Reserved approach
The connections of top sprinter Behemoth (All Too Hard) are not getting over-confident about his resuming chances in Saturday’s G3 James Squire Spring S. at Morphettville.
“His lead up has been faultless, but he goes into Saturday with improvement to come,” Behemoth’s managing owner, Sam Lyons of Grand Syndicates, told Racenet.
“We don’t expect him to go there and just win as he is not fully wound up. He will run well, but you would expect he could be vulnerable to a fit horse like Beau Rossa and you can’t discount Dalasan.”
Behemoth
Moonlight Maid sells
The well-performed Moonlight Maid (Puissance De Lune {Ire}) has been sold after she was initially passed in at the Inglis Digital Online August (Early) Sale.
She had failed to reach her $500,000 reserve but bloodstock agent Robert Roulston, who managed the mare’s sale, confirmed that a sale agreement had been reached with an undisclosed buyer for an undisclosed price.
Moonlight Maid was trained by Mitchell Freedman and won the G2 Edward Manifold S., finished runner-up in the G1 Australasian Oaks and was third in the G1 VRC Oaks.
Change of direction
Racing Victoria (RV) and the Ballarat Turf Club (BTC) have today announced the following programming changes at Sportsbet-Ballarat for the 2021/22 racing season:
Following a request from Magic Millions and consultation with trainers and industry stakeholders, Racing Victoria and the Ballarat Turf Club has announced the Magic Millions 2YO Classic on Ballarat Cup Day will revert from a clockwise to the traditional Victorian way of going.
The race will remain over 1000 metres and retain its $250,000 prizemoney pool and qualification status for January’s R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic on the Gold Coast.
As a result of the change in direction, the field limit increases from 11 to 16 starters and horses are no longer required to trial on the track to qualify for the race.
Purse doubled
Prizemoney for the annual Gold Nugget has been doubled from $50,000 last year to $100,000 for the feature race at the Sportsbet-Ballarat meeting on September 19.
“The increased prizemoney for the Gold Nugget will boost the field for this annual feature event which holds a prime timeslot in early spring,” Ballarat Turf Club Chief Executive Belinda Glass said.
Bullish about mare
Trainer Peter Moody is confident about the chances of Diamonds Inthe Sky (Zoustar) in the Neds Filer Form H. at Caulfield.
"She comes in on the limit weight (54kg) after Will Price's claim, she was very good first-up the other day at Caulfield and has that run under her belt," he told Racing.com.
Diamonds Inthe Sky has fashioned the tidy record of three wins and two placings from eight appearances and was fifth when resuming over 1200 metres off a five month break.
Diamonds Inthe Sky (blue and white cap)
Smart filly back
Promising filly Scorched Earth (Nicconi) returns to action in the BECK Probuild Quezette S. at Caulfield on Saturday with the G1 Thousand Guineas on the radar.
"Is she scopey? Got the action? Has she got the genes to do it? I'm not really sure, but it has to be sorted and tried," trainer John Moloney told Racing.com.
Scorched Earth
Scorched Earth, who won last season’s Listed St Albans S. before a break, will have to overcome the outside barrier.
"If you draw bad, you make a decision, you go forward or you go back and we'll be going forward," he said.
"She's a really good beginner and that might set up okay because if we can get over in the front of half of the field and slot in, we'll land in around them and if it works out, we'll get our chance."
Eye on Guineas
Matamata trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott are eyeing a trip south to Wanganui next month with Treasure State (Trust In A Gust) if he performs well at Te Rapa on Saturday.
The 3-year-old will be aiming for back-to-back wins in the Waikato Draught 1200 and a tilt at the Listed Wanganui Guineas next month hinges on his performance.
“He is familiar with Te Rapa and he quickens well on the surface,” Scott told SEN. “If he can settle well, quicken, and look like he is going to run out a strong 1340 metres, he will head to the Wanganui Guineas.”
Ideal opportunity
Byerley Park trainer Danny Walker senses an opportunity at Te Rapa on Saturday with in-form winter galloper Crystalize (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}).
The last-start winner contests the Super Seth @ Waikato Stud Mile, in which the 6-year-old will carry 52.5kgs after the claim of apprentice Ace Lawson-Carroll.
Crystalize (NZ) | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
A now seven-time winner, Crystalize has placed at handicap level, but with resuming Group 1 performers Beauden (NZ) (Bullbars) and Sherwood Forest (Fastnet Rock) heading the weights for Saturday’s contest, Crystalize again looks hard to beat.
“He is the same as he was a couple of weeks ago and certainly hasn’t gone backwards. He is in the same sort of mode,” Walker said.
Owners fire back
Multiple Eclipse Award-winning owner-breeders Ken and Sarah Ramsey have asked a Kentucky court to oppose a recent motion for summary judgment in a lawsuit filed by trainer Wesley Ward over the married couple's alleged failure to pay US$903,274 (AU$1.2 million) in training bills.
According to the Blood-Horse, which first reported the story, the money dispute now involves Ward retaining control of 30 horses owned by the Ramseys. The couple's attorney wrote in a court filing that this is forcing the Ramseys to incur “tens of thousands of dollars in expenses” that they could have otherwise avoided.
According to the court filing, the Ramseys asked Ward around July 5 to return his horses along with their registration papers and was refused. Ward then filed on July 6 for an agister's lien in Fayette County to retain ownership of the horses until the alleged debt is paid.
Group purchase
Scott Heider has purchased the G3 Silver Flash S. winner Agartha (Ire) (Caravaggio {USA}) from breeder Annemarie O'Brien, with the 2-year-old filly set to stay in training with Joseph O'Brien.
One of three first crop stakes winners so far for Caravaggio (USA), Agartha was placed on four occasions including runner-up finishes to Sacred Bridge (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) and Homeless Songs (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), before breaking her maiden by 2.75l in the Silver Flash.
She is the first foal out of Arya Tara (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}), with Group 1 winners Astarabad (USA) and Azamour (Ire) appearing under the third dam.
Heider, a Grade 1-winning owner in America, has campaigned stakes winners Pista (USA) (American Pharoah {USA}), Crossfirehurricane (USA) (Kitten's Joy {USA}) and My Generation (USA) (Speightstown {USA}) with O'Brien.
