Head to head again

Top fillies Funstar (Adelaide {Ire}) and Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) will renew their rivalry in Saturday’s G1 Vinery Stud S.

Both step into unchartered waters with their first appearances at 2000 metres.

Trainer Chris Waller believes Funstar is well-credentialled to get the distance and bookmakers have installed his charge as the early favourite.

"She's by Adelaide, a Cox Plate winner. She is a sister to Youngstar who won an Oaks so she should improve over 2000 on her breeding," Waller said.

"Probabeel is a very talented horse. It's great for racing and we will have to be on top of our game again and we certainly will be.”

Time on side

Vow And Declare (Declaration Of War {USA}) is due to make his next appearance in the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. during The Championships at Randwick.

With an uncertain future for racing ahead, trainer Danny O’Brien at least has his end goal for the reigning G1 Melbourne Cup winner a long way ahead.

“All we can do is feed them and exercise at the moment and we’ll see what happens,” he told Racenet.

“All we can do is react to things if they change. There’s no point getting too dramatic about it. His ultimate aim is the Melbourne Cup and that’s a fair way away.”

Pike team to transfer

Cambridge trainer Tony Pike has made the call to bring home his Sydney-based staff of Mark Hills and Chris McNab.

Pike was campaigning The Bostonian (NZ) (Jimmy Choux {NZ}), Sherwood Forest (Fastnet Rock), and Not An Option (Not A Single Doubt) across the Tasman and had already recorded elite-level success.

The Bostonian added another Group 1 to his resume when victorious in the Canterbury S. earlier this month before finishing runner-up in the G1 George Ryder S. last weekend.

“Both of the staff came back on a commercial flight this (Tuesday) afternoon,” Pike said.

All three horses will be transferred to the care of local trainers, with The Bostonian being aimed towards the G1 All-Aged S., while Sherwood Forest and Not An Option will contest the G1 Australian Derby and G3 Schweppervescence respectively.

Plans unsure

Multiple Group 1 winner Gailo Chop (Fr) (Deportivo {GB}) is close to resuming, although trainer Matthew Williams has yet to decide where.

Gailo Chop is nominated for the Listed Golden Mile at Bendigo on Saturday and the G3 Doncaster Prelude at Rosehill and Williams said the 9-year-old is likely to be an acceptor for both races as long as the border is not closed.

"He will definitely run at the weekend, just where I don't know," he said. "I see there is a bit of rain forecast in Sydney so there is some chance he may go that way.

"If he did happen to go he could then stay with Matthew Smith at Warwick Farm who has a few OTI horses and he would then run in the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick."

Williams said staying home may yet be forced on him and the G3 Easter Cup at Caulfield on April 11 could become a target.

Focus on Oaks

Saturday’s G1 Vinery Stud S. will serve as a stepping stone to the main target for Aspect Ratio (Declaration Of War {USA}), the G1 Australian Oaks.

Trainer John Sargent is expecting her to upset the favourites Funstar (Adelaide {Ire}) and Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) and believes his filly will come into her own over the Oaks trip.

"Tim Clark galloped her this (Tuesday) morning and was happy with her so she'll go that way and run in the Vinery," Sargent said. "It sets her up for the Oaks and that's her main ambition for this preparation.

"She's by Declaration Of War, the same sire as the Melbourne Cup winner (Vow and Declare) and once she gets over 2400 metres she'll be in her element.

"As long as she's running home on Saturday I'll be very happy and then we'll look at going from there. I don't think she would beat those other two over 2000 metres, but it's a different story over that extra 400 metres."

Byrne sidelined

Leading Brisbane jockey Jim Byrne has aggravated a leg injury and will not be able to ride for a number of weeks.

Byrne broke his left leg just below the knee in a fall after the finishing line at Doomben on December 18.

He had a pin inserted in the leg and after intensive rehabilitation was able to resume riding last week, but his leg swelled up badly on Sunday morning, the day after he rode at Eagle Farm.

Byrne visited his doctor on Monday and was told there were problems with the screw in the leg which might require more surgery.

"It is obviously a great pity. I have been swimming two kilometres a day and I rode trackwork for three weeks before resuming race riding," Byrne said.

Allpress extends lead

Lisa Allpress extended her lead in the New Zealand Jockeys’ Premiership at Tauherenikau ahead of the coronavirus-enforced break when she rode a double, which included a victory aboard Italian Lover (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) in the Masterton Cup (2200 metres).

The victory put her six wins ahead of the country’s leading apprentice Kozzi Asano, with a further three wins back to northern hoop Samantha Collett.

Allpress started the day on a high, winning the opening race on the card with the Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard-trained Grand Mayson (NZ) (Power).

“I am happy with the way I have been riding, I have felt really relaxed out there as I am really enjoying what I have been doing,” she said.

“The premiership, if that happens this year that would be fantastic, but I think we have got a lot more things to worry about than winning premierships.”