New Zealand on the cards for Crosshaven

Lindsay Park is investigating the logistics of taking Crosshaven (Smart Missile) across the ditch to New Zealand to contest the R. Listed Karaka Millions 3YO Classic at Ellerslie early in the new year.

"He's already in the paddock and is a very sensible gelding," co-trainer Tom Dabernig said.

"He is a Karaka Millions eligible but we're just trying to work out the logistics of getting him there and getting him home and if it jeopardises his autumn we might just concentrate on racing him here."

Dabernig said if the decision is made to keep Crosshaven at home, the 3-year-old may look at contesting some of the early autumn weight-for-age races on the way through to the Guineas.

"He could run in one of those Group 1's like the CF Orr S., as a 3-year-old," Dabernig said.

"Otherwise, we could go the traditional path of the Manfred, the CS Hayes and the Australian Guineas."

Chasing breakthrough success

Sound (Ger) (Lando {Ger}) has yet to win a race in Australia and trainer Michael Moroney is hoping to rectify that in Saturday’s G2 Zipping Classic.

The 8-year-old has been a multiple placegetter, including three runner-up finishes from his last four starts and most recently in the G3 Hotham H.

He was also second three runs back behind Persan (Pierro) in the G3 Bart Cummings, a race which guaranteed the winner a berth in the Melbourne Cup.

Flights grounded

A host of horses headed for the Ascot Racing Carnival in WA are likely to miss-out with no more flights heading to Australia’s west until the end of the month due to strict border restrictions.

G1 Winterbottom S. contender Trekking (Street Cry {Ire}) has already made the trip west but other horses such as Chris Waller’s Fiesta (I Am Invincible) have missed out.

“The only one from the eastern states that will be there for the Winterbottom is Trekking,” Air Horse Transport’s Chris Calthorpe said.

“We took him over after the Manikato, which wasn’t ideal. But I said to (trainer) James (Cummings) that if you don’t get there now, you may not get there.

“The Premier has shut the border, so they won’t get anyone. The Perth carnival is going to suffer.

“I’ve done a flight out of Sydney last week and the week before that. Kementari and Trekking went, and Gailo Chop two weeks ago.

“Last week I took Bob's (Peters) two Windstorm and Superstorm and Trap For Fools.

“It’s obviously going to be not a very strong Winterbottom, not a very strong Railway.”

Whip fine reduced

The Victorian Racing Tribunal has reduced Kerrin McEvoy’s $50,000 fine for overusing the whip in last week’s G1 Melbourne Cup to $30,000 after the jockey appealed the charge.

McEvoy’s fine was just under 91 per cent of the total prizemoney he earned for his ride on Tiger Moth (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

“As far as I can see, there’s only been one other penalty of 55 per cent and that is the highest percentage penalty that’s been imposed,” Judge Bowman said.

“The penalty imposed on you, Mr McEvoy, was just under 91 per cent of five per cent of the stake money. So it’s a very large leap above the previous highs.

“I’m not saying the protocol excludes it. It does not. However, the general penalty has been approximately 50 per cent of five per cent of the prizemoney, ranging up to 55 per cent.

“A fine of 90.9 per cent of five per cent of the stake money seems to me, to be excessive. The financial penalty is varied to $30,000, which is, in percentage terms, approximately 55 per cent of the five per cent of stake money.”

TAB releases statement

Tabcorp has released a statement blaming their weekend outage on a fire, saying it was “unacceptable” and that it commenced an urgent and comprehensive review into the event.

“Tabcorp remains deeply sorry for this and acknowledges the significant disruption this caused our customers, the racing industry and venue partners,” chief executive David Attenborough said in a statement to the ASX.

“Our teams and technology partners are continuing to deploy all available resources into restoring the full Tabcorp gambling entertainment experience for our customers and partners.”

TAB outage effects unknown

Racing Victoria’s Chief Executive Giles Thompson believes it is too early to tell how much the TAB’s outage will affect the state’s racing body.

“A big day like Saturday – and it is one of our bigger days, of course – about 40 per cent of turnover roughly is from TABs around the country so the size of the impact will depend to a degree on how much the corporates backfilled that on Saturday,” Thompson told RSN 927’s Correct Weight.

“But if it’s a big hit, a significant hit, it will take a while to work out the exact extent of it.

“A day like Saturday is over $100 million on turnover for Victoria alone. More than $40 million of that comes from the TABs.

“The corporates (bookmakers) weren’t licking their lips about what happened as it did impact them too because they had to limit their products so while they would have got some upsides on backfilling some of the TAB turnover and with customer sign-ups, they would have also had some downside as well."

Autumn target for Mugatoo

After injuring himself on the way to the races and subsequently being scratched from Saturday’s G1 McKinnon S., Australian Bloodstock are now eyeing the autumn with talented galloper Mugatoo (Ire) (Henrythenavigator {USA}).

Australian Bloodstock co-director Jamie Lovett said the gelding had come through the incident fine, the laceration not requiring any stitches and largely superficial.

"He'll freshen up at the farm now and we'll just keep him ticking over with a view to getting him ready for the autumn carnival in Sydney where the Queen Elizabeth S. will be his main target," Lovett said.

