Queen in doubt
The Grant and Alana Williams-prepared Arcadia Queen (Pierro) will have to pass a third veterinary examination on race morning if she is to contest The All-Star Mile at Moonee Valley.
She was found to be lame on Thursday after pulling a shoe and failed a second inspection on Friday. Stewards said the mare displayed 2/5 lameness in the off fore after an initial 1/5 rating.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Shout The Bar (Not A Single Doubt) also failed the compulsory vet inspection on Thursday, but was cleared after the second assessment.
Eyeing another upset
Trainer Paul Preusker is more than happy with his boilover G1 Australian Guineas winner Lunar Fox (Foxwedge) going into The All-Star Mile.
Lunar Fox
“It’s one of those things, we are happy to be in it and very happy with him,” he told Racing.com. “He’s done the impossible before so let’s hope he can do it again. He has come back a tougher and stronger horse and he is really thriving this preparation.
“It hasn’t altered our plans too much, we were always dreaming we might hopefully get a wildcard so I haven’t had to do much different.
“Barrier four should give us a perfect run, in a big money race you’d think they won’t be mucking around and pour it on and that will enable him to get an opportunity behind them."
Barrier key to chances
Trainer Chris Waller believes a better gate will be a key factor for Hungry Heart (Frankel {GB}) when she runs in the G2 Chandon Phar Lap S. at Rosehill.
"Her previous two runs this preparation she's had terrible draws, she was four wide first-up and then second-up we decided to ride her back because we were sick of her having no luck and things just didn't work out," Waller told the Moody On The Mic podcast.
"Put a line through her last two runs. Interestingly, this year there are a couple of colts from Melbourne (Poland and Embolism) that probably deserve a little respect, but it's her home track and she's ready to run well so she'll be over the odds."
Mishriff tops
Saudi Cup hero Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) stands on top of the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, which were released by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities on Thursday.
The John Gosden-trainee and French Classic winner was rated 122, two better than Saudi Cup runner-up Charlatan (USA) (Speightstown {USA}) at 120. Nature Strip (Nicconi) sits second on the list at 121 after winning the G1 Lightning S. in February.
Rated equal to Charlatan are the Hong Kong-based duo of Exultant (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and Golden Sixty (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}). Already a winner of the G1 Stewards' Cup over Southern Legend (Not A Single Doubt) (118) and Ka Ying Star (GB) (Cityscape {GB}) (117) in January, Golden Sixty then defeated Furore (NZ) (Pierro) (117) and Exultant in the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup in February.
Stakes bid
The Irishman (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) will have his first stakes tilt in Australia at Rosehill on Saturday when he contests the G2 Chandon Phar Lap S.
He won first-up over 1400 metres at Warwick Farm last week and pleased new trainer Mark Newnham with the way he handled things.
“He is a really nice horse,” Newnham told Racing HQ. “He did a good job to beat older and tougher opposition the other day. I was pleased with the way he raced and I was pleased with the way he handled himself at the races.
“If I had any reservations it might be that he has had 10 days and not an extra week to come through that last start.”
Late Sistema bid
Group 1 plans weren’t originally on the cards for Fonsalette (NZ) (Belardo {Ire}) this weekend, but that all changed earlier this week when the nominations came out for the G1 Sistema S.
Fonsalette (NZ)
“It wasn’t a race that was on our radar,” trainer Stephen Marsh said. “We were going to run on Wednesday at Matamata and then go to the G1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce S., but when it came up four nominations for the Group 1 we decided to change tack.”
Fonsalette has finished runner-up in two of her three starts, including the G2 Matamata Breeders’ S. last start and Marsh has been pleased with the way she has come through that run.
Withdrawals hit Goffs Sale
The delayed Goffs February Sale concluded this week with Part 2, a session of 84 short yearlings. The difficulties presented by offering young stock in an online format were highlighted by a large number of withdrawals from the original catalogue of 228, and a clearance rate of 42 per cent.
The 35 horses to have found a buyer returned an average price of €10,311 (AU$19,810) and median of €8000 (AU$15,370), and they added €360,900 (AU$693,470) to the overall tally for the Sale which had to undergo both date and format changes.
Among the most in-demand of the Flat-bred stock of the session were fillies by Australian sprinters Exceed And Excel and Zoustar. The former, Lot 374, was sold by Mark and Elaine Clarke's Wardstown Stud for €26,000 (AU$49,960) to BC Bloodstock and is a half-sister to Listed winner Copper Knight (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}).
The filly from the first European crop of Tweenhills stallion Zoustar (Lot 453) hails from the family of G1 Sussex S. winner Mohaather (GB) (Showcasing {GB}). She was bought from Baroda Stud for €25,000 (AU$48,000) by Italian trainer Bruno Grizzetti.
Behind closed doors
With the exception of limited horse connections, racing officials, accredited media and sponsors, the Dubai World Cup card at Meydan on March 27 will be staged without spectators.
“Dubai Racing Club will host the race meeting, without spectators and tickets will not be sold,” the club said. “All races will be contested and regulated in a standard fashion and results will be recorded in an official capacity.”
The Dubai World Cup, which celebrates its 25th renewal in 2021, was an early victim of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, with the 2020 renewal cancelled altogether six days out.
Outside chance again
Veteran stayer Roger That (NZ) (Shinko King {Ire}) is shaping as the forgotten horse in the G1 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup.
Roger That (NZ)
The Antony Fuller-trained 8-year-old won last year’s edition at 40-1 and the hardy stayer will again go around at decent odds again (NZ$34 fixed) on Saturday, on the back of trailing the field home in the G2 Avondale Cup (2400 metres).
“He came through it fine. He had a bit of skin off a couple of legs but other than that it was all superficial,” Fuller said.
Fuller, a former shearer turned horse trainer, prepares a small team of around a dozen horses in conjunction with wife Sarah from their Bay Of Plenty farm.
