COVID-19 Border update
Victoria’s border to NSW is now firmly closed after it reported 12 new cases since yesterday.
Queenslanders who have been in Victoria on or since 21 December have been advised by authorities to get tested immediately and quarantine at home until they get their results.
The advice comes from the state’s chief health officer, Dr Jeannette Young, although there are still no official changes to the state’s border restrictions.
For Victorians and those in NSW who have been outside greater Sydney for 14 days who wish to attend the Magics Millions Yearling Sale, immediate travel to Queensland is advised as hard Queensland border closures could be implemented.
Mare strikes again
De Grawin (Snitzel) continued her unbeaten run since joining Joseph Pride’s stable with further success on the Kensington track at Randwick.
The 4-year-old’s victory in the Sky Racing Active H. was her fourth victory on the bounce with Pride now looking to raise the bar.
“It was a very easy watch and she’s a lovely, effective mare. I’d like to think we can get some black type wither, but she’ll need a wet track to do that,” he said.
Bound for Sydney
Cambridge Stud-owned filly Kahma Lass (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) is unlikely to step out at home before she heads to Australia.
She has won two of her four starts and hasn’t been seen since she won the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas in mid-November.
“She’s had a nice freshen-up after Riccarton and after talking to the team she’ll probably go straight to Sydney and run first-up in the G2 Light Fingers S.,” trainer Jamie Richards said.
Gold medal for effort
The James Cummings-trained Dickin Medal (Snitzel) made it two wins from as many starts when he defeated a competitive age group line-up in the Erin Coldham H. at Caulfield.
“He won a maiden the other day and to come from that to win a BenchMark 70 shows he’s a promising horse,” rider Damien Oliver said.
“He’s still learning and was on and off the bit at different stages so he’s still learning to pace himself, but I do like the horse.”
Compensation collected
Evening Glory (Smart Missile) deserved his victory in the Warren Moore H. at Caulfield after being related to second at The Valley at his previous outing.
Evening Glory on the way to victory
The 4-year-old was given a good run near the pace by Jamie Kah, who bided her time in the straight before asking him to hit top gear.
“He’s a very honest horse with a good 100 metre sprint so we asked Jamie to use it at the right time,” co-trainer Sam freedman said.
Hickman roll continues
New Zealand breeder and owner Kevin Hickman celebrated a special New Year’s Day with a quinella in the G2 Royal S. at Ellerslie with Needle And Thread (NZ) (Makfi {GB}) and Lily’s Lady (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) and he also made his presence felt at Caulfield.
The Valachi Downs principal bred Zac De Boss (NZ) (Zacinto {GB}), who kept his unbeaten record intact with victory in Saturday’s Vin Quirk H.
The 3-year-old was a debut winner at Warnambool last month for trainers Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra and stepped up to beat the older horses on Saturday in the hands of Damien Thornton.
Zac De Boss was bought out of Valachi Downs’ draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale by First light Racing, Paul Willetts Bloodstock and Ellerton and Zahra for NZ$60,000.
Classic option
Quality mare Levante (NZ) (Proisir) is unlikely to head to Trentham for the G1 JR & N Berkett Telegraph at Trentham in a fortnight’s time.
While it has yet to be set in stone, co-trainer Ken Kelso favoured the G2 Westbury Classic at Ellerslie on Karaka Million evening as the 4-year-old would be better-suited by the set weights and penalties of the 1400 metre event.
Levante was beaten for only the second time in her seven-start career when she came from last on the turn to finish third in the G1 Railway on New Year’s Day.
2YO attracts interest
Trainer Peter Didham’s mobile started ringing almost immediately after his rangy 2-year-old Ansu (Press Statement) put on a professional display to win his debut at Tauherenikau on Saturday.
Didham was expecting interest in the colt following the win, which was in stark contrast to his appearance at the NZB Ready To Run Sale in November where he was taken home after failing to meet his sale reserve.
“The phone has gone three or four times already with agents ringing, which is a little different to how it was at the sales,” he said.
Didham and the colt’s owners will now discuss their future options with the possibility of a tilt at the G1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce S. later in the season an option should a sale not eventuate.
Successful homecoming
Imelda Mary (NZ) (Ferlax {NZ}) bounced back to form at Tauranga with a first-up success following an unsuccessful Victorian campaign with trainer Brett Scott.
The mare has returned to Wayne Hillis’ stable and showed her quality with a comfortable open handicap win in the Mount New World 1400.
“We’re getting her ready for the Karaka Cup at Ellerslie, so we had to kick her off somewhere and this has worked out nicely,” Hillis said.
Imelda Mary won the G2 Royal S. and the G2 Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic as a 3-year-old to share the 2018-19 New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year title with Queen Of Diamonds (NZ) (Savabeel).
Cup test beckons
Progressive staying prospect Star Tsar (Fastnet Rock) staked his claim for a start in the G1 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup in March with a dominant victory in the Dunstan Feeds Stayers Championship Final at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.
“He hasn’t put in a bad run in his whole career and has been a victim of tempo several times including his last start in the Manawatu Cup,” co-trainer Andrew Forsman said. “It was just nice see him have all favours this time and get the job done.
“We’ve got him nominated for both the G3 Wellington Cup and the Auckland Cup so we will give him a few easy days and then work out how we are going to proceed.”
Authentic leads way
By virtue of victories in the GI Kentucky Derby and in the GI Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic and combined with a third seven-figure success in the GI Haskell Invitational S., the ownership group that campaigned leading Horse of the Year hopeful Authentic (UAS) (Into Mischief {USA}) finished 2020 as the leading owner by earnings with a total of US$6,790,000 (AU$8.76 million).
Spendthrift Farm LLC, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables LLC and Starlight Racing raced Authentic for his final four races.
In total, Authentic won five of his seven starts in 2020 and led all horses by North American earnings with US$7,170,000 (AU$9.25 million) ahead of the recently retired Tiz The Law (USA) (Constitution {USA}) with US$2,388,300 (AU$3 million).
Godolphin was second among leading money winners, with US$5,703,770 (AU$7.36 million), followed by Klaravich Stables Inc., which earned US$5,323,398 (AU$6.87 million).
After finishing second in 2018 and 2019, Steve Asmussen topped all trainers by money won, sending out the winners of 422 races from 2278 starts and earnings of US$20,204,064 (AU$26 million). Irad Ortiz, Jr. topped all jockeys by money won, with an even 300 winners from 1266 mounts for earnings of US$21,050,726 (AU$27.2 million).
