Mystic back for autumn journey
Tasmanian-based trainer Adam Trinder has confirmed that stable star Mystic Journey (Needs Further) will run in the G2 Blamey S. at Flemington on February 27, despite suffering two shock defeats on home soil.
Trinder confirmed that the 5-year-old had pulled up well from her beaten effort in the Listed The Mills Thomas Lyons S. on Hobart Cup Day and will use the mile feature as a final All-Star Mile audition.
Mystic Journey
"She ran good times first-up and we just felt she raced a bit flat second-up off the back of those strong sectionals on Sunday,” Trinder told Racing.com.
"So, she will head to the Blamey over the mile at Flemington, where we know she has got a good record, and that will tell us more.”
Dunn eyes return
Injured hoop Dwayne Dunn is eying a return to race riding at next week’s Sandown meeting.
Dunn who suffered a career threatening C6 facture to his neck last September at Moonee Valley has made sound progress since surgery and believes that he is back up to speed.
The 46-year-old isn’t expecting to secure key feature rides from the get-go, stating that it would be unlikely to see him ride in next Saturday’s G1 Blue Diamond S. at Caulfield.
Dwayne Dunn
"As long as I get the sign off from (Dr) Gary Zimmerman (Racing Victoria specialist), I'll be good to go," Dunn told Racing.com.
"I'll walk into Blue Diamond Day and Oakleigh Plate Day with limited exposure on the track, but hopefully I'll kick-off on the Wednesday and see how it transpires from there."
Pike commits to Peters
Leviathan Western Australian owner and breeder Bob Peters has confirmed that leading local hoop William Pike will partner stable stars Arcadia Queen (Pierro) and Celebrity Queen (Redoute’s Choice) at the G1 Blue Diamond S. meeting at Caulfield.
Pike, who revelled in a highly-successful Victorian spring campaign, will arrive in Melbourne either this Thursday or Friday to complete isolation and COVID-19 testing prior to the meeting.
“William will be there; he will ride here (WA) on Thursday then do his isolation period to be ready for next Saturday,” Peters told RSN Racing Pulse.
William Pike
Marquand returns
British jockey Tom Marquand will be chasing further Group 1 success in Australia at the end of this month.
Marquand rode Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) to win the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. and G1 Ranvet S. for trainer William Haggas and has returned for another stint.
His Australian riding agent Shaun Flaherty confirmed to Racenet that the jockey has plans to be in action at Randwick on February 27.
Tom Marquand
“His plane lands tonight (Tuesday) and he will go straight into hotel quarantine for 14 days,” Flaherty said. “He did a COVID-19 test before he boarded the flight, he’ll do two or three more tests while in quarantine and send them to Marc Van Gestel (chief steward) as they come through.”
All-Star hope impresses
Russian Camelot (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) produced an eye-catching performance at Werribee on Tuesday morning.
The Danny O’Brien-trained 4-year-old was given an easy time by rider Damien Oliver and finished runner-up in an 1100 metre heat taken out by Patrick Payne’s Cherry Tortoni (Night Of Thunder {Ire}).
"We probably have pencilled in the two runs for him in the autumn - The All-Star Mile and then the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. up there in Sydney," O'Brien told Racing.com.
A two-time Group 1 winner from 10 appearances, Russian Camelot is the current co-favourite for The All-Star Mile with Arcadia Queen (Pierro).
New Newnham recruit
Promising 3-year-old The Irishman (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) has been sold to Hong Kong interests and has been transferred to the care of Sydney conditioner Mark Newnham.
The Irishman had three starts in New Zealand for former trainer Tony Pike, for whom he won on debut at Avondale in September and finished runner-up in the Listed Uncle Remus S. at Ellerslie on Boxing Day in his last start in his homeland.
The Irishman (NZ)
“He’s a promising horse. He probably hasn’t been out to his optimum distance yet, but he looks a nice horse and he has arrived in good shape," Newnham said. "He was ready to run in the Karaka Million, so he is fairly well up to the mark and I will probably trial him here in a couple of weeks’ time.”
