Hayes to take charge

Star Hong Kong galloper Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road To Rock) will do his future racing for incoming trainer David Hayes.

Beauty Generation's owner Patrick Kwok Ho-chuen told the South China Morning Post that the dual Hong Kong Horse of the Year will remain in Asia, despite current trainer John Moore wanting to take the multiple Group 1 winner with him to Australia.

Hayes is expected to take over the training of several horses in Moore's care after he retires from the Hong Kong scene at the end of this season in July and relocates to Rosehill.

Bolt D’Oro not coming

Bolt D’Oro (USA) will not return for a second tour of duty at Spendthrift Australia this year. He covered 107 mares in his first Victorian season.

“We are disappointed to announce that Bolt D’Oro will not shuttle to Australia 2020 due to him not handling the shuttle process last season. Our decision has been made with the welfare of the horse in mind,” General Manager, Garry Cuddy tweeted.

A son of Medaglia D’Oro (USA), Bolt D’Oro won four of his eight starts and as a 2-year-old was successful in the G1 Del Mar Futurity S. and the G1 Santa Anita Frontrunner S. and finished third in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. The following season he won the G2 San Felipe S. and was runner-up behind subsequent Triple Crown winner Justify (USA) in the G1 Santa Anita Derby.

Bolt d'Oro covered 214 mares in 2019 at his Kentucky base, one of the highest numbers of any stallion in North America.

Eric sold to HK

Group 1 performer Eric The Eel (Olympic Glory {Ire}) will do his future racing in Hong Kong after being sold to clients of trainer Danny Shum.

Eric The Eel won four races from Stuart Kendrick’s Sunshine Coast stable and finished third in last month’s G1 Australian Derby.

"We were going to call him Usain Bolt after the champion sprinter, but that was taken so we named him Eric The Eel after Equatorial Guinea swimmer Eric Moussambani Malonga.

"He competed at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and was rated one of the slowest swimmers of all time. Luckily, our Eric went a bit better."

Derby tilt

Trelawney Stud’s Brent and Cherry Taylor will be glued to their television screen on Saturday when Zayydani (NZ) (Savabeel) runs in the G1 South Australian Derby at Morphettville.

The Cambridge couple bred the filly and entrusted her to the care of the Lindsay Park training trio of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig.

She tackled stakes level for the first time at Morphettville last weekend where she finished seventh behind in the G1 Australasian Oaks.

“She gets back and relaxes nicely, which is a good attribute for a stayer,” he said. “We were slightly held up turning in (in the Oaks) and Paul Gatt, who rode her last week definitely thought she should have run a place.

“She was doing her best work late and wasn’t beaten far. It does look a competitive Derby though, probably a bit harder than last year’s and I am sure it is not going to be a walk in the park.”

Kementari pleases

Kementari (Lonhro) has the G1 Stradbroke H. on his program and there are high hopes he can boost his chances with victory in Saturday’s G3 TAB BRC Sprint.

He has placed in each of his last two appearances and Godolphin head trainer is more than happy with the gelding.

"Two bold thirds since resuming from a 12-month break should have him close to peak fitness," Cummings said.

"We were delighted with the way he shouldered into clear running in the Hall Mark and charged to the line."

2020 fees unchanged

The Oaks Stud’s Darci Brahma (NZ), sire of this season’s G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner Catalyst (NZ), will stand at the unchanged fee of NZ$15,000 + GST in 2020.

Service fees for his associate stallions at the Cambridge farm Niagara and Roc De Cambes (NZ) also remain unaltered at NZ$5000 + GST.

Niagara’s flagship representatives to date have been the G2 Waikato Guineas winner Xbox (NZ), now racing in Hong Kong as Precious Express and the G1 New Zealand Oaks runner-up Beyond The Fort (NZ).

Roc De Cambe's leading performers are the G1 Toorak H. winner He’s Rokkii (NZ) and the G1 New Zealand Derby winner Vin De Dance (NZ) while a daughter Seven Seas (NZ) won this season’s Listed Taranaki Oaks Prelude.

Track a worry

Trainer Chris Anderson has a quality hand in the Listed Sky Racing Doomben Guineas with last-start Sunshine Coast winners Profit (Dundeel {NZ}) and Ballistic Boy (Smart Missile), but he does have concerns about them on the tighter Doomben circuit.

"You saw at the Sunshine Coast that they are both big track horses," he said. "They like to have those long stretches to reel in the opposition. Profit's four wins have been at the Sunshine Coast and Eagle Farm and he was able to get into his rhythm.

"Profit has never missed a place on a big track, but he has been placed at Doomben and the tempo on Saturday will tell the tale with him."

Anderson said while Ballistic Boy won his first start at Doomben as a 2-year-old, he had also shown a liking for big tracks. "His best runs have been at Eagle Farm and I think the Guineas would have been perfect for him.”

Change of plan

Sweet Thomas (Ger) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) has done so well since finishing fourth in the G1 Sydney Cup that trainer Matthew Smith has changed tack with the stayer.

He was originally to be freshened for the Listed Lord Mayor's Cup at the end of this month, but will instead run first in Saturday’s Listed Luux Properties Gosford Gold Cup.

"I wasn't really intending to run him to be honest, but he was feeling so well I thought we'd throw him in," Smith said.

"His runs weren't bad during that last prep. We know he stays. This might be a bit sharp for him but it might not. We will see what happens."

Classic targets

Annavisto (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) is being set on a Classic campaign in Australia after recently being purchased out of Tony Pike’s Cambridge barn by prominent owner Bill Frost.

The juvenile was victorious in her only trial in New Zealand, winning her 800 metre heat at Te Teko in February and will now head to Melbourne to join Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr’s barn.

Annavisto was bred by Greg Tomlinson under his Nearco Stud banner and he will remain in the ownership alongside Frost, and a few AFL footballers.

“Greg Tomlinson, who is a fantastic breeder, is staying in and also in the ownership are the Essendon boys – Jobe Watson, Cale Hooker, Tom Bellchambers. Bill’s taken a major share and she will race in his colours,” Kent Jnr said. “She flies in on Monday for a Guineas-Oaks prep and she looks most promising.”

Wohler strikes

The Andreas Wohler-trained Majestic Colt (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}) has landed the first Listed race of the European season at Hanover, which signalled the return of German racing.

Action had been on hold in the country since March because of the coronavirus pandemic, but under blue skies and glorious sunshine, racing resumed with a 12-race card featuring three Listed events.

Majestic Colt came with a storming finish to claim the Grosser Hannoverscher Sprint Preis in the hands of Bauyrzhan Murzabayev to prevail by a neck in the colours of well-known owner Jaber Abdullah.

The meeting was staged behind closed doors, as will be the case for all fixtures in the immediate future, with participants required to adhere to strict hygiene policies and social distancing.