Waller impressed

Perth mare Arcadia Queen (Pierro) will be one of the star attractions when she makes her Sydney debut at Rosehill in the G2 Theo Marks S.

The 4-year-old joined the Chris Waller stable to prepare for a tilt at the $14 million The Everest, gaining the slot held by The Star.

"Fortunately, I think she's still maturing and I've got her at the right time of her career," Waller said.

"What she's done prior to now has been very impressive and she was sent across to me in very good condition.

"Her whole preparation has been done in Sydney so we've had plenty of time to learn about her and, obviously it's not racing, but on her work and trials I couldn't have been more impressed."

Coolmore holding off

Coolmore isn’t any closer to confirming its slot representative for the $14 million TAB Everest, despite Irish sprinter Ten Sovereigns (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) entering quarantine to travel to Australia.

Coolmore's Australian principal Tom Magnier said the G1 July Cup winner remained in contention for the big sprint, but nothing had been set in stone.

One issue is Ten Sovereign's dislike for wet tracks with trainer Aidan O'Brien scratching the horse from last weekend's G1 Sprint Cup at Haydock due to the soft conditions.

Magnier said Coolmore is equally keen to test The Everest credentials of Yes Yes Yes (Rubick), the 3-year-old they bought into during the autumn, when he resumes in the G2 Run To The Rose at Rosehill on Saturday.

"Obviously, we've got Yes Yes Yes running in Sydney this weekend so we're going to watch and see what happens there," Magnier told Sky Sports Radio.

"But we had to make a decision on whether Ten Sovereigns went into quarantine, so we took the decision to put him in, but we're also going to see what happens with Yes Yes Yes.”

Dagny tops Sale

Multiple city winner Dagny (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) has topped the Inglis Digital September (Early) Online Auction, selling to Kitchwin Hills for $140,000.

The 7-year-old was purchased by the Hunter Valley operation as a breeding prospect and will be retired immediately, according to Kitchwin’s Mick Malone.

“I actually sourced her as a yearling for Carl Holt who raced her, but I loved her so much I have now purchased her on behalf of a client as a broodmare,” he said.

“I thought she was good value being a Group 3 placed 2-year-old and Darci Brahma is starting to do the job as a broodmare sire. We’ve got a few options of where we send her this season and we’ll make a decision in due course.”

Malone said the Inglis Digital platform made it easier for both buyers and vendors to make decisions about purchasing fillies and mares at the start of the breeding season.

The sale’s second-top lot was Mraki Miss (I Am Invincible), a half-sister to G1 stakes winner Samadoubt (Not A Single Doubt). She was offered by Darby Racing and purchased by Arrowfield Stud for $110,000 and will visit The Autumn Sun.

Options open

Last season’s champion New Zealand 2-year-old Yourdeel (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}) will make his Australian debut in the G2 Danehill S. with his spring target yet to be decided.

Co-trainer Tom Dabernig said the gelding was heading toward the G1 Caulfield Guineas, but if he doesn't shape as a miler then the G1 Coolmore Stud S. will come into play.

"We're trying to get him up to a mile, have him improve into the prep. He's wound up enough to run over 1200 metres first-up down the straight, but with improvement to come.

"He's never worked down the straight and I don't know if he'll be looking for a corner, but it's a logical race to start him off in it for some reason he doesn't shape as a miler we can freshen him for something over Cup week if we need to."

Break for apprentice

Leading Queensland apprentice Nick Keal will take a short break from riding and seek help to get his weight under control.

Keal has been in sparkling form and rode a double at Ipswich on Wednesday, which took him to equal second on the state jockeys' premiership with 16 winners. He is also fourth on the metropolitan jockeys premiership with eight winners.

He has been struggling to ride below 55.5kg and was fined $300 for being able to take only 1.5kg kilos of his 3kg claim in the first race at Ipswich.

"I will have a short break from riding when I hope to get my weight right," he said.

Headline Cup act

Global superstar Taylor Swift is heading to Australia to perform at the race that stops the nation.

The 10-time Grammy Award winner will sing two of her hits from the latest album Lover in the mounting yard at the Melbourne Cup day on November 5.

Victoria Racing Club CEO Neil Wilson said the club was thrilled to have Swift at Flemington ahead of the $8 million race.

"To think you can come to Flemington and watch not only the race that stops a nation, but see one of the world's biggest - if not the biggest - entertainers perform for the cost of a general admission ticket is phenomenal.”

Flemington first-up for Caliburn

Te Akau’s newly acquired European stayer Caliburn (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) hasn’t put a foot wrong since arriving in Australia, according to trainer Jamie Richards.

Caliburn has been based at Flemington since mid-August and will run in Saturday’s Very Special Kids Pin & Win Plate.

“He’s a lovely horse and a really nice horse to have around,” Richards said. “He hasn’t done anything wrong since arriving. He’s worked up nicely and I was really pleased with his jump-out there last Friday at Flemington.

“We gave him some work before the jump-out, he went a nice half-mile and certainly ran through the line very well. He’s a couple of months between runs, but we’ve done as much as we can with him and he’ll present in good order. Whatever he does on Saturday he will improve on.”

Richardson happy

Group 1 winner Volpe Veloce (Foxwedge) will have the opportunity to continue an impressive streak when she lines-up in the G2 Theo Marks S. at Rosehill on Saturday.

“She has won a stakes race at the age of two, three, four, and five, I hope she can do it at six as well,” Richardson said.

“She is going well. I sent her over a little bit early just to get her acclimatised to the Sydney weather,” he said.

“She is turning in her coat, but she will definitely improve in her coat once she has had this run.

“She is pretty forward, she had that trial in New Zealand, she worked up well on Saturday and on Tuesday morning and just did pace work on Thursday morning.”

First black type strike

Taranaki couple Philly and Paddy Mullin consider themselves new to the breeding game and are absolutely delighted to have bred their first stakes winner Cooga Doon (NZ) (Makfi {GB}).

He was an impressive winner in the recent Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas, beating his nearest rival Sai Fah (NZ) (Rios) by 9l.

“He’s a beauty isn’t he? To be honest he looks like he has got bigger things to come,” Paddy Mullin said.

Cooga Doon was purchased privately by Gavin O’Dea, after he failed to reach his reserve at the 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock Sale and he placed him in the care of Fraser Auret. He is the second foal from Monachee (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), who the Mullins purchased as a yearling.

“I bought the mare as a yearling at Karaka in 2008,” Mullin said. “I liked the look of her, and I got Allan Sharrock to look at her as well and he bought her for me for NZ$135,000 from Little Avondale Stud.

“She was placed in her first two starts and won at her third. She ran out of luck, so I sent her to Karen Parsons in the South Island where she went on to win seven races, including the Listed Dunedin God Cup.”