Daily News Wrap

Zahra picks up Affair ride

Trainer Dan O'Sullivan has turned to top jockey Mark Zahra in his bid to win his home town Listed Ballarat Cup with star mare Affair To Remember (Toronado {Ire}).

Zahra picked up the mount when the 4-year-old's regular rider Michael Poy failed in his bid to have a suspension overturned at the Victorian Racing Tribunal on Monday. Poy had been riding under a stay of proceedings after being outed at Cranbourne on November 6.

O'Sullivan said Poy's manager Reece Murphy had a ready-made replacement for the $500,000 race on Saturday as he also looks after Zahra.

Poy had developed a rapport with Affair To Remember, which O'Sullivan said had played a key part in her winning the G2 Matriarch S. at Flemington at her last start.

"In the present situation it was hard to find a jockey who could stay with her and he managed to do so for four starts which helped us a lot," O'Sullivan said.

"The owners liked the way he rode her and wanted to stick with him."

Change of tactics

The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Al Galayel (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) will have a change of tactics when he contests the Listed Ballarat Cup on Saturday.

After racing on the speed in the G3 Coongy Cup last start, Maher said the gelding is likely to race colder this time around.

"Last start we rode him forward but it's just not his pattern," Maher told Racing.com. "They ran easy sectionals, but he'd rather be the horse descending on them. The big track (at Ballarat) will suit him.

"I reckon he looks fantastic. The gap between runs won't worry him at all. He hasn't missed any work.

"He's based at Ballarat and normally comes to Caulfield to do his gallops then goes to the beach for a few days and comes home."

Offers flow for Guineas winner

Trainer Symon Wilde has a decision to make with offers of up to $1 million being put on the table for his G2 Sandown Guineas winner Allibor (All Too Hard).

“It’s a really tough situation. There are some people in there with small shares that would love to race on,” Wilde told Racing.com.

“There are some other people with significant shares that you can’t really turn down offers that get as big as they get.

“I don’t want to lose him. I think he is a horse on the up. I know it’s not the best edition of the Sandown Guineas, but I think there’s a lot of upside to him, he is in his first preparation.

“It’s a real double-edged sword. I don’t really know what will happen.

“We will look at the offers put on the table. If they are significant, we will give it serious consideration.”

Break for Kemalpasa

Talented South Australian sprinter Kemalpasa (Magnus), who is trained by Richard and Chantelle Jolly, will have a short break before returning to work to target some more Melbourne riches.

"The horse is in great order and in fantastic form but really we have run out of races for him now," Richard Jolly told Racing.com.

"We couldn't get him to Perth for the Winterbottom S. so then the consideration was whether to keep him going for the Standish at Flemington or head to the Gold Coast for the Sprint up there on Magic Millions Day.

"However, in the end we think a little break now is best and then when he comes back if his form warrants it, he can have a crack at some of the nice Group 1 races in Melbourne.

"One race that obviously stands out is the Newmarket because of his terrific form up the straight at Flemington but we think even a race like the Futurity might suit him.”

Lloyd stood down

In-form apprentice Maddi Lloyd has been stood down for one week after suffering a heavy fall at Dunkeld on Sunday.

"I remember it all, but they reckon I was a bit groggy afterwards," Lloyd told Racing.com.

"I've been getting headaches and I've got some soft tissue damage to my left arm.

"Dr Gary Zimmerman has stood me down for a week but I'm hoping to be back for the Swan Hill meeting on Sunday."

Setback for Dunn

Dwayne Dunn has suffered a setback in his recovery from a neck fracture, revealing his comeback to riding is taking longer than initially planned.

The jockey was hoping to be back riding at the start of next year but he admitted that is looking highly unlikely at this stage.

"It's just not healing the way they would have liked," Dunn told Racing.com. "It's a setback for sure as it is still quite painful."

Primed for Breeders’ Stakes

South Auckland trainers Peter and Dawn Williams are looking forward to heading to Pukekohe on Saturday where Media Sensation (I Am Invincible) will make her raceday resumption in the G2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ S.

