Family partnership

Leading Queensland conditioner Toby Edmonds and his son Trent are to train in partnership.

The Gold Coast-based Edmonds has sent out 108 winners this season and is second to Tony Gollan on the metropolitan premiership with 47.

He said Trent is playing an increasingly strong role in the running of the stable.

"He is 28 and been around for a while so it is time for him to take more responsibility," Edmonds said.

"Trent is very big on social media and hopefully he can start to bring younger owners into the stable. The partnership will give him a chance to get a higher profile."

King keen to train

Steven King is taking a step toward realising a goal by taking an assistant trainer role with Steve Richards at Flemington.

The G1 Melbourne Cup winning jockey is keen on a future training partnership before a solo career.

"Steve and I have had a long association going right back to the start of my career," King said.

"We work well together and when I spoke to Steve and told him I was keen to get involved, he was all for it. I'm really excited with where it might go, a little boutique stable at Flemington.”

Satellite stable plans up in air

Despite constant speculation over the past few months, Group 1 winning Cambridge trainer Tony Pike is adamant he is no closer to confirming whether he will establish a satellite stable in Australia next season or not.

“I’ve been questioned about the situation a fair bit in the last three months, but at this stage there is nothing to report,” Pike said. “It is an option we have been thinking about for a wee while but, to be honest, I haven’t even looked at any potential properties yet.

“To make the move you need the right set-up and until we find a property that is suitable it is all just wishful thinking.

“I guess if we were going to go anywhere it would ideally be in New South Wales somewhere but Queensland could also be a possibility.”

Kah realises dream

Group 1 winning jockey Jamie Kah will tick Ascot off her bucket list when she takes part in the Shergar Cup challenge.

Kah is in the female jockeys’ team for the August 10 event, taking on the other three teams - the UK and Ireland, the Rest Of The World and Europe.

"I've always wanted to ride in England so this is a big thrill for me," Kah said. "I was on holiday a few years back and was just riding trackwork up there.

"I would have loved to have got my licence but it was quite difficult, so it is definitely something I have wanted to do for a while. To ride at Ascot is just amazing.”

Group 1 contender

Co-trainer Graeme Rogerson believes his talented galloper More Wonder (Mossman) is ready for a break-out season in 2019-20.

He won twice during his 3-year-old campaign but looked unlucky not to register a victory at the highest level, finishing in the top five on four separate occasions at Group One level.

“I think he is a very good horse who didn’t get a lot of luck in those bigger races,” Rogerson said. “He probably should have won a Group 1, but the way he is coming up for his new campaign, I think he will be able to rectify that.

“I got the feeling something wasn’t quite right with him toward the end of the season and when we had him checked out, he needed a minor operation to remove a chip off a fetlock. He has had that cleaned up and looks a million dollars.”

Prezado finally delivers

Trainers Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra’s frustration with Prezado (Denman) finally came to an end at Flemington.

The 4-year-old looked to have a bright future when he won at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day in 2017, but wins since have been few and far between.

Prezado went 13 months without success before returning to winning form at Pakenham last December.

"His win here on Melbourne Cup day looked pretty good and he had it all in front of him, but to say he's been a frustration is an understatement," Ellerton said.

"He's a pretty sound sort of horse so hopefully he can take a bit of confidence. We're relieved he got away with the win."

McGillivray outed

Queensland Cup-winning jockey Matt McGillivray copped an 11 day ban for causing interference in the Listed race.

McGillivray, who rode the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Azuro (Fr) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) to win at Eagle Farm, was found guilty of causing interference at the 1500 metre mark.

He is already set to serve a suspension which ends on August 6 and the new suspension will start then.

Bleeding ban

Healing Hands (I Am Invincible) faces a mandatory three-month ban after he bled when unplaced in the Highway H. at Randwick.

Mudgee trainer Gayna Williams was all but on the highway home from Randwick on Saturday when she looked at the 4-year-old in the float and discovered he had blood in both nostrils.

She immediately called Racing New South Wales chief steward Marc Van Gestel to report the incident.

Johnson back in business

Danielle Johnson made the best possible return to race day riding after an injury enforced nine-month break away from the track when she guided 3-year-old Bobby Dazzler (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) to victory at New Plymouth.

Johnson has been on the side-lines since mid-November when she sustained three fractures to her collar bone in a race fall at Ruakaka. Sporting a metal plate and six screws in the troublesome injury, Johnson had built up her fitness in recent months with plenty of gym work, running and regular trackwork and trial rides.

After getting her eye in with two mounts at Pukekohe on Wednesday, Johnson was at her bustling best as she led throughout on the Stephen Marsh-trained Bobby Dazzler, who was registering his third career victory.

“My fitness is good as I haven’t been sitting around at all in the last few months. I have had trial rides and do regular trackwork while I try to either get to the gym or go for a run on most days.