Coolmore buys into top colt

Coolmore has bought into the champion 3-year-old in waiting Maximum Security (USA) (New Year’s Day {USA}).

“I can confirm that Coolmore has purchased a half-interest in both the racing and breeding rights of Maximum Security. There will be no other announcements until Maximum Security is retired,” owner Gary West confirmed in a text to TDN America.

According to the Daily Racing Form, Maximum Security will race until the end of his 4-year-old year, and then be retired to Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in Versailles, Kentucky.

The Jason Servis-trained colt has won seven of his nine starts to date, and was disqualified from first to 17th in the GI Kentucky Derby in May. He won the GI Cigar Mile H. last time out and is being aimed at the US$20 million ($AU28,567,000) Saudi Cup.

Last chance

Verbal Assault (Deep Field) will get one chance to qualify for the $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic on Saturday and trainer Matthew Dunn is confident he is up to it.

The colt is one of 10 runners in the Gold Nugget in which he will start from a wide barrier.

Dunn has taken his time with Verbal Assault, who was never extended to win his only start over 1000 metres at Murwillumbah by 5l.

"He is a nice colt and he is starting to learn what it is all about. Verbal Assault has got better with time and he did trial well leading into his first race," he said.

Impressive trials

Stablemates Spaceboy (Deep Field) and Time to Reign (Time For War) have confirmed interstate assignments with smart barrier trial wins at Warwick Farm.

Spaceboy won his 1200 metre heat on Thursday by 12l to set up a tilt at the $250,000 Magic Millions Maiden at the Gold Coast on January 11 and Time To Reign won his 804 metre heat by 9.5l and heads to a Listed race at Flemington.

"The last time I got excited by Time To Reign winning a trial he spiked a temperature of 40 the next morning and then missed the spring," trainer Gary Portelli said.

"The plan is to run him in a 1000 metre straight race at Flemington on the January 18 with Damien Oliver to ride and then we will look at things after that. He and Spaceboy went well, but I'm not sure how good the horses behind them were.”

Bell delighted

Cambridge trainer John Bell has indicated stable star Julius (NZ) (Swiss Ace) has pulled up well from his exertions in winning the G1 Sistema Railway at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day and will now be set for a second Group 1 title.

Twenty-four hours on from the win, Bell is closely monitoring his stable star who he will now set for the G1 JR & N Berkett Telegraph at Trentham on January 18.

“He is a very happy horse and appears to have pulled up well,” Bell said. “We will be keeping a close eye on him but it will be business as usual as we build up to Trentham.

“He will do plenty of work in the pool, on the walker and the track where required.”

Import to debut

Lightly-raced import Just Benjamin (GB) (Epaulette) will make his Australian debut at Caulfield for the Anthony Freedman stable.

The winner of two of his five starts when trained in England by William Haggas, Just Benjamin is entered for Saturday's Troy Janssens H.

He last raced when second over 2412 metre event for 3-year-olds at Goodwood in June last year having won at Brighton over 2000 metres and at Musselburgh over 2509 metres in his previous two starts.

“Justin Bahen purchased him from England and he's got good form on firm tracks at a mile and a-quarter," assistant trainer Sam Freedman said.

"A mile and a-quarter and a mile and a-half are probably his more preferred trips, but he had a good jump-out at Flemington on Friday. He will run well, but he's probably like a lot of those imports, you give them a prep and then the next prep they will be a lot better.”

Back in style

On the Rocks (NZ) (Alamosa {NZ}) is on the road to defending his G1 Herbie Dyke S. title after a comprehensive fresh-up performance in the New World Summer Cup at Tauranga.

Off the scene and gelded since contesting the G1 Doomben Cup and G2 O’Shea S. in Brisbane during a disappointing Queensland winter campaign, On the Rocks resumed off the back of an exhibition gallop with stablemate Harlech (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) at Matamata a fortnight ago.

“He is class. I probably ended up getting there too soon on him, but under 61.5kg it was a good effort. He’s a really nice horse and I think he’s up to the goals they have for him.

“I’ve had a bit to do with him, riding his work and got to know him and he rates himself. He knows he’s a good horse and when he gets to the mile at Trentham, against good horses and off a good tempo, he should unleash really well.”

Mixed bag

English jockey Jason Watson has had a mixed start to his summer in Victoria, posting a winner at his first ride at Mornington and incurring two careless riding suspensions in the process.

A Group 1 winning rider who was champion British apprentice in 2018, Watson is on a short-term stint with G1 Melbourne Cup winning trainer Danny O'Brien and had two rides for the stable at Mornington on Wednesday.

Watson guided the O'Brien-trained Button Express (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) to a 3.5l win, but stewards later hit him with two careless riding charges for inwards shifts early in the race.

His eight and 10-meeting penalties will be served concurrently and he will be free to return for the Flemington meeting on Saturday week. Stewards took into account Watson's guilty pleas, international record and that it was his first ride in Australia.

Not Ideal impresses

The Tony Pike-trained Not Ideal (Nicconi) showed he has a promising future after maintaining his winning ways at Tauranga.

The 3-year-old, who made a successful debut over 1400 metres at Hastings last month, accounted for the older horses in a Rating 65 event over 1600 metres.

Pike stable representative Dean Williams was pleased with the effort but believes the gelding still has a lot to learn.

“It pretty much worked out how we thought, but he’s still a bit green,” he said. “He was good through the line and it was good to get the job done.”

Meetings disrupted

Race meetings on the New South Wales South Coast and in the Riverina region have been called off because of bush fires and smoke haze while others in the state are under threat from extreme heat.

The scheduled fixture at the Sapphire Coast on Thursday was abandoned and Monday’s Moruya meeting is off while Tumut on Saturday has been rescheduled for January 18.

Racing NSW will invoke a Level 2 Hot Weather Policy for Muswellbrook on Friday with the temperature forecast to reach 41 degrees. The same level will be in force at Albury on Friday with a forecast 40 degrees and concern over the poor air quality which will continue to be monitored.

Gilgandra in the central west is also in doubt and if the forecast for 43 degrees remains it will be called off. The Hot Weather Policy means horses need to be on course 90 minutes before they race to have time to cool down with pre-race parades shortened.

Lane after more gold

In-form jockey Damian Lane has four rides at the Gold Coast as he chases another major victory.

Lane will partner ride Conceited (Brazen Beau) for Godolphin in Saturday's $125,000 Gold Nugget (1100 metres) and will also partner Fun Fact (The Factor {USA}), Amorita (Foxwedge) and Royal Hale (Snitzel).

Conceited is trying to mirror the effort of his stablemate Exhilarates (Exceed And Excel) and win at the Gold Coast to earn a start in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic on January 11.

Conceited is 14th in the ballot order and should make the Classic field even if he does not win on Saturday.

New role for Queally

Tom Queally has teamed up with his trainer father, Declan, for a win over hurdles on Owenacurra Lass (Ire) (Gold Well {GB}) at Tramore.

Queally, who will forever be linked with superstar Frankel (GB), was having his third ride over fences since taking out a National Hunt licence.

With rides thin on the ground on the Flat through the winter, Queally returned home to Ireland and rewarded punters at 9-1.

"I did loads of this when I was younger," Queally said. “It's nice to get a winner here. We discussed it beforehand and felt it was best to angle out for the better ground. She's a lovely mare and tries hard."