First winner for Maurice
Arrowfield Stud’s first-season sire Maurice (Jpn) secured his first winner in Australia on Thursday when the Rex Lipp-trained Balmaurice took out the TAB Venue Mode Maiden Plate at Eagle Farm on debut.
Ridden by Ben Thompson, the 2-year-old gelding settled three back on the fence throughout the run before making ground up along the rail, scooting through the field and storming home to win by 2.25l.
Bred by Heshill, Balmaurice is out of Bad Du Siecle (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who is a half-sister to European stakes winner and American Grade 1 placegetter Buenos Dias (Ire) (Rainbow Quest {USA}), while his third dam is also responsible for champion stayer Might And Power (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).
Millions pair under injury cloud
R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic contenders Fake Love (I Am Invincible) and Readily Availabull (Bull Point) are under an injury cloud ahead of Saturday’s $2 million race, after both showing signs of lameness when inspected by QRIC stewards on Thursday.
Both juveniles will undergo another vet check on Friday and will need to pass in order to be cleared to race on Saturday.
"Both runners will be vetted again tomorrow (Friday) morning before stewards will clear them to run," a QRIC statement said.
Fake Love
Nolen planning late swoop
Having drawn the outside barrier, Luke Nolen is planning a late swoop on Saturday’s R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic aboard the Tom Dabernig and Ben Hayes-trained Finance Tycoon (Written Tycoon).
“I will ride him to find a spot with a bit of cover and try and win it in the last 50 metres, hopefully a few of them are coming back to me well before that,” Nolen told Racenet.
Finance Tycoon (black cap)
“There will be more pressure than there was when he won on the Gold Coast last week and the Magic Millions is always a battle of attrition and my bloke will be strong at the end of six furlongs.
“Having had a run the Queensland way of going now too, he will only be better for it.
“It looks an even race and it has been made more so by the barrier draw.
“I will need some luck but so do a number of the others, with even luck in the run this colt will run very well.”
Bella ready to go
Adelaide trainer Will Clarken believes his Group 1 winner Bella Vella (Commands) is ready to win in Saturday’s $1 million Magic Millions Snippets at the Gold Coast.
“Her gallop here the other day was absolutely outstanding,” Clarken told Racing.com.
“She swung onto the right leg at the right time and she galloped as good as I’ve ever seen her.”
Bella Vella (green silks)
Bella Vella was last seen finishing at the tail of the field in the G1 Manikato S. but Clarken believes she has bounced back to her best ahead of Saturday.
“She came to the end of it (preparation in the Manikato) and it was a messy race and we forgave her run but her two runs before that were exceptional,” he said.
“She’s travelled up here really well. She’s carrying a little bit more condition than she did last prep and she’s really thriving in the Queensland weather.”
Finche to step out at Flemington
Chris Waller’s Group 1-placed gelding Finche (GB) (Frankel {GB}) will step out in a jump-out at Flemington on Friday morning ahead of what will be his first autumn campaign since arriving in Australia.
"He hasn’t raced in the autumn in Australia remarkably," part-owner Brae Sokolski told Racing.com.
Finche (GB)
"For the past two autumn carnivals he had some little niggles but this time they’ve got him cherry ripe and I think the Australian Cup (worth $1.5 million at Flemington on March 6) looks the race for him.
"I don’t think any of the three big guns – Verry Elleegant, Sir Dragonet or Russian Camelot – are going towards it so if you look at his Turnbull (2019 and 2020) runs over the same course, it’s a good race for him."
Shot out for six in a row
Unbeaten gelding Mystery Shot (Shooting To Win) will be striving for his sixth win in a row when he contests the TAB Venue Mode H. at Flemington on Saturday, however, trainer Lindsey Smith isn’t worried about maintaining his perfect record.
“He’s going to get beat one day and it might be Saturday. Time will tell,” Smith told Racenet.
“It’s only going to get harder as he gets up in grade so it doesn’t worry me if he gets beaten.
“I know everyone else will worry if he gets beaten but it’s not really a big deal now he’s getting up in grade.”
