In-form stable
Brett Scott is chasing further black type honours with Our Big Mike (NZ) (Don Eduardo {NZ}) in the Listed Sportsbet Pakenham Cup.
The Mornington trainer produced another Kiwi-bred in Irish Flame (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) to land the recent Listed Ballarat Cup.
Our Big Mike (NZ)
Our Big Mike was successful in the Pakenham Cup in 2018 when prepared by Craig Phelan and the horse has been transferred for an extended stay to Scott, who produced him to win the Moe Cup in October.
The free-going 8-year-old finished at the tail of the field last time in the Ballarat Cup, but was checked in the run home.
Flashing light
Meteorite (Deep Field) goes into the Fulmen Park H. at Pakenham on Saturday with an impressive form line.
He finished runner-up last time out at The Valley behind Grandview Avenue (Statue Of Liberty {USA}), who subsequently came out and thumped his rivals in the Listed Carlyon S.
"That horse was just too good for him on the night and then he backed it up and won the stakes race very impressively, so that gave us more confidence," Calvin McEvoy told Racing.com.
"He is in really good order and I think he's probably improved, looks incredible and in BM78 grade, I think he'll be very hard to beat."
Amended weight scales
In conjunction with the Australian Trainers’ Association, Racing Victoria has announced the weight scale for BM58 races will be increased by 2kg from January 1.
The change will mean a minimum 8kg weight spread for BM58 races with older males rated 58 to now be allocated 62kg on a 54kg minimum.
The change to BM58s will coincide with the return to normal weight scales in January, following the special provisions that have been in place since April due to COVID-19.
The decision to amend the weight scale was made as a result of BM58 races being inundated with horses rated 59 and above, with trainers preferring to run in these races, carrying higher weights, than compete in the higher rated benchmark races.
Times Ticking for Group 1
Opaki trainer Alby MacGregor has always been proud of his Scottish heritage, so much so that his horses sport the family tartan on race day.
While the colours have had success over the years, they are yet to win at elite level, and MacGregor is hoping that will change at Trentham on Saturday when Times Ticking (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) contests the G1 Rydges Wellington Captain Cook S.
Times Ticking (NZ)
While MacGregor has tasted Group 1 glory as a trainer, courtesy of Fritzy Boy (NZ) (Brilliance {USA}), he said he would dearly love to get that elusive Group 1 victory with his own colours.
“They have been good colours, they have won some good races, like the Grand National,” he said. “The Group 1 (of Fritzy Boy’s) was in my partner’s colours.”
MacGregor will head south to Trentham from his Opaki base in good spirits on Saturday, believing he has his runner in peak condition.
"He got badly interfered with at the post and shot out the back,” MacGregor said. “He wasn’t far off them, but he would have been a lot closer had he not had that interference.”
Mohaather heads roster
Group 1 winner Mohaather (GB), one of four stallions on the Nunnery Stud roster in 2021, will stand for £20,000 (AU$36,200) in his first year.
Retired to stud in August after securing Group races at two, three and four, including the G1 Sussex S. the bay is a full brother to Prize Exhibit (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), whose Galileo (Ire) yearling filly brought 2.8 million gns (AU$5,380,000) during Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.
Joining Mohaather is champion sprinter and Group sire Muhaarar (GB) at £10,000 (AU$18,100); G1 Commonwealth Cup victor Eqtidaar (Ire) at £5000 (AU$9050) and Tasleet (GB), also at £5000 (AU$9050).
Marine to Hong Kong
The Michael and Matthew Pitman-trained Marine (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) has been sold to clients of Hong Kong trainer Caspar Fownes.
From four starts, he was a debut winner and placed in the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas and the G3 War Decree S.
“He is a lovely horse with a lot of upside, and I hope he does well for his new connections,” said Michael Pitman, whose wife Diane was a part-owner of the 3-year-old.
Pike smiling
Cambridge trainer Tony Pike will head south to Trentham on Saturday to a wet welcome, with rain forecast for the weekend’s premier meeting.
He will be represented by the unbeaten 2-year-old Stormy (NZ) (Telperion), who will contest the G2 Pete’s Joinery, Precise Design & Build Wakefield Challenge S.
Stormy (NZ) | Image courtesy of Peter Rubery at Race Images
The promising juvenile beat home Wakari (NZ) (Vespa {NZ}) on debut, and the Roydon Bergerson-trained gelding subsequently went on to win impressively by 4l in his next start.
“He will take a lot of improvement out of that first-up run and he is a very genuine 2-year-old,” Pike said of Stormy. “You would think off that first-up win, taking a line through Roydon’s horse, he should be hard to beat again.
“He has definitely gone the right way and based off that first-up win you would expect him to be right in the finish again.”
Welfare ambassadors
New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing welfare ambassadors Werther (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) and Ping Hai Star (NZ) (Nom Du Jeu {NZ}) make appearances at Trentham on Saturday.
Both former G1 Hong Kong Derby winners, they are retired and enjoying lives as “nannies” at Palmerston North’s Highden Park.
Libby Bleakley, who along with husband Sam owns Highden Park, was delighted they would be given the opportunity to promote horse welfare and the many opportunities available for retired thoroughbreds.
“These horses love having something to do, they love having a job. They look after weanlings for us and they go on the truck to keep mares company, and I think they will thrive with this next step,” she said.
Online bloodstock sales company Gavelhouse.com is also supporting the welfare ambassadors, having decked both horses out with custom made halters.
The concept of Welfare Ambassadors is a new one for NZTR and is part of an ongoing program around welfare and traceability.
Bonecrusher test
With an overseas sale off the agenda for now, Te Awamutu trainer Stephen Ralph is free to dream big with highly talented 3-year-old Explosively (NZ) (Sweynesse), starting with a first black-type test in Saturday’s G3 Mitchell Family Bonecrusher S. at Ellerslie.
Offshore offers have circled Explosively throughout this spring, following an impressive 4l trial win at Taupo in early October and an equally emphatic performance on debut at Te Rapa last month.
Explosively (NZ)
“A sale to Hong Kong fell through after that trial win because one of his hocks failed their strict vetting,” Ralph said. “There was another offer from Australia after he won at Te Rapa, which was accepted subject to vet clearance.
“We disclosed to those buyers what had happened with the Hong Kong offer, and after doing their own inspections and x-rays, they declined to carry on with the deal.
“We haven’t seen it as an issue with him at any stage in his preparation. He’s been 100 per cent sound all the way through. It’s really cool that we’ve been able to hang on to him.”
