Whip reform

Racing Victoria will look to gradually ban the use of the whip unless it’s being used as a safety measure.

RV will seek a vote at the November 2020 Racing Australia (RA) Board meeting to begin transitioning a significant reduction in the permitted use of the whip in a race. Ultimately, RV hopes the significant reduction will lead to the whip only being used to protect the safety of horses and jockeys.

“RV will propose that, from January 1, 2021, riders are only permitted to use the whip on a maximum number of occasions throughout the entire race and never in a horse’s consecutive strides,” a statement from RV said. “RV is proposing that the maximum number be between five and eight occasions per race.

“RV believes that the current national whip rules are no longer appropriate and not in the best interests of Victorian and Australian racing, both now and in the long-term.

“In calling for whip reform, RV articulated that jockeys should be permitted to continue to carry whips at all times, but that the industry should be working towards a framework where their use is only permitted in circumstances necessary to protect the safety of riders and horses.”

Camelot set for Makybe

Russian Camelot (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) will kick off his spring campaign in the G1 Makybe Diva S. at Flemington on Saturday and trainer Danny O’Brien believes he is ready to go.

“Fitness won’t be any problem - the horse is more than fit enough,” O’Brien told Racing.com. “It’s just a matter of whether he can win a Group 1 race at a mile I suppose.

“That’s what he’s got to get over. He was very good in Group 1 class last time (SA Derby) but his last run at a mile was in a BM64.

“It’s another thing entirely to win a mile weight-for-age race for him but he’s a very talented horse and we’re certainly not ruling it out.”

Fierce Impact on song

Fierce Impact (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) is already a Group 1 winner over the Flemington mile and trainer Matthew Smith believes he is in for another big spring after an impressive first-up third in the G1 Winx S.

"It was an excellent return to racing. It was good to see him come back in that manner as an older horse," Smith said.

"His work has been good since, but it has been all preparation. He's been really good this preparation.

"For a 7-year-old stallion he's going about everything really professionally."

Although Fierce Impact's best form is over 1600 metres, Smith believes he is looking for 2000 metres.

"He won the Summer Cup at Randwick in late 2018 over 2000 metres. I've been keen to get him back out to the trip again," Smith said.

"I was going to run him in the Australian Cup last campaign but he then got in the All-Star Mile so we went to that race."

Queen back for Flemington

After overcoming a foot abscess, Arcadia Queen (Pierro) will look to get her spring back on track in the G2 Let’s Elope S. at Flemington on Saturday.

“She missed that race (Memsie) so we’ll bring her back to 1400 (metres) and she should come in pretty well at the weights,” owner Bob Peters told Racing.com.

“She’s been back working. She’ getting the work into her now. Hopefully, she gets back on track to where she should have been.”

Straight to The Everest

Gordon Richards will send Gytrash (Lope De Vega {Ire}) straight to The Everest next start after his stunning win on the weekend.

“I tossed around a few ideas after his win on the weekend,” Richards told Racing.com.

"I initially had planned to run him in a fortnight in The Shorts or there is another race in four weeks but ultimately I’m comfortable going straight to The Everest without another run.

"He will have a couple of easy weeks in the water walker and then we will ramp him up once again.

"His record fresh is outstanding and he will be ready for the Grand Final come October 17.

"My wife Jacqui and I are heading home to Adelaide on Tuesday and we then will do our self-isolation for the required two weeks.

"We will then fly back to Sydney a fortnight out from The Everest.”

Pride to unveil Everest hopefuls

Joe Pride will step out G1 All Aged S. placegetter Fasika (So You Think {NZ}) in the G3 Sheraco S. on Saturday and G2 Missile S. winner Eduardo (Host {Chi}) in the G2 The Shorts at Randwick next week to make their cases for a spot in The Everest.

"She runs this week, he runs the week after. They're not colts so they've got to do their talking on the racetrack," Pride said.

"People know I want to get them in. If he knocks them off in The Shorts he is a logical pick for someone. There will be drop outs, there always is.”

Given she is only lightly-raced, Pride has no doubt Fasika still has upside and can go to a new level this preparation.

