Diamond unlikely for Freedman filly
Leading G2 Talindert S. contender Frost Flowers (Frosted {USA}) remains unlikely to back up into next Saturday’s G1 Blue Diamond S., according to co-trainer Sam Freedman.
Freedman expects the talented filly to bounce back from an unexpected defeat the G3 Blue Diamond Preview (Fillies) on Australia Day, when she returns to Flemington on Saturday.
He said that next month’s G1 Golden Slipper remains on the agenda but only if she comes through the race in good order.
Frost Flowers
"We're not sure what effect it (being in season) had on her (last start), but from a good gate in an even race we're expecting to see a better run,” Freedman said.
"If she happened to win well, we would consider continuing on to Sydney, but the Blue Diamond is a bit unlikely at this stage.”
Star mare out of All-Star Mile
Chris Waller Racing have confirmed that superstar mare Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) will be withdrawn from next month's $5 million The All-Star Mile at Moonee Valley.
The six-time Group 1 winner is set to resume in Saturday’s G2 Apollo S. at Randwick, in preparation for another tilt at the G1 Longines Queen Elizabeth S. over 2000 metres on day two of The Championships in April.
Apache Cat’s cancer scare
Former Champion sprinter Apache Cat (Lion Cavern {USA}) will begin radiation treatment later this month, after being diagnosed with eye cancer.
Living Legends CEO Dr Andrew Clarke confirmed that the eight-time Group 1 winner is expected to make a full recovery and is confident that he will respond well to the treatment.
Apache Cat when racing
“On the 23rd (February) they will scrape off as much of the (Cancerous) tissue as they can and they will then do radiation treatment,” Clarke told RSN.
“The prognosis is very good, but you’ve still got to be nervous about these types of things.”
Wolf Cry on the board
Wolf Cry has become the 20th first-season sire to get a winner in Australia this season with General Wolffe proving too good in a 1200 metre maiden at Doomben on Thursday.
Based at Larneuk Stud in Victoria, the stakes-placed son of Street Cry (Ire) and grandson of Group 1 -winning mare Stella Cadente (Centaine) has only had two runners, including Wolves, who ran a big race when third in the G2 Blue Diamond Prelude at Caulfield last week.
General Wolffe, who was placed on debut at Doomben in December, was having his fifth start for trainer Rod Cameron and ridden by apprentice Adin Thompson, powered away to win by 5.5l.
Miss Got (Pride Of Dubai) was second with Immediate Response (Defcon) finished third.
Force Of Will ruled out
Promising filly Force Of Will (NZ) (Power {GB}) has been ruled out of the G2 Legacy Lodge Waikato Guineas at Te Rapa on Saturday, after routine bloodwork deemed her unfit to compete.
The Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained 3-year-old was set to use the 2000 metre feature as a lead up for next month’s G1 Al Basti Equiworld New Zealand Oaks over a mile and a-half.
“We took a routine blood off her this (Thursday) morning and she just wasn’t 100 per cent in the blood. They need to be 100 per cent to be competitive,” Scott said.
“We will just give her a quiet weekend and take another blood on Monday. She hasn’t got a temperature or anything, her blood picture just isn’t 100 per cent.”
Force Of Will (NZ) (yellow silks) | Image by Peter Rubery courtesy of Race Images Palmerston North
Scott confirmed that this is only a minor setback for their rising star and that they are expecting a quick recovery.
However, he remains unwilling to confirm what lies ahead and isn’t ruling out crossing the Tasman for a tilt at the G1 Australian Oaks and G1 Doncaster Mile at Randwick in April.
“We are only taking it one race at a time. We will just see how quickly she recovers from this minor setback,” he said.
“If she recovers quickly, we can make some plans. But we will just take it one step at a time, the horse’s general health has got to come first.”
Entries open for New Zealand Bloodstock Sales
Entries are now open for New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2021 South Island Sale and 2021 National Weanling Sale.
The South Island Sale will be held on NZB’s online subsidiary Gavelhouse Plus and entries close at 5pm local time on March 17.
The National Weanling Sale will be a physical auction at the Karaka Sales Centre and entries will remain open until 5pm local time on March 5.
All unbroken yearlings and weanlings offered at both sales are eligible to be nominated for NZB’s Karaka Million Series.
Timing right for Turk
Talented Tasmanian 2-year-old Turk Warrior (Outreach) will head towards next Sunday’s Tasmanian Magic Millions 2YO Classic, after taking out Wednesday night's Listed Alfa Gold Sovereign S. in devastating fashion.
The Glenn Stevenson-trained gelding extended his unbeaten record to three in the $150,000 1200 metre feature, sparking interest from Hong Kong buyers.
“I can sleep now that this is over because I’ve been on tenterhooks just trying to keep him in shape for the race,” Stevenson said.
“I knew he had the ability to win but when you have a really good horse you can’t help but be nervous when they are about to contest a big race, and this is the richest 2-year-old race on the calendar.”
European Pattern Committee to treat 2020 as gap year
In light of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Pattern program and the campaigns of the best racehorses in 2020, the European Pattern Committee has determined that no Pattern or Listed races will be upgraded or downgraded in 2021.
The 2020 race ratings, additionally, will not be used to compile the three-year average ratings for any Pattern or Listed races, meaning 2020 will be treated as a gap year in terms of assessing race performances. Races at risk of downgrade will receive a stay in 2021 and will be re-assessed at the beginning of 2022.
