Mustajeer heads Metrop

Mustajeer (GB) (Medicean {GB}) has been allotted the top weight for the G1 The Metropolitan with 58kg.

The winner of the 2019 Ebor H. at York, the Kris Lees-trained stayer won the Listed Paramatta Cup last preparation and finished second in the G1 Tancred S. behind Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}).

Next in the weights with 57kg is Finche (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who was seventh and only 1.4l from the winner in the last year’s G1 Melbourne Cup fifth in the G1 Caulfield Cup. He recently resumed off the back of two trials to finish an encouraging third in the G2 Chelmsford S.

Young Rascal (Fr) (Intello {Ger}), who won the G3 Manion Cup last season, and Mugatoo (Ire) (Henrythenavigator {USA}), successful in the G3 Premier’s Cup last time out, have 56kg.

Etah James (NZ) (Raise The Flag {GB}) is the highest-rated mare and will be asked to carry 53.5kg. This represents a 2kg penalty on the weight she carried to triumph in the G1 Sydney Cup.

Cup penalty

Off the back of his win in the G3 Enterprise S. on Saturday, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Tiger Moth (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has been handed a 2.5kg weight penalty for the G1 Melbourne Cup.

“When releasing the weights, I identified Tiger Moth as one of the more difficult horses to assess given he had only run three times,” Racing Victoria Executive General Manager – Racing, Greg Carpenter said.

“He was beaten in a 1400 metre maiden on debut, then won a maiden over 2000 metres and was beaten a head in the G1 Irish Derby by stablemate Santiago.

“His dominant win in the G3 Kilternan S. now supports his Irish Derby performance and the form from the Derby has been enhanced with the winner Santiago finishing third to Stradivarius in the G1 Goodwood Cup and then over the weekend he was fourth, beaten 1.5l, in the G1 English St Leger.

“The 2.5kg penalty takes Tiger Moth to 1kg below fellow Northern Hemisphere 3-year-olds Santiago and Russian Camelot who both have 53.5kg in the Melbourne Cup.”

Williams secures Anders ride

Craig Williams has been booked to partner boom 3-year-old Anders (Not A Single Doubt) in next Friday’s G1 Moir S. at The Valley.

The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained colt is currently the $2.50 favourite with Sportsbet after his dominant win in the G3 San Domenico S. last start.

“He’s travelled down really well and he’ll have a couple of nice gallops heading into next week,” Eustace told Racing.com.

“He’ll be carrying 52kg in the Moir and Craig will be riding.

“Obviously we have a really big opinion of him and back to the 1000 metres at The Valley he’ll be able to jump and run and keep that sustained speed and be hard to catch, I’m sure he’ll get some of those other horses out of their comfort zones.”

Dragon Leap side-lined

Dragon Leap (Pierro) has suffered a setback that has curtailed his Sydney spring campaign.

The Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained gelding had looked in for a good preparation, having found the line well for eighth in the G2 Tramway S. (1400 metres), beaten just 2l, and was on target for the G1 Epsom H.

“It’s a minor injury and certainly nothing of any note that is going to have any long-term effect on his racing career,” O’Sullivan said. “It is a case of six weeks box rest and he will be as good as gold.”

The Hong Kong-owned galloper will recuperate initially in Australia, but will return to the O’Sullivan-Scott stable in Matamata.

“He’s only had six career starts, so it’s all ahead of him. The less racing they do as young horses the longer they race for,” O’Sullivan said.

Tagaloa primed for Rupert Clarke

G1 Blue Diamond S. winner Tagaloa (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) is set to contest older horses for the first time in Saturday’s G1 Sir Rupert Clarke S. and trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young couldn’t be any happier with him.

“Really happy with the way he is. Had a really nice quiet week after the McNeil,” Young told Racing.com.

“It was a hard run, he did it tough, he was three deep and it was only really a bob of the head. There wasn’t much in it, his stride was coming up when the other heads were going down.

“We gave him a nice quiet week. He had nice gallop (Saturday) morning. (Jockey Michael) Walker came in and galloped him and he’s rapt with how he pulled up.

“He will have another gallop on Tuesday and he should be sorted for the G1 [Sir] Rupert Clarke.”

Begood defence

Begood Toya Mother (Myboycharlie {Ire}) will get his chance to defend his G1 Sir Rupert Clarke S. title on Saturday and trainer Daniel Bowman believes he has matured since last year’s race.

