Diamond still sparkles for Enthaar
Enthaar (Written Tycoon) remains firmly targetted at the G1 Blue Diamond S. with the G3 Gimcrack S. winner building towards a racetrack return.
Co-trainer Ciaron Maher told Racenet that the stable is very keen to win a Group 1 2-year-old race this season and Enthaar is the top seed to do so.
“She is great down in Melbourne and is ticking away towards the Blue Diamond,” Maher said. “We are very determined (to win a major).
“We have had a fourth (in the Blue Diamond) and second in the Golden Slipper.”
Maher and David Eustace also unearthed Acrobat (Fastnet Rock) to win the R. Listed Inglis Nursery at Randwick on Saturday, while Sneaky Five (Fastnet Rock), has won both the Golden Gift and the R. Listed Inglis Banner this spring.
Enthaar
Memphis Rock sidelined
Saturday's Flemington winner Memphis Rock (Fastnet Rock) is set for a stint on the sidelines after suffering a sesamoid injury.
The Tom Dabernig and Ben Hayes 4-year-old won the Prince of Penzance Plate (1200 metres) on Saturday but winning jockey Damian Lane told Racing Victoria stewards that Memphis Rock felt amiss on pulling up.
He was examined by vets and found to be lame in the near foreleg.
Part-owner and former racecaller Bryan Martin confirmed the extent of the injury on Twitter on Sunday.
"Happy for all our team to get a city win with Memphis Rock yesterday. The rider felt his action was not right pulling up. X-ray morning shows he has a fracture of the front sesamoid. In the best of care with Lindsay Park," he said.
Master impressive in Sha Tin debut
Master Montaro (Toronado {Ire}) was ultra-impressive at his first Hong Kong start, winning the 1200-metre Snow Fairy H. narrowly at Sha Tin.
The Australian-bred 4-year-old was set a big task when settled back near last by Zac Purton, but produced a storming finish to kick off his Hong Kong career in winning fashion.
He has two starts in Australia, winning for original trainer Richard Laming at Pakenham last March before he was sold and had one more start for the Lindsay Park operation of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig, winning at Geelong in impressive fashion.
David Hayes continued as his trainer in Hong Kong and looks to have a very smart horse on his hands. He was a NZ$300,000 buy for Laming Racing at the 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale.
Guineas plans for Beltoro
The G1 Australian Guineas is on the radar of unbeaten 3-year-old Beltoro (Toronado {Ire}).
Beltoro made it two wins from as many starts in Saturday’s Lexus Legends Plate over 1410 metres at Flemington, and trainer Robert Hickmott will give him one more run before he has a small break ahead of an autumn campaign.
“Mentally and physically he’s coping extremely well with his prep,” Hickmott said on RSN. “There should be another run in him and if he happened to win that we’d probably give him a little break and obviously set him for the Guineas if he keeps winning.
“A mile shouldn’t prove a problem at this stage of his prep, probably 2000 metres might top him out.
“He’s a heavyset gelding, he’s not that real refined sort of staying type.
"There’s plenty of good mile and a quarter races so we’ll just play it by ear as he goes throughout his progression.”
Beltoro
Rain doesn't dampen Isotope hopes
The prospect of a wet track doesn't faze Isotope's (Deep Field) trainer Tony Gollan ahead of the 3-year-old filly's run in next Saturday's Listed Gold Edition Plate at Doomben.
Isotope is favourite for the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas after her authoritative win in the Listed Mode Plate at Doomben earlier this month.
The run next Saturday will be her final one heading into her Gold Coast assignment and the likelihood of a heavy track is not something which concerns Gollan.
“I don’t think it will be a problem for her, her couple of goes on soft were good and I think she really likes soft ground,” Gollan told Racenet.
“The Gold Edition will be a strong race and they only get harder from now on through to the Millions.
“I am keen to give her a month between Gold Edition and the Guineas, that will suit her and we will barrier trial her in between.
“We are looking forward to the challenge of the Gold Edition and knowing Doomben, we would like a low barrier draw.”
Te Akau stars aiming up at Group 1s
Sword Of State (Snitzel) will be set for the Group 1 2-year-old features early in 2021 after his 6l win at Te Rapa on Saturday.
Trainer Jamie Richards confirmed Sword Of State would step out again on New Year's Day before moving to the elite level later in the campaign.
“Sword Of State fronted up nicely and won quite convincingly," Richards said.
“He is one that we will aim at the Group 1 juvenile features after he has a run in the Eclipse Stakes at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.
“He has improvement to come and is a professional racehorse who is bred to be a 2-year-old. He has taken a little time to strengthen up but he is going the right way now.”
Bred by Sir Owen Glenn, Sword Of State was a $600,000 purchase by Te Akau boss David Ellis from the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Richards also has Group 1 plans for another Te Rapa winner, the 3-year-old colt Brando (NZ) (Savabeel).
“He (Brando) took the length of the straight to get to the front but was facing some handy types in that race,” Richards said.
“I thought he did a good job and will step up to 1400 metres at Ellerslie on Boxing Day before we go to the Levin Classic after that.
“I think 1400 metres to a mile will be ideal for him so he looks well suited to what is coming up.”
McKee chasing 3-year-old riches
Trainer Stephen McKee is eagerly anticipating the reappearance of promising 3-year-olds Lord Ardmore (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) and Waimoku Falls (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) who have been having a short break after contesting the Group 1 features at Riccarton last month.
“I haven’t got a lot of open class horses at the moment but I’ve got a lot who are going to work their way through the grades,” McKee said.
“Waimoku Falls and Lord Ardmore are two of my better 3-year-olds and they are coming back into work now after having a let up when they got home from Riccarton.
“At this stage I’m going to aim them for the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600 metres) and then on to the Oaks and Derby respectively if they are going well enough."
Waimoku Falls was last seen when 12th in the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas, but McKee is expecting her to improve from her last campaign.
Lord Ardmore finished fourth in the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas and will look towards the Derby
“He will run early in the new year then into the Karaka Mile and then one more run after that before the Derby," McKee said.
“He’s by Reliable Man out of a Darci Brahma mare, so there is some stout blood in his pedigree and I would expect him to get a Derby trip in his age group, although longer term he will be more suited to a mile or 2000 metres.”
