Cup start no certainty for Verry Elleegant

Trainer Chris Waller said there is no absolute guarantee G1 Caulfield Cup winner Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) will contest the G1 Melbourne Cup, with the possibilities of a weight penalty for her win on Saturday.

Waller told RSN that he felt a weight penalty may sway connections not to head to the $8 million handicap on November 3.

‘’I haven’t spoken to the owners yet but obviously, they are concerned about what weight she will be carrying and what cost for running in the Melbourne Cup has on her career, so that will be discussed," he said,

"Hopefully it's onward and upward to a Melbourne Cup but we have to respect the owners, the weights and of course, the horse."

Racing Victoria’s chief handicapper Greg Carpenter will announce a penalty, if there is one, for Verry Elleegant on Monday. She currently has 55kg in the race.

Waller also had a bit of quandary in choosing a Melbourne Cup rider, with Mark Zahra having ridden her so well to win the Caulfield Cup after her usual rider James McDonald stayed in Sydney to ride in The Everest.

‘’That’s a tricky one,’’ he said. ‘’It will be one that comes down to a collective discussion with the owners.

‘’Obviously, she is James’ horse but this is a very strange year. James decided to stay back in Sydney to ride my team and others and obviously couldn’t get to ride her yesterday but after Mark has won a Caulfield Cup and a Turnbull, I can’t see how we can take him off either.

‘’So, at this stage, she has two riders.’’

Hope for Melbourne Cup attendance

The Melbourne Cup Carnival is likely to be able to play host to owners, after confirmation that the Victorian government is loosening lockdown restrictions.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said on Sunday that it's likely access for the public to racecourses will be relaxed for Melbourne Cup day on November 3.

‘’I think there’ll be some connections [for the Melbourne Cup], some from an employment point of view, but I have no announcement to make, the Racing Minister [Martin Pakula] will have something to say about that soon,’’ Andrews said.

Discussions between clubs, Racing Victoria and the State Government remain ongoing and it is likely that announcements regarding access will be made in the coming days.

Victoria Racing Club has submitted a proposal to have 10,000 people on course, plus staff for each of the four days of the Cup Carnival, while Moonee Valley CEO Michael Browell also confirmed the club has submitted a proposal to have connections on course to celebrate the 100th running of the Cox Plate this Saturday.

The Premier has confirmed that restrictions in Victoria will be eased, with the majority to be relaxed on November 1 – just days before the Melbourne Cup, but one day after Derby Day.

First winner for Odyssey Moon

Twin Hills Stud stallion Odyssey Moon has produced his first winner with the victory of Berdini's Girl at the Sunshine Coast.

The Chris Munce-trained filly proved too strong, powering home to defeat Vienna Empress (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) with Rhapsody Rose (Star Witness) in third.

The first runner for Odyssey Moon, Berdini's Girl was bred by Woodpark Stud and was purchased for $35,000 by Munce Racing / Arthur Hoyeau out of the Sledmere Stud draft at the 2020 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

She is the second winner from the Bernardini (USA) mare Berdini.

Gytrash says Yes to Sydney stay

Trainer Gordon Richards is set to keep The Everest placegetter Gytrash (Lope De Vega {Ire}) in Sydney and contest the $1 million Yes Yes Yes S. at Rosehill in two weeks.

Gytrash, who finished third in The Everest, is eligible for a $750,000 bonus should he contest the Yes Yes Yes, and that is likely to see Richards keep the 5-year-old in Sydney.

“We are looking that way especially with the bonuses on offer,” Richards told Racenet. “The fact that he is already here and settled is important and we’ve had some success here as well.

“He has come through his Everest run well.”

Richards and Gytrash have been based out of the Warwick Farm stables of Clare Cunningham in the past few weeks.

Kah gets Cox Plate ride

Jamie Kah has secured her first G1 Cox Plate ride with the Joseph O'Brien-trained Buckhurst (Ire) (Australia {GB}) to contest Saturday's race.

Kah has been booked to ride Buckhurst by owner Lloyd Williams, with the owner believing the import will be better suited at 2000 metres on a dry surface having finished seventh in Saturday's Caulfield Cup.

With 20 winners this season, Kah leads the Melbourne jockeys' premiership by four winners from Damien Oliver and Ben Melham.

She has ridden for Williams in the past with her G3 Manion Cup win aboard Midterm (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) their biggest success together.

Vale Tony Logan

Cranbourne trainer Tony Logan has passed away aged 59.

Logan had a number of horses still in work and his best horse had been sprinter Lord Scotia (Lord Seymour {Ire}), who won 13 races, including a Listed Caulfield Sprint in the 1980s.

“He was much-loved especially by the people here at Cranbourne and the many he had a lot to do with back in the day at Epsom at Mordialloc,” leading trainer Robbie Griffiths said.

“He was always a highly-skilled horseman and very resilient, having had to change to training from being a jockey when getting too heavy and then again when losing his leg upto his knee almost a decade ago. It didn’t slow him down or stop him riding.

“He was a great educator of horses even from when he was very young and riding for champions like Ross McDonald, Bob Hoysted and Eddie Laing & family, on horses like Tristarc, Magari and many others.

“We’ll really miss him here and our thoughts are with his long-term partner Leanne Doyle.”

Tattersalls October Sale finishes

A fortnight of selling at Park Paddocks for the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale drew to a close on Saturday morning with a small Book 4 offering.

