surprised by the raft of new additions to the New South Wales' spring calendar, which now features eight consecutive Saturdays of $1m-plus races.
RV chairman Brian Kruger said that NSW had made no secret of its desire to bolster prizemoney levels.
“I’d say we weren’t surprised - Racing NSW has been talking about their desire to move deeper into the spring for a number of months,” Kruger, speaking on Melbourne Radio RSN, said.
“I understand why they’re doing what they’re doing."
“We’ve got a fantastic spring carnival in Melbourne - it’s recognised as one of the best racing carnivals in the world so I’m not surprised they’re trying to get a piece of that action.”
Kruger said that the move could come at the expense of field quality in Victoria's major races, while he admitted RV didn't enjoy the same generous tax contributions as its NSW counterparts.
Singapore incentive
Alysha Collett has been presented with a major incentive to resume her riding career after eight months on the injury list.
Jockey Alysha Collett
The 25-year-old has been relicensed in Singapore from July 1 and is keen to take up the six-month contract once she has regained some of her race-riding fitness and focus in New Zealand.
“I see my surgeon next Monday and hopefully I will get my clearance to start race riding again,” she said.
Collett has been off the scene since a fall in Singapore last October left her with serious damage to her L1 lumbar vertebra and a fractured right heel.
Flaunting on her way to Otaki
Listed Castletown S, winner Flaunting (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}) will be freshened up and head to the Listed Ryder S. (1200m) at Otaki next month.
Trainer David Greene confirmed that Flaunting, a winner of two of her four races, would head towards the Otaki race off a short break.
“She is going to have a week off now and she’ll come back and run in the Ryder Stakes at the end of the season,” Greene said.
“Whether we have a lead-in run, I’m not 100 percent sure, but that will be her next target.”
