Daily News Wrap

Remarque out of Silver Slipper

Leading G1 Golden Slipper S. hope Remarque (Snitzel) will not run in Saturday's G2 Silver Slipper S. after being treated for a temperature.

The Team Hawkes-trained colt, a full brother to 2018 Golden Slipper winner Estijaab, was due to have his second start in the Silver Slipper at Rosehill, having won impressively on debut at the same track last month.

Hawkes Racing put out a tweet on Sunday evening saying the colt, owned in partnership by Arrowfield and Northern Farm's Katsumi Yoshida, had a temperature, had been treated and would not run this Saturday.

Ingratiating likely to back up in Diamond

Godolphin colt Ingratiating (Frosted {USA}) is set to back-up on Saturday's G1 Blue Diamond S. after he came through Saturday's win in the Listed Talindert S. with no issues.

The multiple stakes winner proved too strong for his rivals at Flemington and trainer James Cummings is strongly considering her backing him up after seven days

"I've spoken to Reg (Fleming) a couple of times already this (Sunday) morning, he's pulled up great so I think it's very likely," Cummings told RSN.

"The horse came out running didn't he? Travelling really strongly all the way and never really looked like wanting to drop in behind horses - he was all speed yesterday.

"The strength of the win is underlined by the fact he carried a (weight) penalty from his win in the spring.

"He'd have to be considered one of the top five Blue Diamond chances if we backed him up. They're (Ingratiating and Anamoe) two very good colts and it'd be rewarding to see them at their best on Blue Diamond Day if we lined them both up."

Oliver to ride Behemoth

Damien Oliver has picked up the ride on multiple Group 1 winner Behemoth (All Too Hard) in Saturday's G1 Futurity S. at Caulfield.

Craig Williams rode Behemoth in his two Group 1 victories in the spring but two suspensions within a week will see him miss Saturday’s rich Blue Diamond program at Caulfield.

Oliver will be shooting for his fifth win the race, although Williams will regain the ride on the David Jolly-trained 5-year-old in The All-Star Mile at The Valley on March 13.

Meanwhile, Michael Dee will partner the Leon and Troy Corstens-trained Ranting (Zoustar) in the G1 Oakleigh Plate.

Bivouac campaign unlikely to include Newmarket

Trainer James Cummings gave Bivouac (Exceed And Excel) a pass mark for his first-up fifth in the G1 Black Caviar Lightning S. on Saturday, but will press on with autumn plans.

Bivouac started favourite in the Lightning, but was unable to finish off to contend in the final 200 metres, and was beaten 2.6l.

"He was just a pass," Cummings told RSN. "He was big and blew out, that's alright, he'll improve greatly with the run.

"An excellent race, they were running the whole way but when Bivouac is nearly settling as close as Nature Strip in the run, you know it's going to take its toll late.

"The horse has pulled up well and we'll press on with a weight-for-age campaign."

Cummings said it was 'not likely' Bivouac would look to defend his Newmarket H. title.

Nowra meeting headed to Goulburn

Sunday's abandoned Nowra race meeting has been transferred to Goulburn and will be conducted on Tuesday, including the SERA Country Championship qualifier.

A track gallop and inspection of the Goulburn track by Stewards will be completed to provide a detailed track assessment, however it is expected the current rating to be a Soft (7) with the possibility of improving with favourable weather.

All scratchings for the meeting are to be re-instated and new race times/distances have been published.

Plans uncertain for in-form Platoon

Trainer Neville Parham is not sure where the next destination is for Saturday's Listed Cyril Flows S. winner Platoon (Playing God).

Platoon secured his second stakes win on Saturday with a barn-storming performance. He was fresh over the 1200 metres having previously contested the G2 Perth Cup, where he was fifth.

Parnham has plenty of options with the 5-year-old.

"I'm not sure where we go from here. My plans were to put him on a plane and send him to Melbourne to run in the Blamey in a couple of weeks, but it won't be easy getting him there now with the COVID situation. We might finish up in a Pinjarra classic or something like that," he said.

Melody Belle to press on

Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) will press on to the G1 New Zealand S. despite her below par performance in the G1 Herbie Dyke S. on Saturday.

Trainer Jamie Richards said the star mare, a winner of 13 Group 1 races, had come through the midfield run with no issues and would continue on her way.

“When Opie (Bosson) needed her to improve at about the 700m (mark) she hit a flat spot,” he said.

“Tiptronic was dictating to her from the outside and then Camino Rocoso squeezed her from the inside.

“She just ended up with nowhere to go and wasn’t persevered with in the latter stages.

“It’s a great leveller this game, but she looks fine, trotted up well on Sunday morning and we will most likely press on to the Bonecrusher S. at Ellerslie with a little trial at Rotorua to tick her over beforehand.”

Te Akau pair eyes more wins

Jamie Richards said Saturday's dominant Te Rapa winners, Avantage (Fastnet Rock) and Amarelinha (NZ) (Savabeel) will target more success this campaign.

Richards said all had gone to plan for Avantage in the G1 BCD Sprint.

“Avantage won well although it was unfortunate we didn’t get to see Levante and her go head-to-head, which is disappointing for the sport,” he said.

“Avantage was able to race on the speed and take bad luck out of the equation.

“We will have a team talk in the next 24 hours but at this stage she is on target for the Group 1 mile at Otaki in a fortnight."

Plans are less certain for Amarelinha, who won the G2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies' Classic.

“Amarelinha has a great turn of foot and managed to find room in the straight when it was looking a little tricky. She is a very exciting filly and has pulled up well again," he said.

“We’ll have a team talk about her as well as there are a lot of moving parts in terms of where she heads to next.

“We’re mindful of travel issues and the like, so what decisions we take will have those considerations built in.”

Vance has Fownes to thank for first Group 1 winner

Group 1-winning trainer Bob Vance admits he owes Caspar Fownes a massive thank you for sending him Herbie Dyke S. winner Royal Performer (GB) (Medicean {GB}).

“I first met Caspar when I was riding for his father Lawrie in Hong Kong,” he said.

“I was riding for another trainer up there but started to get a few outside rides for Lawrie. I rode a lot of winners for him and established a friendship with Caspar who was his father’s assistant at the time.

“We had some great times up there and when I came back to New Zealand Caspar has sent horses to us to be retired or to race in a different environment to what they have up there, knowing they are coming to a good home.

“When we got Royal Performer, he had only been gelded a few months and had won a race up there but was probably looking for the change that we can provide.

“I guess I owe him dinner or the like when we can finally catch up again."