The Everest campaign begins for Gytrash
Star sprinter Gytrash (Lope De Vega {Ire}) has returned to pre-training in Sydney after spelling near Hawkesbury.
Already locked in by Inglis as its representative for the 2021 The Everest, Gytrash has one major goal this spring according to trainer Gordon Richards.
Gytrash (blue and white silks)
“He looks good and it’s a matter of giving him plenty of time to be ready for the race,” he told Punters.com.au.
“It’s full steam ahead. We probably won’t come back here to Adelaide and will be based there at Warwick Farm again.
“He is on the water walker up there at Menangle at the moment and will do a month there before he gets back to work.”
I've Bean There headed to Hong Kong
The Stuart Kendrick-trained I've Bean There (Spill The Beans) has reportedly been sold to Hong Kong for $900,000.
The one-time $13,000 yearling from the Magic Millions March Yearling Sale is headed to Hong Kong after five Australian starts, which featured a win at Eagle Farm and a fourth in the G1 Champagne S. at Randwick.
I've Bean There as a yearling
“It was a pretty good windfall for the owners," Kendrick told Racenet.
“There are four horses I have sold to Hong Kong in the last few years, I have lost four pretty good horses out of my stable but I think those horses have returned to the owners about $3.5 million from their sales and those horses had only cost about $150,000 all-up.
“My son bought this horse and syndicated him and there were a group of blokes who jumped in on the syndication."
Currie to take a spell
Experienced jockey Luke Currie will rest up ahead of the spring carnival after a fall at Geelong on Friday.
Currie, who won both the G1 Blue Diamond S. and G1 Newmarket H. earlier this year is suffering some soreness after coming off On the Program (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}).
“I’m pretty sure there is no damage but maybe just aggravated some old injuries,” Currie told Racing.com.
Anthony Freedman and Luke Currie
“I had a sore arm and shoulder and was a bit stiff and just went home and monitored it, but I could feel it stiffen in the car driving home.
“I thought I was pretty right but when I woke up on Saturday I was quite stiff and sore in the neck and back, so I didn’t ride at Flemington.
“I was due to have a break anyway so it won’t hurt. I will probably take a couple of weeks off and rest up."
McDougall chasing Parnham
Blaike McDougall is holding out hope he can reel in Chris Parnham and win the Australian Jockeys' Premiership.
McDougall is on 180 winners, eight behind Parnham, but would love nothing more than being crowned Australia's leading jockey.
“The latest COVID-19 lockdown hasn’t come at the ideal time, but I can only do what I can do and I’m going to give it my best shot,” he told Racenet.
“To win a national title would mean the world to me and I’m close.
“Other than winning a Sydney or Melbourne premiership, I think it would be as big of an achievement as I could aspire to so I’m going to leave no stone unturned.
“I’m even heading up to Grafton this week to ride at the Cup carnival for the first time.”
William Pike has won the past five Australian Jockeys' Premierships.
Ryan keen to roll again
Trainer Nick Ryan is not giving up Group 1 hopes with import Dice Roll (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}) despite his defeat in Saturday's Listed Winter Championship Final at Flemington.
Dice Roll led up in the race after starting $1.60 favourite, but could only finish fourth, 1.25l from winner Mongolian Marshal (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}).
“The horse pulled up well, ate up and trotted up sound this morning so we will just digest it all and let the dust settle,” Ryan told Racing.com.
“It’s a speed bump and we will have to think about it, but you could freshen him up for a PB Lawrence, Rupert Clark, Toorak H. type path."
The Dominator goes barrier to box
The Henry Dwyer-trained The Dominator (NZ) (Thewayyouare {USA}) caused an upset in the feature $100,000 Thackeray Steeplechase at Warrnambool on Sunday.
The 9-year-old put on a bold front-running display to defeat Police Camp (GB) (Lawman {Fr}) by 5l, with Bit Of A Lad (Ladoni {GB}) in third. Long odds-on favourite Flying Agent (NZ) (Raise The Flag {GB}) finished fourth.
The other jumps feature, the Kevin Lafferty Hurdle, was taken out by the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Saunter Boy (Fr) (Myboycharlie {Ire}).
Cross Roads to be aimed at Winter Cup
A shot at next month's G3 Winter Cup (1600 meters) at Riccarton could be on the agenda for smart Hastings winner Cross Roads (NZ) (Sweet Orange {NZ}).
Opaki trainer, Gerald Innes, picked up a welcome winning double at Hastings and has high hopes he can keep that success going through the deeds of Cross Roads.
“He’s a horse that does everything right, settles nicely in his races and really finishes the job off," Innes said.
“We’ve got him nominated for the Winter Cup, but he is fairly low down in the order of entry so he will need to get good rating points from Saturday and also have a few of those above him drop away if he is going to get a start.
“I’m actually quite relaxed about it all as I think he could be a very good horse in the spring, so if he doesn’t make the Winter Cup field there will be other options after that.
“I’m not going to run him again before the Winter Cup and if he looks like missing out, we can change focus to the Opunake Cup (Listed) in three weeks for his next run.”