"She will most likely go there (Saturday) and then the (Golden) Pendant," Pride said.

"If she did go to The Everest, my plan would be to go there third-up, three weeks between runs. I like the idea of coming back slightly in distance with my horses, they really hit the line when I do it."

Rupert Clarke for Tagaloa

G1 Blue Diamond S. winner Tagaloa (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) will bypass Saturday’s G2 Danehill S. and instead run in the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke S. ahead of a tilt at the G1 Caulfield Guineas.

The 3-year-old colt resumed in the G3 McNeil S. and was narrowly beaten by Immortal Love (Snitzel).

"It took a lot out of him being his first run, so we decided not to go to the Danehill and give him an extra week,” owner Ozzie Kheir told Racing.com. “So we will go to the Rupert Clarke, it's a Group 1, he will get in first around 54kg and have his chance there.

"We might look at riding him a little more quieter than we have been. He's always had to do all the work and be on pace.

"We will look at that then going into the Guineas with that being his grand final. From there we will assess, if he comes through that run and he still has gas in the tank then we will look at the Cox Plate if he is up to that level."

Barbie in Sydney

Outback Barbie (Spirit Of Boom) will resume in the G2 Sheraco S. at Rosehill on Saturday.

The Tony Gollan-trained 5-year-old will be reunited with regular jockey Jim Byrne, who is in Sydney to ride Rothfire (Rothesay) in the G2 Run To The Rose.

Byrne may also partner another Queenslander in Tyzone (Written Tycoon) when the G1 Stradbroke H. winner steps out in the G2 Theo Marks S.

It will be Outback Barbie’s second visit to Sydney, having finished third in the 2018 edition of the G2 Percy Sykes S.

Group 1 performer retired

The Ken and Bev Kelso-trained Princess Kereru (NZ) (Pins) has been retired after finishing 11th in Saturday’s G2 Foxbridge Plate.

The 7-year-old is a Group 3 winner and was narrowly beaten into second in the 2019 G1 Railway S.

“She was going to stud this year anyway and has a booking to Almanzor,” Ken Kelso said.

“The plan was to race her and if her form warranted it to race her on in-foal, but it was a sub-par performance on Saturday, and we thought it best that she be retired now. She’s probably done enough.”

Lease filly shines

A lease arrangement brokered by Novara Park principal Luigi Muollo has allowed Sweynesse’s former trackwork rider to share in his black-type success at stud.

Muollo bred his daughter Only Words (NZ), who scored an impressive victory in the Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas. She became the second stakes winner for the stallion who was New Zealand’s leading first-season sire in 2019/20.

After Only Words was passed in as a weanling at the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka May Sale, Muollo leased her to Te Awamutu trainer Clinton Isdale, who shares ownership with Asian World Racing Ltd.

“It’s turned out to be quite a special story,” Muollo said. “Clint used to work for Godolphin and he actually rode Sweynesse in trackwork during the time he was there.

“He rode a few good ones for Godolphin, but when we brought Sweynesse over to stand at Novara Park, he came to me and said he thought he was the best he’d ridden. I was quite stunned when he told me that.

“We’ve stayed in touch, and that’s how the lease arrangement came about. For Clint to win the Wanganui Guineas with a daughter of Sweynesse is an amazing thrill for him and for me.”

Grylls taking flight

Craig Grylls began the spring in the best possible fashion at Te Rapa on Saturday, riding a winning treble, including his first stakes victory for the season, to take him to the top of the New Zealand Jockeys’ Premiership.

“It was a great day. It’s always good to get a few on the board and get the prizemoney up a bit,” Grylls said.

Adding to the occasion, the Matamata jockey rode home a double for employers Kevin and Jo Hickman of Valachi Downs when victorious aboard Karalino (NZ) (Zacinto {GB}) and Communique (NZ) (Redwood {GB}).

While Grylls got a big thrill in securing a double for the Hickmans, it was his win aboard Need I Say More (No Nay Never {USA}) in the G3 Northland Breeders’ S. that proved to be the highlight of the meeting.

“He is a grouse horse. He is a beautiful, big, strong horse and has got a lot of ability,” he said.