Probabeel draws 18 in Epsom

Long-time G1 Epsom H. fancy Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) has drawn barrier 18 of 21 for Saturday’s Group 1 mile feature at Randwick, while defending champion Kolding (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) has drawn 20.

G1 George Main S. runner-up Star Of The Seas (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) is now the $6 favourite after drawing barrier one, while G3 Cameron H. winner Rock (Pierro) is the third favourite after drawing barrier 13.

Sharp Shalaa filly

A daughter from the first crop of Shalaa (Ire) was the slickest 2-year-old trial winner at Eagle Farm on Tuesday morning.

The Rob Heathcote-trained Shaluna, raced by breeders Gleeson Thoroughbreds, clocked 48.01s to score by 5l.

Watch: Shaluna trial

She is a daughter of Stormy Hussey (Hussonet {USA}), a half-sister to stakes winner Bridal Hill (Unbridled’s Song {USA}) and was passed in at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale after failing to meet her $80,000 reserve.

The other heats were won by Chris Anderson’s Le Rubis (Rubick), the Les Ross-prepared Grey Defence (Instinction) and Electric Spirit (Spirit Of Boom) trained by Stuart Kendrick.

Mugatoo draws seven

G1 Metropolitan favourite Mugatoo (Ire) (Henrythenavigator {USA}) has drawn a favourable barrier in seven for Saturday’s staying feature.

The 6-year-old was a clear-cut $3.50 favourite with TAB fixed odds after landing gate seven at Tuesday's barrier draw, while his main rivals, Shared Ambition (Ire) (Born To Sea {Ire}) ($6) and Brimham Rocks (GB) (Fastnet Rock) ($9), both drew wide in 19 and 16 respectively.

"This is a nice Group 1 race for him to be aimed at and Kris has got to know the horse well over a couple of seasons now, so I feel this is the best he's been," jockey Kerrin McEvoy said of Mugatoo.

“Kris (Lees) and the team said he has pulled up well since that Newcastle Cup win, which he got an extra kilo penalty for, but he is the class horse in the race and I'm looking forward to riding him there on Saturday.”

94 accept for Cup

A total of 82 locally trained horses and 12 international raiders have their sights set on Flemington on the first Tuesday in November after first acceptances for the G1 Melbourne Cup closed on Tuesday.

The overall figure of 94 is well up on last year’s total of 80 and is the highest number of first acceptors since 2010 when the deadline closed three weeks earlier.

Exhibition for Farnan

G1 Golden Slipper winner Farnan (Not A Single Doubt), who is set to represent Aquis in The Everest, will have an exhibition gallop with stablemate Dawn Passage (Dawn Approach {Ire}) on the Kensington track on Wednesday.

Tim Clark will partner Farnan in the 1000 metre gallop while Rachel King will ride Dawn Passage.

Ain’t no Derby certainty

After breaking his maiden impressively by 5l last week, Ain’tnodeeldun (Dundeel {NZ}) is no certainty to contest the G1 VRC Derby according to co-trainer Sam Freedman.

"We are just giving thought to his preparation at this stage," Freedman told Racing.com.

"We are going to sleep on it for a couple of days and make a decision as to where we go with him.

"He's a colt, he's got a nice pedigree on him and he's definitely going to stay a trip.

"But we might do the right thing by him this preparation and give him a light spring.

"There's a chance he won't run this weekend, maybe he'll go to a 1600 metre BM70 at Caulfield in a couple of weeks' time and then the 1800 metre race on Melbourne Cup Day which Russian Camelot ran in last year.

"Then we might put him aside and look at the autumn.

"But nothing has been firmed up, no decision has been made but that's a potential option."

Journey to Empire Rose

After returning to the winner’s stall for the first time in over a year on Friday night, Mystic Journey (Needs Further) will now be targeted at the G1 Empire Rose S.

"She will go five weeks into the Empire Rose on Derby Day, that's the plan," trainer Adam Trinder told RSN927.

"That was potentially always our mindset the whole way through. She held an entry for the Cox Plate, but I was always leaning towards keeping her at 1600 metres.

