Hiccup for Rothfire

Top Queensland 3-year-old Rothfire (Rothesay) has suffered a minor setback with trainer Rob Heathcote optimistic it won’t impact an upcoming Sydney campaign.

He was found to be lame after becoming cast in his box on Monday night, which forced the G1 JJ Atkins S. winner to miss a planned jump-out.

“He gave himself a whack so we elected not to jump him out. It’s a worry, but the vet said he’ll be fine in a few days,” Heathcote said. “The timing is deplorable, but that’s racing, all the highs and lows.”

Watch: Rothfire trial on August 11

Rothfire strolled home by 2.5l to win a trial at Doomben earlier this month and Heathcote is hopeful the gelding can be back in action this weekend.

“I wanted him to have a solid hitout, but time is still on my side to resolve the issue,” he said. “He can gallop between races at Eagle Farm on Saturday, if not then the following Wednesday.”

Group 1 path

Star filly Away Game (Snitzel) will target Group 1 sprints this spring, with her first-up target as a 3-year-old the G1 Moir S. at The Valley on September 25.

"Obviously the Coolmore is there for the 3-year-olds only, but we think The Valley will really suit her,” co-trainer David Eustace told Racing.com.

Away Game jumped out at Caulfield on Tuesday and Eustace said he was pleased with her efforts.

"She wouldn't have looked overly impressive to the eye. She jumped well as she does, she trialled with earmuffs on and was given a quiet time out the back.

"As everyone knows, she's not very big so I don't think the gallop watchers would have necessarily put an asterisk next to her name. She is fine, she is moving well, she looks good and she's still a bit away.”

Stable switch

G1 Golden Rose S. placegetter Graff (Star Witness) has joined the stables of Danny O’Brien as connections seek to rejuvenate the 5-year-old entire.

Formerly trained by Kris Lees, Graff hasn’t won since taking out the G3 San Domenico S. in 2018 and was last seen finishing 10th in the G1 Stradbroke H. at Doomben in June.

"He has been with us for a few weeks, it's early days for him," O’Brien told Racing.com.

"We have just got him down on the beach at the moment and we will see where he gets to when we do a bit more with him.

"He's obviously a horse that's had his share of talent. Potentially at this stage of his career he's looking for a bit more of a change.”

Magics joins MRC

Magic Millions has paired with the Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) this spring as naming rights sponsor for two key races at Caulfield.

Magic Millions will take the reins of the G1 Magic Millions Memsie S. this Saturday and the Magic Millions Debutant S., on October 10.

The partnership with the Melbourne Racing Club will be Magic Millions’ first with a metropolitan race club in Victoria and continues the success story with Caulfield and elite 2-year-olds, with the 2020 Blue Diamond S. winner Tagaloa (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) purchased from the Gold Coast Yearling Sale and Away Game (Snitzel) the winner of the 2020 The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic.

Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch acknowledged how significant it is to contribute to the industry and participants this spring.

"We support the Melbourne Racing Club and all Victorian racing industry participants during this unprecedented time,” he said. “The Victorian Spring Carnival is so important to all within our racing family and it’s a privilege to be part of it in 2020."

Maiden breakthrough

Emerald Crown (Needs Further), the sister to G1 Australian Guineas winner Mystic Journey, broke through for her first win at Ballarat on Tuesday, scoring a 1400 metre maiden by 1.8l at her fifth start.

Trainer Nigel Blackiston said he will take it one run at a time with the 4-year-old but was pleased with her run.

“She is a nice mare in the making, very well bred, related to a champion, so hopefully we can move onto better things later down the track,” he told Racing.com.

“Eventually we will look for a black type race, but I think it’s just baby steps at this stage.”

Emerald Crown was purchased for $55,000 by Ross Wilkinson at the Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale.

Guineas goal

Te Awamutu trainer Clint Isdale has stakes goals in mind for smart 3-year-old Only Words (NZ) (Sweynesse) with the G1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas at Riccarton the long-term target.

Isdale has long had a good opinion of the filly, who raced in strong company as a 2-year-old but has improved physically and mentally into the new season.

The Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas on Saturday week is a likely starting point for Only Words, who covered plenty of ground when winning over 1100 metres at Taupo last time out.

“From day one she’s always shown ability,” Isdale said. “There’s been interest in her from Australia, but at this stage she’ll more than likely head to the Wanganui Guineas.”

Interest in trial winner

There will be plenty of interest in the opening race at Rotorua on Wednesday where multiple trial winner Babylon Berlin (All Too Hard) is set to make her race day debut.

The Ben Foote-trained filly has won three of her four trials and meets a competitive field in the MacMillan Accountants 3YO.

“I was going to run Babylon Berlin at Taupo last week, but she drew wide, so I elected to trial her instead,” Foote said.

The Cambridge horseman is keen to get the daughter of All Too Hard to the G3 Hawke's Bay Breeders Gold Trail S. on September 19 and is therefore likely to start the filly on Wednesday despite the projected heavy 11 track.

Solid clearance

The concept of a horses-in-training sale in August had already been welcomed and the initial response to the new three-day Tattersalls fixture seemed solid enough on Monday as, once again, a decent clearance rate of 84 per cent was the most promising statistic of the day.

With 200 horses put through the ring, 167 found new homes, bringing a first-day aggregate of 1,871,800 gns (AU$3,575,138). This is not the level of trade once normally associates with the higher-profile Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale, but it served a purpose and once again fed a consistently voracious international appetite for bloodstock from this part of the world.

The day's average was 11,208 gns (AU$21,407) and median 6000 gns (AU$11,460). Even with restrictions in place, an array of buyers was able to assemble at Park Paddocks .

Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa of Al Adiyat Racing is now the proud new owner of The Queen's homebred Cloud Drift (GB) (Toronado {Ire}), the top lot to change hands at 75,000 gns (AU$143,250).