Pharoah colt impresses

Coolmore shuttler American Pharoah (USA) had his first Southern Hemisphere trialler at Ruakaka on Tuesday and the 2-year-old colt recorded an impressive win.

The unnamed colt, who is trained by Tony Pike, settled second last in the 700 metre heat before getting clear in the straight and rocketing past his rivals and being eased down at the line.

Purchased by Pike for NZ$150,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, the 2-year-old colt is the first foal out of dual Group 1 placegetter Strada Cavallo (NZ) (Alamosa {NZ}).

Well bred winner

Token Spirit (Wandjina), the third foal to race out of G1 Queensland Oaks winner Miss Keepsake (NZ) (Keeper), got off the mark yesterday, winning a 2046 metre maiden at his second ever start at Benalla on Tuesday.

The 3-year-old colt raced greenly but did his best work late in the race to win by 1l.

Token Spirit was purchased by his trainer Robbie Griffiths and Peter Ford Thoroughbreds for $300,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

He is the second winner out of Miss Keepsake, who also produced the Group 3 performed Collectable (Sebring). He is also the first horse by Newgate resident Wandjina to win over 2000 metres or more.

Hanseatic back in action

Anthony and Sam Freedman’s talented juvenile Hanseatic (Street Boss {USA}) will return for his first run as a 3-year-old in Saturday’s G2 McEwen S. at The Valley with the G1 Moir S. over the same course his next likely target.

"Saturday looms as a genuinely run 1000 metre race with some real speed horses nominated," Sam Freedman told Racing.com.

"That will be good for him, he'll get into a good rhythm because they'll be running along and he's a very strong travelling horse.

"It doesn't pose much of an issue for us if it is a slowly run or fast-run race, he's got what we think is the best turn of foot in the race and hopefully he can show it on Saturday.

"He's had a nice grounding for his first-up run on Saturday, he's had nice jump-outs and we haven't pushed him around too much, he's a horse that does pretty well fresh.

"Craig Williams takes the ride, Jye McNeil was booked but he got suspended and Craig swooped and took the ride.

"It looks like it will be a smallish field and he'll come with a really big burst late, hopefully he can get the job done."

Bella on song

Will Clarken’s G1 Robert Sangster S. winner Bella Vella (Commands) will kick off her spring campaign in the G2 McEwen S. at The Valley and the trainer couldn’t be any happier with her condition.

"She galloped beautifully this morning and is in perfect order to run well first-up on Saturday," Clarken told Racing.com.

"Thursday night she will travel across and Jamie (Kah) is looking forward to reuniting with her on the weekend.”

Newitt locked in

Craig Newitt has been booked for the ride on progressive gelding Coming Around (Gingerbread Man) for Saturday’s G2 Feehan S. at The Valley on Saturday.

"I'm really thankful to be able to start the spring with some nice rides in some of the early features," Newitt told Racing.com.

"Coming Around is rock-hard fit compared to some of the others in the race so I'd expect him to be in the finish.”

Feehan on the cards

After being seated in the Listed Leon Macdonald S., Dalasan (Dalakhani {Ire}) could be set for the G2 Feehan S. on Saturday in order to land a ticket into the G1 Cox Plate.

The 4-year-old was originally set to head to the G1 Makybe Diva S. at Flemington for his next start.

"There are a number of factors behind a possible change of plans," co-trainer Leon Macdonald told Racing.com.

"The Feehan winner getting an automatic ticket into the Ladbrokes Cox Plate field is obviously the big carrot.

"Looking at the nominations for Saturday's race, you would imagine this is going to be a softer option than the Makybe Diva.

"Jamie Kah is on standby to ride him on Saturday if we decide to go down that path.

"Last weekend, whilst it was disappointing he ran third, he still ran okay and we felt he had legitimate excuses."

Grey to change stables

Popular Queensland galloper The Candy Man (Casino Prince) will have a change of stable for an upcoming Sydney campaign.

Due to the coronavirus travel restrictions, trainer Barry Baldwin will transfer the grey 7-year-old to the Randwick yard of Peter and Paul Snowden with the G1 Epsom H. his main target.

It will be The Candy Man’s second crack at the race having finished unplaced behind Kolding (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) last year and he was also out of the money in the G3 Cameron H. at Newcastle in a lead-up outing.

The Candy Man was a trial winner at Deagon earlier this month before he posted the 11th win of his 23-start career at Eagle Farm last weekend. He carried 61kg and gave 7kg to runner-up Skate To Paris (Bradbury’s Luck).

Cherry to return

Undefeated 3-year-old Cherry Tortoni (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) will kick off his spring preparation in the Exford Plate at Flemington next Saturday and trainer Patrick Payne will decide where to send the gelding from there.

The son of Night Of Thunder (Ire) won a jump-out at Kerang on Monday with Payne in the saddle and he said he was pleased with his performance.

