All clear for Sunlight

Sunlight (Zoustar) has come out of her resuming run well ahead of a shot at the $14 million The TAB Everest.

The multiple Group 1 winner beat one runner home in Saturday's G3 Concorde S. and trainer Tony McEvoy said there were a number of factors that counted against her.

Racing NSW stewards reported Sunlight was slightly lame, graded one out of five, but she got the all-clear on Monday.

McEvoy said the stable could find nothing wrong with Sunlight post-race.

"I got the Racing NSW vets and stewards to come and see her and they've said she's all-clear, fine. When they're full of adrenaline, it's the worst time to judge a horse. She hasn't left an oat since and is in great order."

Prince in fine fettle

Group 1 winner Prince Fawaz (Fastnet Rock) is in good order for his 3-year-old return in the G2 Run To The Rose.

"Prince Fawaz is in great shape. His last couple of bits of work have been really good," trainer Anthony Cummings said. "But he doesn't do any work. He needs to come out and get his heart rate going a bit.

"His first-up run last time was very good, albeit in maiden grade, but it was around Gosford and from a bad gate. I'd be quite keen to see him draw well and sit midfield, maybe a bit worse."

Frantic finale ends in stewards call

There was drama in Sunday’s G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp and ultimately the stewards had to decide the outcome after the Irish duo Circus Maximus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Romanised (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) fought out a frantic finale.

Joining battle inside the last 300 metres, it was the Ballydoyle raider who prevailed by a nose. After a ruling far removed from past precedent where the French authorities are concerned, Circus Maximus was allowed to keep the race at odds of 4-1.

Ryan Moore was in no doubt that the end result was fair and said, “I think he was the best horse on the day and was always holding the second with a bit more in the tank.” However, Romanised’s owner Robert Ng revealed that he plans to lodge an appeal, with trainer Ken Condon stating, “We’re going to appeal, the owner has reviewed the footage at home in Hong Kong and has spoken to me directly. He’s expressed his wish to appeal after seeing the visual evidence. We think we’ve got a good case.”

Alan Cooper, racing manager to Circus Maximus’s breeders and part-owners the Niarchos family, commented, “Obviously the Breeders’ Cup could be on the cards, but I don’t know exactly because we are just enjoying today first of all and then we’ll make a plan. We’ll see what Aidan feels when he gets home and take it from there, the other obvious option is the [Oct. 19 G1] QEII at Ascot–we’ll see what Aidan wants to do.”

Cup on radar

Levi Kavanagh will give his progressive stayer Kentucky Breeze (Pierro) the chance to win his way into the G1 Caulfield Cup.

The Flemington trainer is eyeing the G3 JRA Cup next for the 5-year-old following success at The Valley on Saturday.

Another strong performance could then see him tackle the G1 Turnbull S. with the winner receiving the golden ticket into the Caulfield Cup.

"I think time and getting out in distance has helped him," Kavanagh said. "He's also got to tracks that he likes, Flemington, Moonee Valley and the big straight at Sandown.

"He's been a slow learner and taken time, but he's now had 6 wins from only 21 starts."

Strong nominations

Three of the Australian Turf Club’s most prestigious Everest carnival races have again received strong nominations.

Nominations closed on Monday for three of Sydney’s feature Group 1 races , the TAB Epsom, the Heineken 3 The Metropolitan and the Darley Flight S. A total of 83 horses were nominated for this year’s TAB Epsom and 94 horses in the Heineken 3 The Metropolitan.

The Darley Flight S., the final leg of the Darley Princess Series, attracted 68 entries, including star filly Libertini (I Am Invincible), who has taken out the first two legs.

“It is always encouraging to see so many of Australia and New Zealand’s biggest stables represented with great support from Victoria in particular including significant numbers from Michael Moroney, Ciaron Maher/David Eustace, Liam Howley and the Hayes/Dabernig team,” ATC General Manager of Racing and Wagering James Ross said.

Profit on rise

Co-trainer Robert Heathcote believes Profit (Dundeel {NZ}) is a Group winner in waiting.

The 3-year-old is unbeaten in two appearances, the latest of them in an age group event at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

"We have plenty of horses, but on potential Profit is the best in the stable," Heathcote said.

"He did a lot wrong and won his first start at Caloundra. We have thought he had the potential to be a Group horse for some time."

V’Landys takes on new role

High-profile thoroughbred administrator Peter V’Landys has taken on a new role.

The Racing NSW chief executive officer has been unanimously elected chairman of the Australia Rugby League Commission and will take the reins on October 30.

V'landys has been lauded as the man who turned around NSW racing and was responsible for the establishment of the world's richest turf race, The Everest.

This year's Sydney spring carnival will offer $40 million prize money over nine weeks of racing including the $14 million The TAB Everest on October 19.

New start

After a failed Sydney campaign, trainer David Vandyke will start again with Alligator Blood (All Too Hard).

He was to have made his Sydney debut in the G3 Ming Dynasty Quality at Randwick, but was a late scratching when he became upset in the barrier.

"It was no use trying to run him as he was a mess. We don't know what set him off," Vandyke said.

Alligator Blood will now make his next appearance in a class five event over 1400 metres at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday.

"He will face older horses, but it is a Plate race so he will get in OK at the weights," Vandyke said. "I have already booked Jake Bayliss for the ride."

The plan is for the unbeaten Alligator Blood to then travel to Melbourne for the G3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude and the G1 Caulfield Guineas.

Queensland initiatives

A new race will be introduced in Queensland this summer with a $250,000 feature race on the Gold Coast and an expanded Magic Millions programme.

To be run on January 4 as part of the Aquis Race Day, The Wave will be run at weight-for-age over 1800 metres for 3 and 4-year-olds. A wildcard to the $1 million Magic Millions Trophy will be offered to the winner and a $200,000 Magic Millions bonus if nominated to its Race Series.

In total, six Magic Millions wildcards will be offered throughout the carnival with one to the $1 million Magic Millions QTIS Open also available through the QTIS H. on December 28.

Meanwhile, the QTIS 2YO H. has been split into same sex divisions through the creation of the $125,000 Aquis Gold Nugget 2YO Colts and Geldings and the $125,000 Aquis Gold Pearl 2YO Fillies.

Further enhancements include three exclusive Magic Millions races, two of those new, totalling $750,000 in prize money. The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions race day has also been bolstered, including the introduction of the $250,000 Magic Millions Open H.

The Magic Millions Racing Women’s Bonus, which offers a $500,000 bonus on The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic, has been expanded to include a new $250,000 bonus on the $2 million Gold Coast Magic Millions 3YO Guineas. The $1 million Magic Millions Trophy also increases in distance from 2200 to 2400 metres.