Late Cox Plate bid

Connections of Grandslam (Myboycharlie {Ire}) have paid a $54,450 late entry fee to include him in Saturday’s G1 Cox Plate.

The late entry payment does not guarantee him a start, with the Moonee Valley Racing Club committee having the final say on the make-up of the field. Connections must pay a final acceptance fee of $200,000 on Tuesday morning.

The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Grandslam is a brother to the three-time Group 1 winner Jameka and his Cox Plate entry was prompted by his last-start effort for third in the G1 Caulfield Guineas.

Weir to stand trial

Former champion trainer Darren Weir will stand trial on animal cruelty, conspiracy and weapons charges after submissions from his lawyers to have the charges dropped were denied.

Weir, Jarrod McLean and Tyson Kermond all entered not guilty pleas after Magistrate Ron Saines said there was sufficient evidence for more than 30 charges to be heard by a jury.

The Ballarat Magistrates Court heard telephone intercept evidence and covert police footage would form part of indictable conspiracy allegations.

Weir, McLean and Kermond are all accused of mistreating horses in an 'illicit training regime'. Weir has indicated he will plead not guilty.

A betting charge against former jockey William Hernan was discharged.

Racing Victoria records operating surplus

Racing Victoria (RV) has confirmed it made a net operating surplus of $10.7 million for the 2019-20 financial year.

In a year where the COVID-19 pandemic caused substantial disruption, Racing Victoria was still able to record the surplus, allowing for the payment of record prizemoney and the distribution of additional club funding support.

Racing Victoria outlined a number of key points in its results announcement.

In 2019/20 there was:

- $229.2 million in prizemoney paid by RV - up 4.6 per cent on the prior year

- A 52 per cent increase in total prizemoney paid since 2014-15 financial year

- Total prizemoney and bonuses won (including Club top ups) $251 million – up 6.2 per cent

- An average for prizemoney and bonuses on offer per race of $59,709

- Funding support to maintain racing and training operations during pandemic

- $12 million in special funding grants to assist through the initial COVID-19 period

- Commitments made for FY21 to ensure prizemoney levels and emergency support

It also reported that:

- Total turnover on Victorian racing grew 1.1 per cent to a record $7.1 billion

- A 2.9 per cent decline decline in turnover until the end of February 2020, due in part to the impact of the introduction of Point of Consumption Tax (PoCT) in January 2019

- Wagering turnover grew 17.8 per cent during the period from March to June 2020

- Wagering revenue fell 2.4 per cent to $355.6 million for the full year

“FY20 was a financial year like no other with a once-in-a-century event dramatically changing the landscape for thoroughbred racing in Victoria and indeed globally," Racing Victoria CEO Giles Thompson said.

“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic our objectives have been to protect the health of industry staff, participants and the wider community; maintain 25,000 full-time equivalent jobs within Victoria; and ensure daily care and exercise can be afforded to all thoroughbred racehorses.

“I’m incredibly proud and thankful of all within Victorian racing for their cooperation and diligence to ensure the safe continuation of racing and training since the pandemic began and, as a result, this coming weekend we are scheduled to run our 2500th race under strict biosecurity protocols.

“With great uncertainty still ahead, it is important that we continue to strike a balance around continued investment in our industry to promote growth and engagement with ensuring we take a prudent approach to financial management.”

Melody Belle back for Mackinnon

Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) will return to Australia to contest the G1 Mackinnon S. next month.

The dual New Zealand Racehorse of the Year won her 12th Group 1 in the G1 Livamol Classic at Hastings on Saturday and her trainer Jamie Richards has confirmed she will head back across the Tasman to tackle the Flemington feature on November 7.

She was runner-up in the same race last year behind Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

Aspetar gets a look at The Valley

Connections of G1 Cox Plate raider Aspetar (Fr) (Al Kazeem {GB}) are hoping that a reconnaissance trip to Moonee Valley last Saturday might prove a boost to the 6-year-old's chances in the $5 million race.

Charlton’s travelling foreman Ben James told Racenet that he expects Aspetar to have benefitted from the experience of tackling the unique track.

“We took him there thinking it was an experience for the mind as much as the body. He handled the occasion really well," he said.

“Your raceday experience is a lot different to ours so it was nice to get him in the tie-up (stalls) and walk around the mounting yard to take it all in.”

James believes Aspetar's best form measures up well to his rivals' in Saturday's race.

“The form stacks up,” James said. “He’s a Group 1 winner back in Europe. I think the main competition is here (at Werribee), Armory and Magic Wand and the likes.

“This has been the plan since July. We’re here to compete.”