“I think it’s a stronger race this year and he’s obviously carrying a lot more weight,” Bowman told Racing.com.

“He’ll carry 6kg more than he did last spring with the COVID weight scale also taken into account.

“He’s definitely matured, is more relaxed and it’s great to have him back feeling so well in himself.

“His work has been really good leading into each of his runs this campaign.

“Hopefully Begood Toya Mother runs well on Saturday and will then be able to step up to a mile and push on to the Toorak H.”

Moroney worried

Mike Moroney is hoping Buffalo River (USA) (Noble Mission {GB}) makes the field for the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke S. on Saturday.

The Flemington trainer is worried the 5-year-old, the winner of six of his 10 starts, will be border-line to gain a start. If he does, Jye McNeil will take the ride.

Moroney has no such concern with Buffalo River’s stablemate Harlech (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}), who will debut in the Caulfield feature.

Michael Dee, who ride Harlech in his last three starts in New Zealand including a runner-up finish in the G1 Levin Classic, will continue his association with the 4-year-old.

Matriarch goal

Last season’s G2 South Australian Classic winner Realm Of Flowers (So You Think {NZ}) has been entered for the G1 Caulfield Cup and the G1 Melbourne Cup, but is unlikely to be a player.

The G2 Matriarch S. is viewed as a more suitable spring target for the 4-year-old.

“We will probably head toward a Matriarch. She had a really busy first half of the year, she didn’t really have a spell from January through to when she won in Adelaide,” co-trainer Sam Freedman told Racing.com.

“She had a nice break, but we probably won’t give her a really hard spring. She is probably going to be best in the autumn on some more rain-affected tracks in Sydney. I think the Matriarch could be a really nice goal for her this time in.”

Cups target

After an impressive win at his first Australian race start at Sandown last week, French import Le Baol (Fr) (Orpen {USA}) will target the Country Cups this spring.

“I’m a one step at a time man,” trainer Lindsey Smith told Racing.com.

“I would say he will go to the JRA Cup or he could go to Caulfield in a BM80 2000 metre race.

“He’s a natural horse, his heart rate was very low [after winning at Sandown]. Which is always a good indicator.

“Bendigo [Cup], those sort of things [would suit the horse]. I'd love to go to the country cups, win one or two of them, would be great."

Loan extension

Apprentice jockey Jess Eaton has extended her stay in South Australia until March next year after a fruitful start to her stint across the border.

“The paperwork is just being finalised but Briony Moore the Training Supervisor for the Apprentice Academy here in South Australia has informed me that as from this Saturday it will be all sorted,” Eaton said.

“I will be officially transferred to Michael (Hickmott) and will remain with him until I come out of my time in March next year.

“My boss Chris (Meagher) back home in Victoria said it was a no brainer with the success I am enjoying and once again I can’t thank him enough for his support.

“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind run since my first meeting here back in July and I couldn’t have imagined a better start with 19 winners in that time.

Group 1 targets

Danica Guy couldn’t be happier with her talented galloper Germanicus (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) as the 5-year-old begins a Group 1 program of assignments this season at Hastings on Saturday.

The Matamata trainer has Germanicus set to resume in the G1 Tarzino Trophy, in which he will be ridden by Chad Ormsby, his rider in each of his two lead-up trials.

“He is as well as I can get him going into his first-up run. He finds his work and his trials very easy and the next level of fitness for him is having a race.

“He’ll improve a shade with the run at Hawke’s Bay, but he’ll give them a shake. He just needs a reasonable track. He’s flying.”

Guy has Germanicus nominated for all three legs of the Hawke’s Bay Triple Crown, but won’t make a decision on the final leg, the G1 Livamol Classic on October 17, until after he contests the second leg, the G1 Windsor Park Plate a fortnight earlier.

Preakness hopes well

Reigning GI Kentucky Derby champion Authentic (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}) and his stablemate Thousand Words (USA) (Pioneerof The Nile {USA}) are both on track for the GI Preakness S., according to trainer Bob Baffert.

The Hall of Famer reported from Keeneland’s September Yearling Sale that both colts remain at the Churchill barn of D. Wayne Lukas.

“Authentic came out of the Derby very well,” Baffert said. “He’s ready to go. We would have been ready to go in two weeks.

“Thousand Words, he’s fine. When he went up he sort of lost his footing and was on his side. He was okay and was checked out. He’s doing well.”