Raceday call on Millennium meeting

A race morning inspection will determine if Saturday’s Inglis Millennium raceday will proceed at Warwick Farm.

Rain has lashed Sydney over the past 24 hours, placing the meeting in doubt, but stewards decided not to transfer it to Rosehill, which had been placed on standby ahead of the expected downpour.

The surface is rated a heavy (9) with rain expected to continue overnight and throughout Saturday. Stewards and ATC officials will conduct another inspection of the Warwick Farm track early on Saturday morning following a 5:30am track gallop.

Stewards ruled out pushing the meeting back to Sunday, with rain forecast to continue to fall over the weekend and the Inglis Classic Sale due to begin.

J-Mac to ride Catalyst

James McDonald has snared the ride on Catalyst (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) for the Group 1 winner's Australian debut.

Damian Lane was handed a 12-meeting careless riding ban from Bendigo on Wednesday and has opted not to contest it, meaning he will miss G1 Black Caviar Lightning day at Flemington, including the much anticipated G3 CS Hayes S., where he was set to ride Catalyst.

McDonald's booking is a one-off with Lane to again link up with Catalyst for the G1 Australian Guineas on February 29 and the All-Star Mile.

“It’s not bad when you can call on James McDonald as a replacement. Dick was very keen on him and had James said he could ride at all three starts, he would have been the rider from the beginning, because Dick has been friends with his grandfather for a long time," Rick Williams, general manager of Dick Karreman’s The Oaks Stud that bred and race Catalyst, said.

“They’re both world class riders so I am not concerned about the jockey arrangements.”

McDonald will be in Melbourne to ride Nature Strip (Nicconi) in the G1 Lightning S.

Rulership's Caulfield query

Co-trainer Paul Snowden has sounded a warning about the prospects of Rulership (I Am Invincible) in Saturday's Blue Diamond Prelude at Caulfield.

Snowden has a lot of faith in Rulership's ability, especially after his debut win at Randwick, but is concerned about how he will handle Caulfield for the first time.

“I always think an inexperienced horse travelling to Caulfield can be harder than getting around the Valley,” Snowden said on RSN. “It’s detrimental, it’s very serious to how he performs.

“Hopefully that (Melbourne) direction doesn’t hinder his performance and he can run really well.

“We have tried to replicate that direction as much as we could, three or four times he has been the Melbourne way since he raced.

“Now he has just got to get it done on the day.”

Sunlight to double up at Royal Ascot

Star sprinting mare Sunlight (Zoustar) will be aimed at two races at the Royal Ascot carnival.

Trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy plan to run the 4-year-old in the G1 King's Stand S, on the opening day of Royal Ascot and then in the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. four days later.

"It is very exciting. Everyone is looking for a horse that can take them overseas and we are very lucky that we could have two (Sunlight and Dubai-bound Hey Doc) potentially going over there with live chances," Calvin McEvoy told Racing.com

"It would be a great experience for not only us but, (jockey) Luke (Currie), the owners and the staff. It would be a great experience if it all comes off."

Sunlight will likely return in the G3 RN Irwin S. on April 11 at Morphettville and then go to the G1 Sangster S. before departing for England.

Benbatl thrives on dirt

G1 Caulfield S. winner and Cox Plate runner-up Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) trying dirt for the first time in the 1900-metre G2 Al Maktoum Challenge R2, answered that surface question emphatically, drawing off to win by 2l over Military Law (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) at Meydan on Thursday. 2018 GI Belmont S. runner-up Gronkowski (USA) (Lonhro) ran third, 6.75l behind after a wide trip.

“He was the best horse in the field by far,” said jockey Christophe Soumillon. “For sure, it was the first time on the dirt, but when the horses are really good, they can handle both surfaces. He has good gate speed, which is important for dirt racing. He was cruising the whole way.

"I was worried on the back straight, because he didn’t change legs properly—I had to force him twice to stay on his right leg. On the last turn, he stayed on his right leg for 200 metres, so I was little disappointed. Finally, he changed and when I came into the straight, I could feel straight away that he was able to run away and he did quite impressively.”