While he will spend the immediate future in Australia, Newnham said he will likely head to Hong Kong at some point.
Laing remains in limbo
The fate of four-time Group 1-winning trainer Robbie Laing remains in limbo, after the 61-year-old’s latest attempt to win back his training license was delayed until April 12.
Laing’s administrative mention at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal was postponed on Tuesday, due to Racing Victoria awaiting applicant material.
A hearing date is expected to be finalised at the mention, leaving Laing to challenge a recent decision made by RV to reject the reinstatement of his training license.
Lys Gracieux a mum
Japanese breeders Northern Farm have announced that 2019 G1 WS Cox Plate winner Lys Gracieux (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}) has safely delivered a colt by former champion miler Maurice (Jpn) on Sunday.
“The 2019 Australian Cox Plate-winning mare Lys Gracieux became mother of such a beautiful colt by Maurice. So happy for you two!” Northern Farm tweeted.
Deerfield late addition
Deerfield (NZ) (Falkirk {NZ}) was among the late nominations for Saturday’s G1 Herbie Dyke S. at Te Rapa, with trainer Chrissy Bambry confident her hardy gelding will give a good account in the weight-for-age feature.
The 7-year-old gelding steps up to 2000 metres for the first time in his career, but Bambry, who keeps the gelding fit and happy by doing the bulk of his training on the water treadmill, took great heart from Deerfield’s closing third in the G1 Thorndon Mile.
Deerfield (NZ) | Image courtesy of Race Images
“I was a bit worried when he missed the kick and there were a few expletives, but Michael McNab (jockey) is very good at coming up with Plan B straight away and he did that,” Bambry said.
“We probably did a lot of the hard work and were still closing on the line. He was strong to the finish and Michael thinks on that run he can get the 2000 metres. While he is well, I think we have to have a crack.”
Speightstown colt tops
A yearling colt by Speightstown (USA) (Hip 128) from Stuart Morris’ draft brought the top price during the opening session of the Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale when bringing a final bid of US$165,000 (AU$213,620) from Calumet Farm.
In all, 207 horses sold Monday for a gross of US$3,956,300 (AU$5.1 million). The average was US$19,113 (AU$24,740) and the median was US$8000 (AU$10,360). The buy-back rate for the session was 21.6 per cent.
Hip 128 - Speightstown (USA) x Royal Ancestry (USA) (colt) | Image courtesy of Fasig-Tipton
“I thought the activity was very encouraging,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, Jr. “A lot of horses got moved at fair prices. It was a fairly consistent marketplace with no real surprises.”
The results remained fairly consistent with the opening session of the 2020 auction, which saw 180 head sell for US$3,369,200 (AU$4,362,100) for an average of US$18,718 (AU$24,240) and a median of US$8000 (AU$10,360). The buy-back rate for that session was 28.9 per cent.
International challenge
Jockey Hollie Doyle, who celebrated her first Group 1 winner in 2020, will take part in the STC International Jockeys' Challenge in Saudi Arabia later this month.
The February 19 contest features 14 jockeys at King Abdulaziz Racetrack, with Doyle also booked on Extra Elusive (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) for trainer Roger Charlton in the US$20 million (AU$25.904 million) Saudi Cup the next day.
“I'm really excited to be riding in Saudi,” said Doyle, who also rode her first winner at Royal Ascot last term and competed in the Hong Kong International Jockeys' Championship. “I've had a few international trips recently, including Hong Kong, America and Bahrain, and it's great that I'm getting to go to these big meetings around the world."
Vale Fast Anna
Grade 1-placed sprinter and Three Chimneys stallion Fast Anna (USA) has been euthanised due to complications from laminitis.
“It is with much sadness that we report that Fast Anna was euthanised due to complications from a month-long battle with laminitis,” said Tom Hamm, Director of Nomination and Sales at Three Chimneys.
He has sired four black-type winners and 91 overall winners from two crops to race thus far. Out of 2006's champion 2-year-old filly Dreaming Of Anna (USA) (Rahy {USA}), Fast Anna hailed from the family of champion and top sire Kitten's Joy (USA).
