Slipper winner to NH

Estijaab (Snitzel) has been retired and will be heading to the Northern Hemisphere to begin her breeding career.

She won three of her seven starts, including the G1 Golden Slipper S. from Team Hawkes’ stable, after the daughter of the dual Group 1 winner Response (Charge Forward) was purchased out of Arrowfield Stud’s draft by Emirates Park for $1.7 million.

“She’ll go up to be covered in the Northern Hemisphere, but we haven’t decided who by yet,” Emirates’ general manager Bryan Carlson said. “She was a top filly and will be going to one of the top stallions.”

Meanwhile, another Slipper winner in the Emirates colours Mossfun (Mossman) has returned home from England.

“She’s empty and she will be going to I Am Invincible,” Carlson said. “She’s got a yearling and a weanling in the UK by Frankel.”

Blinkers on Kenenda

Two-time Group 1 winner Kenedna (Not A Single Doubt) will have blinkers back on in the G2 Feehan S. at The Valley as Ciaron Maher follows a familiar pattern with the mare.

The mare did enough in her season return in the G2 P B Lawrence S. when resuming without the headgear to have her co-trainer convinced the mare is on target for her major spring targets.

The G1 Caulfield Cup is Kenedna’s main aim, but Maher also believes she can be a threat in Saturday's weight-for-age event.

"Her run was very good first-up," he said. "Her last sectional was quite strong. She ran well second-up at The Valley over a mile last preparation and it's a similar type scenario. She seems in very good order."

Australia still the goal

Coolmore's Ten Sovereigns (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) might head straight to Australia for The TAB Everest with his participation in the G1 Sprint Cup at Haydock doubtful because of soft ground.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien said Australia was still the goal with Ten Sovereigns, despite his G1 Nunthorpe S. failure, and if he did not run in The Everest there were other options.

"The Everest is in Sydney and I think two thirds of the time the ground has been soft there," O'Brien said.

"If it is soft he won't run there, but he could go down to Melbourne, where he might get better ground. There are a couple of sprints down in Melbourne. I wouldn't think he will stay in training next year.”

Aiming for first stakes scalp

Multiple stakes-placed gelding Tavisan (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) will be aiming to add a black type victory to his tally when he competes in the Listed Strathmore Community Bendigo Bank S. at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr-trained 4-year-old has been in fine form this preparation, recording two wins and a placing from three starts, including a two length success at Moonee Valley last start under jockey Ben Melham.

“Melham came out to ride Tavisan a couple of weeks ago and said there’s not much speed in this race, so I might just take it up, which was quite a brilliant jockey decision by him I thought,” Price said.

“It worked really well that day because they sat up for the first half of the race and just allowed him to dash home.”

Tavisan has been gelded since his 3-year-old season and Price believes that has been a big assistance.

Queensland option

Warwick Farm trainer Gary Portelli is looking for softer options with Testashadow (Testa Rossa) in Queensland.

He will return there for Saturday's Clear Insurance Open H. to chase his first win since the G3 Festival S. at Rosehill in December 2017.

Testashadow has earned $1.4 million, the bulk of it from success in the 2017 Magic Millions Cup and a second in the 2015 Magic Millions Guineas, both at the Gold Coast.

Portelli believes the now 8-year-old is finding Sydney racing going.

"I had him in a benchmark race and it was littered with stakes winners," Portelli said. "It is very competitive here, but especially so when these horses get a bit older.”

Group 1 target

She may have earned her stripes on the heavy tracks of winter, but Hamilton trainer David Greene believes Flaunting (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}) possesses the good track ability to be competitive in November's G1 gavelhouse.com New Zealand 1000 Guineas at Riccarton.

A winner of two of her six starts, the Showcasing filly won the Listed Castletown S. at Wanganui in June before second placings at Te Rapa and in the Listed Ryder S. at Otaki, all on true winter ground.

Flaunting will shoot for a second stakes win in Saturday's Listed The O'Learys Fillies S. at Wanganui.

"Ideally, I'm keen to see her getting into a good fillies feature this spring, like the 1000 Guineas," Greene said.

"We think she's just as good on top of the ground, but being hard-fit and proven on the type of surface she'll face on Saturday, we think she's ready to make her presence felt.”

Cobalt ban

Veteran Toowoomba trainer Harry Richardson has been suspended for nine months after Smokey Diamond (Top Echelon) was found to have illegal cobalt levels in urine samples on three occasions.

Stewards opened an inquiry after cobalt was detected in samples at Ipswich on January 5, Ipswich January 24 and the Sunshine Coast on February 10.

Richardson was charged with presenting a horse to race with cobalt levels above the permitted level.

He pleaded not guilty and explained that Smokey Diamond was fractious when travelling to the races and he had an ongoing issue with the gelding frequently becoming dehydrated. He believed it could have contributed to the cobalt levels.

Pitons Cup announced

Drawing on the inspiration of the Pegasus World Cup and The Everest, the Saint Lucia Turf Club will hold US$150,000 The Pitons Cup, a race in which owners will purchase one of 12 spots, the organisation has announced.

In a twist, owners who buy a spot in the December 13 event will also be given a racehorse who can compete on the undercard, in the 1400 metre Helen of the West race.

“Saint Lucians have been looking forward to having this international racetrack and an event of this nature,” said Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister, Allen Michael Chastanet.

“We are readying to welcome race fans and enthusiasts from around the world, who will be getting the Saint Lucian experience for the first time.”