"It's just the way things have transpired that it's probably worked out perfect now. She will have a nice little break between runs, which doesn't affect her whatsoever.”

Clarken weighs up Bella plans

Will Clarken is weighing up what to do next with star mare Bella Vella (Commands) after she finished third in the G1 Moir S. last Friday night.

"The one thing I can confirm is she has pulled up ridiculously well from her run on Friday night," Clarken told Racing.com. "Right now she is enjoying a couple of days in the paddock, which is standard for her between runs.

"I may run her next in the G2 Schillaci S. at Caulfield on October 10, with an eye still on the G1 Manikato S. on Friday, October 23.

"Alternatively, I'm not afraid to go straight to the Manikato even though that would be a four-week gap between runs.

"When she won the G1 TAB Classic (Robert Sangster S.) at Morphettville in May that was off a three-week break.

"Beyond Melbourne, I am thinking about two possible goals for her. The G1 Winterbottom in Perth is an option, but she is also a Magic Millions horse so the big sprint up there in January is also very much on my mind."

Diamond path unconfirmed

Clinton McDonald is also in the process of determining where fellow talented mare Diamond Effort (Mossman) will have her next run after she finished unplaced in the Moir but was never able to find clear galloping room.

“I’d say the Manikato, but we’ve got the Schillaci (too) … we can go that way,” McDonald told Racing.com.

“We will have a look. If it’s the Manikato then that’s probably her last run for this prep.

“If we went to the Schillaci then we might be able to look at the Darley (Classic) down the straight.

“It depends on how she comes through the run.”

Queen sticks to plan

Bob Peters will continue Arcadia Queen (Pierro) on a path to the G1 Cox Plate despite the likelihood of her having to go head-to-head with Russian Camelot (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) again.

The G1 Empire Rose is also an option for Arcadian Queen but Peters said he wants to stick to his original plan.

"I can go to that race (Empire Rose) instead or as well,” he told Racing.com.

"The path (to the Cox Plate) was always the Caulfield S. She can get better, but she'll have to.”

Overdue stakes success

Last-start G3 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Rule Sale Trainers’ Series winner Supreme Heights (NZ) (Jimmy Choux {NZ}) ended a lengthy drought for trainer Mark Brosnan.

His previous black-type success came more than nine years with his top mare Veloce Bella (NZ) (Volksraad {GB}) in the G3 Trentham S.

“It’s been a long time between them,” Brosnan said. “She’s a good mare and I knew she had the ability, but I was worried about her handling of the track.

“It looks likely she will go to Hawera for the G3 Breeders’ S. There’s also the Listed Matamata Cup here at home the same day and being back to 1400 metres it’s an option.”

Unition back on track

Cambridge trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman are hoping the gelding of Unition (Fastnet Rock) has done the trick.

The China Horse Club-owned 3-year-old stood out as an early juvenile when winning the Listed Fasttrack Insurance 5K Bonus 2YO S. on debut before placing in the G2 Wakefield S. in his only other 2-year-old start.

However, he disappointed his connections with his first-up eighth-placing in the G3 Northland Breeders’ S. and the decision was made to geld him.

Unition came through the operation well and showed positive signs when winning his 1000 metre trial at Te Aroha on Tuesday.

“It was a nice win,” Baker said. “He ran very disappointing at Te Rapa first-up and he was immediately gelded.

“Let’s hope he is right now and has his mind on the job and can transform that form into raceday.”

Quick Thinker out for spring

The spring campaign of Group 1 winner Quick Thinker (So You Think {NZ}) has ground to a halt, with the 4-year-old entire currently undergoing a veterinary examination in Ballarat after his fifth-placing in the G3 JRA Cup last Friday.

“His campaign is on hold at the moment,” co-trainer Murray Baker said. “We are going to know more in the next couple of days. He was very disappointing the other day and we are just looking into it.

“He hung very badly so there is obviously something not right.”

Enable leads 22 in latest Arc forfeit stage

Dual G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe heroine Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) will attempt to win her third Arc in the last four years, as she is one of 22 in the French showpiece after the latest forfeit stage announced on Monday.