Tinker McPhee to head to Waller stable

Talented New Zealand filly Tinker McPhee (Nostradamus) is headed to Chris Waller's stable after her shot at the New Zealand 1000 Guineas next month.

She has been sold to Australian interests but will be retained with Simon and Katrina Alexander until after she contests the Riccarton feature next month.

Richard Boyd, who is a part-owner of Tinker McPhee and will retain a share when she comes to Australia, is excited about what the future might hold for the 3-year-old, who won impressively by 4.8l at Matamata in October.

“She’s pretty classy,” Boyd said. “I’ve liked the Nostradamus stock for a while and they just get better the older they get.

“Tinker McPhee is high-class and I can’t wait until she matures further and continues to learn her race craft.”

Tinker McPhee will round out her 1000 Guineas preparations in Saturday’s G3 Soliloquy S. at Te Rapa.

Treble for Payne

Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne secured her first winning treble as a trainer at Mornington on Monday.

Payne also rode two of the three winners, and all of them were in the colours of her major backer as a trainer in First Light Racing.

Well-bred mare Think Champayne (So You Think {NZ}) kicked things off before she also rode Argus (Press Statement) to victory. Campbell Rawiller then steered Cape Victory (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) home in the apprentice-only Rising Stars Series heat.

Payne becomes the first Victorian dual-licence holder to train and ride multiple winners at a single meeting.

“It’s really nice,” Payne said.

“We’ve got a great team at home and they work really hard.

“It (training) has got its challenges but I love training on the farm at home in Ballarat, Stevie (Payne, brother) is there every day and it’s a really good environment.

“Sometimes it gets a bit tricky but you just have to remind yourself why we do what we do and how lucky we are to have the job we have.”

New partnership

Eagle Farm conditioner Steven O’Dea has been joined in a training partnership by Matt Hoysted.

“He has revelled in the role as assistant trainer and I believe now is the time to make him an official partner,” O’Dea said.

“He has been an integral part of the team for the last four years and his dedication to the job has been such that his progression to co-trainer was inevitable.

“In the modern era of horse training, partnerships are becoming more and more common and for good reason. It is a relentless seven day a week job that can only be improved with a second set of eyes and hands on board.”

Mehmas running hot

Tally-Ho Stud resident Mehmas (Ire) equalled Iffraaj’s (GB) number of first-crop 2-year-old winners on Sunday, with Power Under Me (Ire) bringing up his 38th individual winner.

Always prominently placed, the gelding asserted late at debut to win by 2.25l over Coulthard (Ire) (Coulsty {Ire}) at Naas.

Of Mehmas’s 146 2-year-olds, 94 (64 per cent) have started, and his winners to runners percentage stands at 26 per cent.

Clustered among his winning progeny are four black-type winners - G1 Middle Park S. and G2 Richmond S. hero Supremacy (Ire), G2 Gimcrack S. winner Minzaal (Ire), Listed Julia Graves Roses S. victor Acklam Express (Ire) and Listed Rose Bowl S. winner Method (Ire).

Coupland’s Mile target

The G2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile is quickly coming upon us and no one is more excited than Riverton trainers Kelvin and Aimee Tyler.

The father-daughter team could have three horses contesting the race with dual stakes winner Lightning Jack (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) securing his spot with victory in the Paul Brand Pendene Farm Open 1600 at Ashburton.

“His target all along has been the Coupland’s Mile. That was a must win for him on Sunday, so I am a bit relieved it turned out like it did,” Kelvin Tyler said.

Lightning Jack will now head straight to the Coupland’s Mile at Riccarton on November 11 where he could be joined by stablemates Tobilicious (NZ) (Natural Destiny) and Flying Sardine (NZ) (Flying Spur).

Tobilicious finished fourth last-start at Riccarton while Flying Sardine has been in impeccable form since returning from her Australian campaign, putting together three wins from as many starts.

Super double

Richard Collett has high opinions of 4-year-olds Super Strike (NZ) (Super Easy {NZ}) and Super Pursuit (NZ) (Proisir) and he believes they have bright futures after recording a winning double for the Pukekohe trainer at Ellerslie.

Super Strike extended his impressive form line to three wins and two placings from just the five career starts when winning the Otakiri Reserve 1400.

“His form line relates to his ability, he is very smart. He is a good galloper,” Collett said. “There won’t be much stopping him until he gets to open grade, unless he gets interrupted runs. He has got real ability.”

Later on the card Collett enjoyed securing a winning double when Super Pursuit took out the Barfoot & Thompson 1200.

“He is a horse we have had big expectations with,” Collett said. “He missed his 3-year-old season through an injury. He broke a splint bone, which was operated on and removed, and then lockdown cost him the autumn.”