"He quickened up really well and stargazed when he got to the front like he normally does so I'd say he was pretty much in range," Payne told Racing.com of the jump-out.

"That was his second trial - he had one at Tatura about 14 days ago - so he's ready now and we're planning on running him in the Exford Plate over 1400 metres.

"It'll be the easy option or the hard option after that, we'll work it out from there.

"I've always been inclined to aim a little lower and take the easier option but we'll see if he puts his hand up.”

Eye-catching Australian debut

My Gold Bracelet (NZ) (Pins) made a good start to her Australian career when finishing a close-up third at Caulfield.

Originally trained by Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard, she won the G2 Wellington Guineas in March and is now in the care of Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr.

“She went super on Saturday,” Price said. “She’s a mile horse and I think a race like the G2 Stocks S. on September 25 at Moonee Valley would be a suitable race for her.

“She went really well. A softer track would be a benefit for her and I can’t wait to see her over a mile.”

The G2 Let's Elope S. at Flemington on September 12 is a likely stepping stone for the mare, who is part-owned by New Zealander Jen Campin, who sold equity in the filly to Australian syndicator Roll The Dice Racing.

Messara’s Cup hope

Group 3-winning French stayer Skyward (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) is set to continue his racing career in down under with John Messara, who owns the majority share in the 4-year-old, confirming he is booked on a one-way ticket to Australia.

The entire will join the stables of Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young and be targeted towards the G1 Melbourne Cup.

"We have booked him on the plane to Australia," Messara told Racing.com. "Trent has been training one or two for us at the moment and he approached us early in the piece about training him.

"He's trained an Auckland Cup winner, he's had Derby winners and I think he's one of the up-and-coming trainers emerging and working alongside his partner Natalie (Young), I think they do a pretty good job.”

Thornton sidelined

Damien Thornton will be sidelined for the first month of the spring after being injured at Pakenham on Monday.

While aboard Surangani (Ready For Victory) in the third race, Thornton was checked and his foot was caught between horses, twisted and crushed, resulting in a fracture.

"There's a crack in the cuboid bone but it's not displaced so hopefully it doesn't take too long to heal," Thornton told Racing.com.

"I'm in plaster for now and then I'll be in a moon boot.”

Hastings return

The opening two races of Jennifer Eccles’ (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) spring campaign have been locked in.

The Shaune Ritchie-trained mare will resume in the G1 Tarzino Trophy on September 19 at Hastings and return there a fortnight later for the G1 Windsor Park Plate.

Jennifer Eccles hasn’t raced since she won the G1 New Zealand Oaks and took another step toward returning to action on Tuesday when she won her open 1200 metre trial at Ruakaka.

Watch: Jennifer Eccles (NZ) trial (skip to 3.10min)

Another eye-catching winner at the trials was a 2-year-old American Pharoah (USA) colt trained by Tony Pike, who coasted to victory in his 700 metre heat.

Offered by Curraghmore for breeder Nearco Stud, he was a NZ$150,000 Karaka buy and is the first foal of the stakes winner Strada Cavallo (NZ) (Alamosa {NZ}), who was twice Group 1-placed.

Hong Kong lucrative

Hong Kong racing is the lifeblood for many New Zealand trainers and Cambridge horsewoman Catherine Cameron is no exception.

A large part of her business is educating and pre-training horses for the lucrative racing jurisdiction, primarily for bloodstock agent Willie Leung and his clients.

While it’s usually one way traffic to Hong Kong for her stable members, Cameron’s strong link with Leung resulted in a former Hong Kong runner joining her barn last year.

“My main client is Willie Leung and I normally have about half a dozen of his in the stable and a lot of those are just passing through,” Cameron said. “But because of that sometimes you get a nice one like Cheval Prometteur come back. Willie organised for him to come to me.”

Cheval Prometteur (GB) (Declaration Of War {USA}) won over 2000 metres in England before he was sold to Hong Kong and subsequently was sent to Cameron to try in New Zealand due to a knee issue.

The 6-year-old gelding has done nothing but impress Cameron since he joined her racing team in May. He has had three starts for two wins and a second, including an impressive 5.25l victory over a mile at Tauranga last time out.

Pair won’t clash

Juddmonte’s champion Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and Classic hero Logician (GB) (Frankel {GB}) will not run against each other, despite both being entered in the G3 September S. at Kempton, Prince Khalid’s Racing Manager Teddy Grimthorpe confirmed.

“They won’t run against each other,” Grimthorpe said. “Enable is very much an intended runner at this stage. We entered Logician just in case, as he is nearing a return and we’re considering a couple of different options.”

Enable’s long-term goal is a third win in the G1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and the undefeated 2019 G1 St Leger victor Logician is returning after a prolonged period on the side-lines recovering from peritonitis.