Added Saeed bin Suroor, who was winning his 12th Al Maktoum Challenge R2, “It’s good to see him really travel well and win that easily. To see the jockey, who rode Thunder Snow (Ire) (Helmet) to win the last two Dubai World Cups, ride him with confidence and in the last three furlongs he’s still on the bridle shows his class.

"We have always known he’s a special horse on the turf, but Sheikh Mohammed wanted to run him on the dirt to see how he would run and it was a good decision from the boss. He handled it well and Christophe kept him handy in the race, which was the plan for him. He won it well, thank God. It was a good decision.”

Colt for Sioux Nation

Group 1 winner Sioux Nation (USA) (Scat Daddy {USA}) has welcomed a colt out of Thiel (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}).

Bred and owned by B & B Equine Ltd., the dark bay was foaled at Northmore Stud in Newmarket. His second dam is G1 English 1000 Guineas third Vista Bella (GB) (Diktat {GB}).

“He’s an absolute smashing colt and resembles his sire a lot,” said Northmore’s Sue Elsdon. “If Sioux Nation continues to get foals like him, he’ll be very good sire.”

A winner of the G1 Phoenix S. and G2 Norfolk S., Sioux Nation stands at Coolmore’s Castlehyde Stud in Ireland this year and shuttled to Swettenham Stud last season. He was represented by a filly foal on January 4.

Prague destined for Skyline

Co-trainer Ciaron Maher has confirmed that high-profile colt Prague (Redoute's Choice) will contest the G3 Skyline S. on his way to the Golden Slipper.

Prague, who cost $1.6 million as a yearling, has won both of his starts, including last weekend's G3 Canonbury S. and Maher said all had progressed well with the colt.

“He’s an impressive horse with a huge pedigree," he told Racing NSW. “I was pretty confident with him, I thought he’d come on the right way. When he hit the front he had a good look around but Tom (Marquand) being quite a strong rider together with the shades it kept him focused."

Maher said a decision on whether Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Away Game (Snitzel) tackles the G1 Blue Diamond S. will be made early next week.

Logician returns to Gosden

Undefeated 2019 G1 St Leger hero Logician (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who races in the Juddmonte colours of Prince Khalid Abdullah, has returned to the John Gosden yard after being treated for peritonitis.

Also a winner of the G2 Great Voltigeur S. in August, the grey 4-year-old’s return to the races will be a bit delayed, but he is likely to appear by early summer.

“Logician was successfully treated for peritonitis which can be a serious condition,” said Prince Khalid Abdullah’s racing manager Lord Teddy Grimthorpe.

“I’m pleased to say he’s been cleared by the vets and is now back with John Gosden. There’s nothing to suggest that this is ongoing and basically you’re either clear of it or you’re not.

“There seemed to be no obvious reason for it and he seems fine now. Obviously, he’ll be a little behind schedule, but he was unraced as a 2-year-old and in normal circumstances I doubt John would’ve been in a great hurry with him anyway. We’ll play it by ear but going forward I don’t have anything but normal concerns about him. I suppose if he was ever going to get these things, winter is the ideal time.”

Enzo up for an upset

Michael and Matthew Pitman are dreaming of another Group 1 upset with Enzo's Lad (Testa Rossa).

The two-time winner of the G1 Telegraph at Trentham may be an outsider in the G1 BCD Group Sprint, but the father and son team think he can measure up to the class of the Jamie Richards-trained pair of Te Akau Shark (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) and Avantage (Fastnet Rock) .

“He seems to be right back to his best now. He’s thriving. After he came back from England, he kept his winter coat until well into the spring. But that’s turned now and we’re really happy with where he’s at," Matthew Pitman said.

“We’re going into the race with a bit of confidence. Obviously he’s up against an extremely strong field, and we’ve picked up the visitor’s draw, which is going to make it even harder. But as far as the horse is concerned, we’re very happy.”