New experience

Matthew Williams will venture to Perth for the first time ahead of Gailo Chop (Fr) (Deportivo {GB}) running in Saturday’s G1 Kingston Town S.

It has been more than two weeks since the Warrnambool-based trainer saw the 9-year-old.

Gailo Chop has been in the care of Williams' employee Sarah Woodhouse and stabled at fellow Warrnambool trainer Lindsey Smith's Perth base.

"It would be nice to get away with one horse, but when you're working 60 horses, it's a bit hard," Williams said.

"Sarah's been away for over two weeks now and she'd be having a ball over at Lindsey's place."

Silvera laid low

Tony Gollan will have to rely on Coldstone (Fr) (Gold Away {Ire}) in the Listed Brisbane H. after the withdrawal of Silvera (High Chaparral {Ire}) due to an eye injury.

The trainer had been considering the Brisbane H. or the G2 Villiers S. in Sydney on December 14 for Silvera.

"He must have got hit by a flying clod and he is still at the vet," Gollan said.

"It is unfortunate, but it has basically put him out for the summer. The horse was flying and I was really looking forward to the next few weeks with him."

Form no secret

Secret Blaze (Sizzling) will be on a quick back-up in Saturday's Listed Pakenham Cup.

The 4-year-old won at The Valley last weekend and after watching him at Flemington on Wednesday, co-trainer Tony McEvoy had no hesitation about tackling the race.

"Before we accepted I just wanted to make sure everything was in order before we gave him a shot at it, and I couldn't fault him," Tony McEvoy said. "He was magnificent, so bright and bubbly, so he'll be there.

"He's eaten well and the people that ride him say he's exactly the same as before last week so there was no reason not to run."

Villiers plan scrapped

House Of Cartier (NZ) (Alamosa {NZ}) is out of the running for the G2 Villiers S. at Randwick on Saturday week.

Trainer John Sargent had tagged the feature for the mare, but has scrapped plans in the wake of her failure in the Listed ATC Cup last time out.

"We did all the tests. We scoped her, we took bloods, we trotted her up and couldn't find anything. We're bamboozled," Sargent said.

"We won't go to the Villiers now. We just need to get her back on track because that was well below her form."

Headgear key

Way Beyond (Spill The Beans) will race in blinkers for the first time when he attempts to qualify for the$2 million The Star Magic Millions Classic at Doomben.

Way Beyond sits 23rd on the order of entry for the Classic at the Gold Coast on January 11 and success in Saturday's QTIS 2-Year-Old H. at Doomben should put him in the Classic field.

Trainer Stuart Kendrick hopes the addition of blinkers will help Way Beyond, who has placed in both of his starts, settle closer to the pace.

"To put it simply, he got run off his feet both times he has raced and both times he made up plenty of ground," Kendrick said.

"We have been waiting to get him out to 1200 metres before putting blinkers on him. He has worked in them and I liked the way he went."

Teetan tops

Sydney-based jockey James McDonald has finished out of the placings in the International Jockeys’ Championship with Karis Teetan, representing Hong Kong, claiming top honours.

The series was held over four races on Wednesday's Happy Valley card as part of the build-up to Sunday's Hong Kong International day.

"I still can't believe I've won this challenge," Teetan said. "I knew I had some decent rides, but you still need the horses to perform. I was telling my fiancee (Xaviere Cottereau) that I was really feeling the pressure.

"It's just not a normal day up against the world's best jockeys. I really wanted to do well and I'm glad everything went well."

Non-sale celebrated

A colt who failed to meet his reserve at Karaka in 2018 is rewarding his breeders Jomara Bloodstock.

Scorpz (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) is the latest stakes winner bred by the family operation after claiming the G3 Wellington S.

“He was a cracking foal, and a nice yearling, we were surprised that he didn’t sell,” said John Carter, who is part of Jomara Bloodstock with his brother Mark and sister Rachael.

“We are glad we didn’t sell him now, instead we kept 50 per cent and syndicated the rest among a good bunch of guys including Stephen Marsh and gave him to Stephen to train.

“Kit Brooks broke him in for us, he does all our breaking in, and he maintained that he was the best horse he had sat on in a good while. He was adamant he was going to be a good horse and I am happy he was right. The more racing he does the better he is getting, it’s all very exciting.”

Scorps holds a nomination for the G1 Levin Classic and the G1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby.

Tiley confident

Trainer Nigel Tiley is bullish about the chances of unbeaten 3-year-old Riodini (NZ) (Proisir) in Saturday’s G3 Mitchell Family Bonecrusher S. at Ellerslie, despite admitting the talented gelding had done a little too well after his last start Tauranga victory.

Riodini blitzed his rivals when winning by 4l three weeks ago to make it successive victories at Tauranga, backing up a late season 2-year-old success at Pukekohe.

“I am very happy with him. His work has been good. If anything, he probably got away on me a little bit after Tauranga,” Tiley said. “He did a little bit too well so I had to put an extra gallop into him last week.”

On target for Million

Cambridge trainer Tony Pike believes Not An Option (Not A Single Doubt) is his best chance of winning a Karaka Million.

Pike will produce the exciting colt in Saturday's G2 Platinum Homes Taranaki Wakefield Challenge S. at Trentham, the unbeaten colt’s next step toward a start in the $1 million Karaka Million at Ellerslie on January 25.

"In his first trial and in his maiden win, he did a lot wrong, but he trialled at Cambridge last week and he did it pretty professionally. He's grown up mentally in a short space of time," Pike said.

"This race fits in perfectly for him and I'd be disappointed if he wasn't right in the fight. Murray Baker's colt (Unition) looks promising on his win at Pukekohe the other day, but based on his work and his trial win, this horse should be right in the hunt."

Jockeys’ World Cup returns

Ellerslie Racecourse will play home to the third annual Barfoot & Thompson Jockeys’ World Cup (JWC), with the competition taking place at their December 12 meeting.

Four teams of three riders will be competing to accumulate points throughout the meeting, with the winning team and individual presented with an award and a cash prize. Points will be awarded to the first five horses to finish in each of the six races, while horses will be randomly allocated a jockey.

Teams - The Blues Men: Leith Innes, Craig Grylls, Ryan Elliot. The Mystics Women: Danielle Johnson, Lisa Allpress, Sam Spratt. Badminton NZ Young Guns (apprentices): Sam Weatherley, Taiki Yanagida, Kozzi Asano. The Breakers International: Ben Allen (VIC), Jordan Childs (VIC), James Winks (VIC).