Godolphin eyes Everest slot

Godolphin is set to throw its hat in the ring for the vacant Everest slot.

Godolphin Australia managing director Vin Cox told Racenet, that securing the slot left vacant after previous slot holder Damion Flower was charged over drug importation was on Godolphin's radar.

“We are certainly looking at it and if we can get an arrangement that suits us we could potentially go that way,” Cox confirmed.

“We might have to come up with something creative in terms of the process for the criteria of the slot.”

Godolphin had Osborne Bulls (Street Cry {Ire}) run third in the world's richest turf race under the ATC slot last year.

Eighth winner for Dissident

Newgate's first-season sire Dissident secured winner number eight from his first crop with Ingear successful at Ipswich on Wednesday.

Ingear, trained by Tony Gollan, was well-supported off a recent six-length trial win at Doomben and she lived up to market expectation with 4.5l win.

Bred by Paul Maguire, she was a $150,000 purchase for her trainer as well as agent John Foote at the 2018 Magic Millions Sale.

Dissident has had seven winners in Australia and one in New Zealand from his first crop. He is fifth in the first-season sire rankings on winners.

Maozi looks to future

The Snowden stable are hoping for bigger things for Maozi (Helmet), who notched her second win in a 2-year-old fillies race at Sandown on Wednesday.

Maozi powered home late to secure her first win since her debut victory at Geelong in January and jockey Beau Mertens feels she has significant scope for improvement.

“I thought she wasn't going to get there but she really knuckled down and hit the line well,” Mertens said. “Probably once I hit the 100(m), she wasn’t going very quickly but was making up a nice bit of ground."

“I think she’s a horse that takes a while to get into her gears and once she does, she really lets down nicely.”

She is one of seven 2-year-old winners for Helmet this season.

Bonny mare gives Webster-Hawes a breakthrough

Jockey Eleanor Webster-Hawes secured her first city winner as consistent mare Worldly Pleasure (Commands) delivered a sixth win for trainer Dean Mirfin at Canterbury.

Purchased from a Gooree dispersal sale for 'next to nothing', Worldly Pleasure has proven a terrific earner for her owners, including Steve Deal.

“She has been a great little mare, very brave and hopefully she can continue to improve,” Webster-Hawes said.

“That is my first city winner and it means [a lot] especially for those people."

“(Owners) Karen, Steve (Deal’s) wife has just had a baby a couple of days ago so it’s a shame she can’t be here but great that it’s two good things in one week.”

Hughie's high five

Hugh Bowman makes his return to competitive riding with five rides at Randwick on Saturday.

Bowman last rode at Warwick Farm on May 1, taking time off to recover from an arduous autumn carnival which included the farewell to champion mare Winx (Street Cry {Ire}).

His first ride back will be on the unbeaten Sir Elton (Your Song) for Adam Duggan, while he will also ride Zourkhan (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}) for Chris Waller, Revenire (Lonhro) for James Cummings, Simply Optimistic (Encosta De Lago) for Brendon Hawtin and Terminology (Star Witness) for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.

Cambridge buys into Cup dream

Cambridge Stud's Brendan and Jo Lindsay have purchased a share in G1 Melbourne Cup aspirant Blue Breeze (NZ) (Bullbars).

Breeder Tony Gavigan said the current ownership group had sold down their shareholdings to allow the Lindsays to buy in and that the 5-year-old would continue to be trained by Byerley Park-based Allan Morley.

"He'll be nominated for the Melbourne Cup and we'll see how he comes along. He's been in work since the first of May and he's going well. He ran the last 600m of his work at Byerley Park on Friday in 35.7 (seconds)," Gavigan said.

Blue Breeze will resume at Ruakaka on Saturday week and will probably have one further run in New Zealand before tackling the Listed Wyong Cup and the G3 Newcastle Cup in September.

He will target the G1 Metropolitan Hcp as a way to get the weight penalty required to get into the Melbourne Cup.

Scholarship applications opened

The New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Association have opened applications for their two annual scholarships.

The International Management Scholarship, sponsored by the Sunline Trust, sends the successful candidate on a 30-week trip where they will experience the operational infrastructure, systems and management of three of the Northern hemisphere's leading stud farms.

The winner of the Keith and Faith Taylor Equine Scholarship will attend the five-month Breeding Diploma course at the world renowned Irish National Stud.

Past recipients include Te Akau Racing trainer Jamie Richards, bloodstock agent Michael Wallace, Haunui Farm's sales and marketing manager Shannon Taylor, and Highden Park co-owner and operator Libby Bleakley.

Applications close on July 31.