The session added 153,000 gns (AU$292,383) to the coffers for 42 sold (65 per cent). While the average dipped 15 per cent to 3,655 gns (AU$6985), the median was up 14 per cent to 2,500 gns (AU$4777). A pair of fillies by Equiano (Fr) (lots 2007 and 2030) topped trade at 11,000 gns (AU$21,021) and 10,000 gns (AU$19,111), respectively, when bought by Nick Bradley Racing/George Boughey and Rabbah Bloodstock.

Tattersalls October Books 1 through 4 cumulatively saw 1,816 yearlings go through the ring, with 1,507 sold (83 per cent, up slightly from last year) for 138,268,200 gns ($AU264.23 million) (-13 per cent). Unsurprisingly in the midst of a global pandemic, the average dipped 13 per cent to 91,751 gns (AU$175,336) while the median was down 16 per cent at 42,000 gns (AU$80,262).

Upon the conclusion of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony said, “If ever there were any doubt as to the unique status of Newmarket as the hub of European racing and breeding it has been dispelled over the past two weeks of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. The heritage of Newmarket is a priceless commodity and has without doubt played a huge part in the strength of the market over the past two weeks.

“This town has an infrastructure and workforce dedicated to the Thoroughbred industry and as such is uniquely placed to cope with the obstacles and challenges thrown at us all by the global COVID pandemic. Ever since the lockdown in March, the industry and the town have worked together in full compliance with all the prevailing rules and regulations to ensure that horses could be cared for at the same time as ensuring safe working environments for everyone at all times.

“Those same principles have been applied at all 11 sales which have taken place at Tattersalls since the end of June and yet again we would like to express our gratitude to every individual who has participated at any of these sales. It has not been easy at times and selling rates have regrettably, but inevitably, been slowed by the new bidding arrangements we have had to introduce, but everybody has shown incredible resolve and they have been rewarded with a market which has displayed remarkable resilience and continued to demonstrate a sustained appetite for the cream of European yearlings in all sectors of the market.

“Similar to Books 1 and 2, Book 3 of the October Yearling Sale has seen a healthy mixture of domestic and overseas competition, albeit at a lower level and we continue to admire the determination of buyers in the face of unprecedented difficulties. The live internet bidding platform has again been invaluable and will no doubt be even more extensively used at the forthcoming Autumn Horses in Training Sale, while buyers in attendance have also worked incredibly hard to assist many of those unable to attend. The spirit of industry-wide cooperation has been outstanding and will continue to serve us well as we endeavour to provide as vibrant a market as possible at both the forthcoming Autumn Horses in Training Sale and the December Sales which will bring an extraordinary Tattersalls sales season to a close.”

Path well-chosen for Melbourne Cup

A third placing in the G1 Caulfield Cup has the connections of The Chosen One (NZ) (Savabeel) excited about a shot at the G1 Melbourne Cup.

The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained galloper was beaten by only 1l in a spectacular return to form from the 5-year-old and Forsman is looking forward to the remainder of the spring.

“It was good to see him get every chance on Saturday and just the type of run you want to see heading into a Melbourne Cup,” he said.

“We’ve been confident for quite a while that he was always going to get a start at Flemington and it was the Caulfield race where we had some doubts.

“There are a few new internationals to come into the mix for the Melbourne Cup but we know on what he has done yesterday and that he has run a strong two miles in the past, that he has to be given a chance.

“Flemington really suits him so it comes down to whether he can get another good barrier draw and if he does, then he is a strong top-five chance in the race.”

Summer Cups on Paisley Park's agenda

Progressive galloper Paisley Park (NZ) (Azamour {Ire}) is headed towards the G3 Counties Cup at Pukekohe next month after winning at Ellerslie on Saturday.

Trainer Graeme Richardson, who prepares Paisley Park in partnership with Rogan Norvall is looking ahead to several of the major summer staying races.

“It is great to get the win and I’m delighted for his connections who have been very patient with him,” he said.

“I’ll just see how he pulls up but the aim is to get him into the Counties Cup next month,” Richardson said.

“The Waikato Cup is also a target and then we will take a look at the City Of Auckland Cup on New Year’s day.

“Ultimately, I’d like to see him in the Auckland Cup as he is a year stronger and I definitely think he is up to winning a race like that.”

Stablemate Tiptronic (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}) disappointed Richardson slightly when finishing midfield in the G1 Livamol Classic.

“He just didn’t settle in the race and wanted to pull and do things wrong,” he said.

“He got hyped up before the start so it’s back to the drawing board with him as he just has to learn to relax a little more.

“We’ll tip him out now, which has always been the plan and then bring him back for races like the Zabeel Classic on Boxing Day.”

Kameko to retire to Tweenhills

This year’s G1 2000 Guineas scorer Kameko (USA) Kitten’s Joy {USA}) will retire to Tweenhills Stud upon conclusion of his 3-year-old campaign this year.

Sheikh Fahad Al-Thani, chairman of Qatar Racing, said, “My brothers and I are delighted to own another superstar in Kameko, whose record-breaking 2- and 3-year-old campaigns will live long in our memory. We cannot wait to unveil him to breeders.”

Kameko will run at the Breeders’ Cup and on his return will be paraded for breeders, along with other Tweenhills stallions, at Longholes Stud in Newmarket during the Tattersalls December Mare Sale. His 2021 stud fee and syndication plans will be announced in due course.