Sydney focus

Matt Cumani is already considering Sydney's autumn carnival options for his 3-year-old stayer Hit The Shot (Dundeel {NZ}).

"How quickly we go up there, I don't know. Whether we do our prep runs here in races like the G2 Autumn Classic or go up there a little bit earlier and get him used to the place and the tracks, I haven't decided yet,” he told Racing.com. “It depends on how he comes back."

The winner of one of his five starts, Hit The Shot finished powerfully from back in the field to run second in the G1 VRC Derby off the back of a third placing in the G3 Norman Robinson S.

Almanzor leads Haras d’Etreham roster

Multiple Group 1 winner Almanzor (Fr), who will have his first Northern Hemisphere 2-year-olds in 2021, leads the Haras d’Etreham roster at €30,000 (AU$49,017), the French stud announced on Sunday.

Also a shuttle stallion to Cambridge Stud in the Southern Hemisphere, a 1/50th share in the Cartier champion 3-year-old colt of 2016 was bought for €310,000 (AU$506,507) at the Arqana Online Sale this past Wednesday and his yearlings have been well received, selling for up to €280,000 (AU$457,490).

Joining him at €30,000 is Persian King (Ire), who will cover his first mares in 2021. A winner of the G1 French 2000 Guineas, G1 Prix d’Ispahan and G1 Prix du Moulin, the 4-year-old’s final race was a good third in the G1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Another new stallion at d’Etreham is multiple Group 1 winner Hello Youmzain (Fr), who will also shuttle to Cambridge Stud in New Zealand alongside Almanzor. Successful in the G1 Betfair Sprint Cup and G1 Diamond Jubilee S., he will command €25,000 (AU$40,847).

Second-season sire City Light (Fr) will remain at €7,000 (AU$11,437) after receiving 137 mares in 2020, over one-third of them black-type performers or producers. The Flat roster is rounded out by Scissor Kick at €5,000 (AU$8169).

Hypnos ready

Group 2 glory beckons Hypnos at Riccarton Park on Wednesday when he contests the Coupland’s Bakeries Mile.

The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained gelding is in good form, having finished runner-up to subsequent Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint winner Marscarpone (Shooting To Win) fresh-up, before winning the G3 Red Badge Spring Sprint at Hastings last month.

Hypnos was flown down to Christchurch last Thursday and his trainers have been pleased with the way he has settled in.

“He is a seasoned traveller now, he’s an older horse, and he has taken everything in his stride,” James said. “I think he has had a really good build-up. He meets it at the right stage of his preparation and his work has been good and the barrier (4) is perfect.”

Valley firsts for Hayes and Shinn

David Hayes and Blake Shinn scored their first wins at Happy Valley this season as the duo combined with Fearless Fire (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) who scored a win full of merit in the Class 4 Lockhart H.

“It was a tough effort – we drew an awkward barrier. David (Hayes) wanted to go forward but there was just too much pressure in the early stages,” Shinn said.

The 6-year-old was caught wide early on from gate 11 but a cool collected Shinn slowly edged the gelding closer to the front in the run, before taking over at the 450 metre mark for a 0.5l success.

“I had no option but to be wide early on, so I just kept his momentum as best I could and it was an amazing win, the horse did an incredible job,” Shinn said.

“Last start he was a bit unlucky, he got blocked when it mattered and I thought he was very fit and he had to be because he ran 1800 metres today and he was still able to win. When they can travel wide without much luck sometimes they can win another one, so let’s hope he can put two together,” Hayes said.

Quality for Schofield

Chad Schofield moved into double figures with his 10th triumph this season as Lucky Quality (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) scored handsomely in a quality second section of the Class 3 Johnston H. to complete a double for championship leading trainer Caspar Fownes.

“We did a bit of work into the first turn, a number of them dug up inside of me and I was wide and working but eventually we got into a nice spot but I was worried mid-race after the work that we had done,” Schofield said.

The Medaglia D’Oro (USA) gelding was caught wide early on and settled midfield before peeling out at the 300 metre mark to record a 1.25l success.

“He’s a horse who has come a long way, he used to be a barrier rogue and Caspar (Fownes) has done a great job with him – his manners are a lot better this season, he is improving, he is young and I like the feel he gave me today,” Schofield said.

Vekoma to stand at Spendthrift

Multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Vekoma (USA) (Candy Ride {Arg}) has been retired from racing and arrived at B. Wayne Hughes’ Spendthrift Farm where the 4-year-old will take up stud duty in 2021. His fee has been set at US$20,000 (AU$27,502).

“Precocious, brilliantly fast, carried his speed around two turns–you name it, Vekoma could do it,” said Ned Toffey, Spendthrift general manager. “On top of that, he is a Grade I winner by a Grade I winner and out of a Grade I winner, so he’s truly a rare package in the breeding world. You won’t find a more brilliant or better-bred son of Candy Ride.

"We are extremely excited about his future at stud and look forward to showing him off to breeders after he’s been allowed a few days to settle in here … Any time a horse as good and as deserving as Vekoma does not get the opportunity to run in the Breeders’ Cup, you are obviously disappointed for the horse and for the connections.

“There’s so much hard work that gets put in. Ultimately, you have to credit George Weaver and his team for having an incredible season and always doing right by Vekoma through some hard luck at the end.”