Mystery Shot
Smith said the BM84 race was a good starting point for the gelding and he will assess where he goes from there.
“He’s not rock-hard fit but he’s had a couple of soft jump-outs and he’s ready to race so off he goes,” Smith said.
“It’s a good little start-off point for him but the horse is still carrying a little bit of weight but he has got a lot stronger in his time off so that weight could be muscle.”
Rawiller suffers further injuries
After suffering a fall at Bunbury on Wednesday, Brad Rawiller has been found to have more extensive injuries than initially thought.
The jockey was initially thought to have a broken collarbone and a punctured lung, however, Victorian Jockeys Association released an update on Thursday morning saying that the jockey also has fractures to his back and ribs.
Brad Rawiller
Tavi Mac ready for Telegraph
Taranaki trainer Allan Sharrock believes Tavi Mac (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) is in perfect order to nab his first Group 1 in the Telegraph at Trentham on Saturday.
Tavi Mac has won 10 of his 15 starts but chased Avantage (Fastnet Rock) when second in the G2 Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa last August and also in his only start at Group 1 level when he finished sixth to her third in the Tarzino Trophy at Hastings in September.
Tavi Mac (NZ) | Image courtesy of Race Images Palmerston North
“I can’t fault him. He’s glided through his last couple of wins,” Sharrock said.
“We’ve increased the intensity but he’s loved it and he’s right on top of his game at the moment. But he’ll need to be beating the mare (Avantage).
“Look at the Foxbridge Plate. He swished his tail and made her work all the way to the line for her win that day. And he’s improved out of sight since then. He’s a far more polished racehorse now. But as we saw in the Railway, she’s improved a lot since then too.
“But he’s in outstanding condition for this. His coat has come back to me again. He’s peaking again and his work suggests he’s at his best.”
Strike-rate standouts set for Trentham
The Otaki stable of Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard boasts the best strike-rate in New Zealand this season, and a quality quartet of runners at Trentham on Saturday could further embellish their impressive record.
Benner and Wynyard have won 15 races so far this season, which puts them in 16th place on the national trainers’ premiership. But they have saddled only 44 starters, giving them a strike-rate of a winner every 2.93 runners – clearly better than any other stable in the top 100.
“We can’t really complain, things have been going pretty well for us this season,” Benner said. “We’ve got some nice horses around us, and now we’re hoping for a big day on Saturday.”
Bonham | Image courtesy of Peter Rubery at Race Images Palmerston North
The headline acts for the stable this weekend are Bonham (Per Incanto {USA}) and Invisible Spirit (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}), who will take on star northern colt Brando (NZ) (Savabeel) in the G1 Levin Classic.
Bonham has tasted defeat only once in her four-start career, finishing a close and creditable seventh in the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas at Riccarton in November. The filly has won all of her other three appearances, including a brilliant victory over 1400 metres at Awapuni last Saturday.
“She came through that run so well, we couldn’t see any reason not to back her up this Saturday. Group 1s are so important for lovely fillies like her, so we were keen to take a shot at it. We’re expecting her to be very competitive over that 1600 metres at Trentham.”
Stablemate Invisible Spirit has won twice in his six-start career, including a stylish performance at Trentham last month. He has never finished further back than fourth, and he is rated a $31 chance.
“He’s been super consistent,” Benner said. “It might be a bit of an ask this weekend up against the big ones, but he’ll definitely be a runner’s chance. He’s nicely drawn (gate one) and has a good little record behind him. We won’t be surprised if he runs well.”
Kentucky Winter catalogue online
Fasig-Tipton has catalogued 580 entries for the main catalogue of its Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale, to be held Monday and Tuesday, February 8 and 9, in Lexington.
The Sale will also feature a supplemental catalogue that will be available online and on the sales grounds. Fasig-Tipton will continue to accept supplemental entries over the next couple of weeks.
“The main catalogue has grown and improved once again this year, offering buyers additional opportunities at this last breeding stock sale of the season,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “We have our usual strong group of racing and broodmare prospects catalogued, but also increased quality among the in-foal mares. A large group of nearly 250 ‘short’ yearlings should prove very popular, as well.”