The Juddmonte mare is one of three in the race at this stage for John Gosden, with Bjorn Nielsen’s star stayer Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and fellow Juddmonte runner and undefeated 2019 G1 St Leger hero Logician (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is also entered.

Irish maestro Aidan O’Brien has four entered so far for the Coolmore partners in outstanding dual Classic heroin Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), 2020 G1 Grand Prix de Paris hero Mogul (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), multiple Group 1 winner Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), and 2019 G1 Irish Derby winner Sovereign (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). This term’s G1 Derby victor Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is under consideration but has yet to be supplemented.

Quarantine exemption possible for Arc jockeys

British jockeys may yet be exempt from two weeks of self-isolation after competing at ParisLongchamp on Arc Weekend on October 3 and 4. The British Horseracing Authority is making a submission to Public Health England on Tuesday.

Currently due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, anyone travelling back from France is required to self-isolate for seven days under the elite sportsperson’s exemption rather than the normal fortnight.

If the exemption is allowed, stable staff and trainers would also be included along with jockeys. If the exemption is not granted, many high profile riders would not be eligible to compete on Future Champions Day on October 10.

“Our COVID-19 protocols are kept under constant review,” said a BHA spokesman. “The existing protocols around elite sportspeople and essential support staff–which includes jockeys, trainers and stable staff–travelling to countries with self-isolation restrictions allow for the period of self-isolation to be reduced to a minimum of seven days upon completion of the necessary testing.

“We are currently looking at these protocols with a view to making a submission to Public Health England that they might be adjusted, which may include a full exemption from self-isolation for the purposes of training and competition if a strict testing regime and rigorous travel and separation protocols are adhered to.”

Sales relocated

Tattersalls Cheltenham will not be hosting the rest of its 2020 sales fixtures at Cheltenham Racecourse due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, the Cheltenham November Sale will take place at Fairyhouse in Ireland on November 12.

Park Paddocks will host the Cheltenham December Sale on December 3 and there will be an alternative Cheltenham December Sale back at Fairyhouse on December 17. The October 23 Tattersalls Cheltenham October Sale has been cancelled.

“Whilst we naturally look forward to returning to Cheltenham Racecourse as soon as restrictions allow, this solution offers vendors and purchasers the best available opportunities to trade in Ireland and the UK in what are difficult circumstances,” Tattersalls Cheltenham Head Matthew Prior said.

Lady Prancealot to be offered at Keeneland

Lady Prancealot (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}), the winner of the G1 American Oaks and two other graded stakes, will be offered at the upcoming Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale in Book 1. Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, will consign her as a racing or broodmare prospect.

“Lady Prancealot represents a great opportunity to race or breed in 2021,” said Mark Taylor, Taylor Made’s Vice President of Marketing and Public Sales Operations. “Her race potential speaks for itself, and her female family has been consistently producing top-class horses on both sides of the Atlantic for the last 50 years.”

Authentic draws nine for Preakness

G1 Kentucky Derby hero Authentic (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}) was assigned gate nine in a field of 11 and was installed the 9-5 morning-line favourite for Saturday’s G2 Preakness S. at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.

John Velazquez has the return call on Authentic, who goes for a third consecutive victory at Grade 1 level, having beaten Ny Traffic (USA) (Cross Traffic {USA}) in the G1 TVG.com Haskell S. before defying those who concluded he would not stay the 10 furlongs of the Derby by outfighting heavily favoured Tiz The Law (USA) (Constitution {USA}) beneath the Twin Spires September 5.

The Sackatoga runner was removed from Preakness consideration last week and will instead train up to the G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland on November 7.

Keeneland Digital Catalogue online

The catalogue for Keeneland’s October Digital Sale, to be held on Thursday, October 1, is now available for viewing at keenelanddigital.com and features 67 horses of racing age and yearlings.

Buyers must first register for an account in the Digital Sales Ring prior to the Sale. In order to log in to the Digital Sales Ring, buyers must register for an account through the Keeneland Sales Portal. The login may be used for both the Digital Sales Ring and the Sales Portal. Once signed in, prospective buyers are encouraged–prior to sale day–to check their credit limits or establish credit. The ‘Digital Sales Ring’ button accesses the digital sale.