The Group 1 winner has had three trials this preparation, culminating in a 1200 metre win at Ellerslie last week, and her trainers believe she is primed for her first-up assignment this weekend.

“Her trial last week was great, she is ready to race,” Peter Williams said. “She will line-up on Saturday in the Breeders'. She has had three trials now so she should be fit enough for it and we are happy with her.

“She appears to have come up better this year than she did last year.”

Bob and Jackie tops Keeneland Monday

A pair of racehorse prospects offered by St. George Sales late in the day were the lone lots to bring six figures during Monday’s session of the Keeneland November Sale, with Graded stakes-placed Bob And Jackie (USA) (Twirling Candy {USA}) (Hip 3017F) bringing the top price of US$190,000 (AU$259,498) when selling to bloodstock agents Grey Price and Mike Recio on behalf of California owner Calvin Nguyen.

Bred and raced by Zayat Stables, the 4-year-old is a three-time stakes winner and recently finished third in the October 3 G2 City of Hope Mile S.

Bob And Jackie was supplemented to the auction and, following his quick trip to the Bluegrass, will be shipping back to the Southern California barn of trainer Richard Baltas.

“He just ran a great race in that Grade 2 recently and he should get better with age,” Recio said of the colt’s appeal. “He’s had a little bit of an interrupted campaign, but he’s doing great right now. Rich really loves the horse and wanted to get him back. He thinks he has a big future and Calvin is a longtime client of his.”

Also supplemented to the Sale, Alex Joon (USA) (Flatter {USA}) (Hip 3017E) sold for US$120,000 (AU$163,894) to Donald Strickand. A US$250,000 (AU$341,446) Keeneland September buy in 2018, the dark bay colt won once in four starts for Zayat Stables and trainer Steve Asmussen. He was most recently runner-up in a Churchill Downs allowance on October 29.

During Monday’s session of the November sale, Keeneland sold 256 horses for US$3,797,300 (AU$5,186,291). The average was US$14,833 (AU$20,258) and the median was US$8000 (AU$10,926). With 36 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 12.33 per cent.

Through eight sessions, 1768 horses have sold for US$144,012,000 (AU$196,689,285), for an average of US$81,455 (AU$111,249) and a median of US$32,000 (AU$43,705).

Keeneland to host December Digital Sale

Officials at Keeneland have announced that the auction house will stage a December Digital Sale for horses of racing age, broodmares, weanlings, yearlings and others Tuesday, December 15 and will begin accepting entries November 23.

The Sale will be conducted via the Keeneland Digital Sales Ring platform, which is supported by HorseCo. The platform enables Keeneland to host smaller, select online auctions in addition to its marquee sales in January, April, September and November.

“Thanks to its ease and flexibility, the Keeneland Digital Sales Ring is a useful tool to expand our ability to better serve our sales clients,” Keeneland President-Elect and Interim Head of Sales Shannon Arvin said.

“The December Digital Sale provides yet another opportunity for buyers to purchase quality bloodstock in anticipation of the 2021 breeding and racing seasons.”

Bahrain likely swan song for Deirdre

Group 1 winner Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) will make what is likely her final start in the Bahrain International Trophy on Friday, November 20.

The Toji Morita-owned bay was eighth in the G1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on October 4. Post positions will be drawn for the 14-horse field on Wednesday, November 18.

“Her two Group 1 wins came on right-handed tracks at Kyoto and Goodwood,” said assistant trainer Yoshi Hashida to the Bahrain notes team. “The long straight at Sakhir will suit her. The track looks very fair and we like the firm ground that we will get. We are very excited to take part in the race.

“We’ve seen that Hollie Doyle is one of the best jockeys in Britain this season. Deirdre is now six and she is a very clever horse, we need something fresh to energise her and that is why we feel that Hollie is an ideal jockey for her. We have found that when a female work rider rides her, that suits her better. Mitsuru has said that this will likely be Deirdre’s last race. We are emotional that this journey is almost over.

“We are very excited to be the first Japanese runner in Bahrain. We hope this will be a good start of a good relationship between the two countries.”