Enthaar set to target Moir
Co-trainer Ciaron Maher has his eye on the G1 Moir S. with comeback filly Enthaar (Written Tycoon).
Enthaar hasn't started since finishing sixth when favourite for the G1 Blue Diamond S. but Maher has bold spring plans.
Enthaar after winning the G3 Chairman’s S. | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
“She has furnished but she still has a bit more growing to do,” he told Racenet.
“We've got her training along nicely in Melbourne and a race like the Moir S. should suit her nicely but it’s whether she goes there first-up.
“We will see if she needs a run to get in there but I’d imagine the 1000 metres would certainly suit her. She’s a fast filly.”
Waterhouse and Bott secure Cups hope
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have finalised a deal to secure stakes-winning stayer Sir Lucan (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) from Coolmore.
Sir Lucan, the brother of last year’s G1 Cox Plate winner Sir Dragonet (Ire), was runner-up in G3 Gordon S. at Goodwood last month and tackles the G2 Great Voltigeur S. takes at York on Wednesday.
The Northern Hemisphere 3-year-old is then likely to tackle the G1 St Leger on September 11, after which a trip to Australia to tackle the major spring Cups is on the cards.
“The path we’re on at present is to target the St Leger and then come over,” Bott told the Herald Sun. “But in horse racing things evolve.”
Mo'unga comes of age
Jockey Tommy Berry holds strong spring ambitions for Mo’unga (NZ) (Savabeel), who resumes in the G1 Winx S. next Saturday.
Berry said he felt the 4-year-old Annabel Neasham-trained horse had matured significantly over the break.
“When horses are young colts they tend to be more easily distracted and at times not have their minds on the job,” Berry told Racenet. “I guess that’s why blinkers have proven to be so effective on him in the past. They make him switch on.
Mo’unga (NZ)
“Just like humans, horses mature as they get older. He’s been through racing stable systems a few times now and when you combine those sorts of things – he’s started to come of age.
“There’s no doubt he needs to have improved to measure up to the good weight-for-age horses but (his work on) Friday gave me a bit more reason for optimism. It’s going to be very interesting to see how he performs in the Winx.”
Vets to inspect Streets Of Avalon
Multiple Group 1 winner Streets Of Avalon (Magnus) is unlikely to contest the G1 Memsie S. later this month after pulling up lame following Saturday's PB Lawrence S.
Trainer Shane Nichols said on Sunday the lameness was minor and that after a full veterinary check, he expected the horse's campaign to continue but that was most likely not going to be in the Memsie.
"He was one out of five (lame) yesterday at the races trotting up and this morning he was better but we’ll obviously have the vet look over him tomorrow,’’ Nichols said.
"We were mystified by the performance but he did look to get fired up when Fred Kersley (Archedemus) came around us,’’ he said. "That got him pulling and he gave ground in the straight.
"So, we’ll have the vets have a look at him tomorrow and we re-assess."
Dalasan sore but fine
Dalasan (Dalakhani {Ire}) is set to continue with his spring campaign having escaped any serious damage in a nasty pre-race incident at Morphettville on Saturday.
Dalasan, a five-time stakes winner, escaped from his handler ahead of his return in the G3 Spring S. and slipped on the bitumen. But while he has taken some skin off, he appears to be fine according to co-trainer Andrew Gluyas.
“He is certainly smarting this morning and knows he had a bad day yesterday,” he told Racing.com. “Overall though he is quite bright and is naturally going to have a quiet couple of days.
"The vets have tidied up his cuts and scratches, bandaged him up, and he is on a course of antibiotics."
The intention is for Dalasan to start in the race named after his other co-trainer, the Leon Macdonald S., at Morphettville on August 28 and then tackle the G1 Makybe Diva S. at Flemington.
Jamaea ready to return
Group 2-winning filly Jamaea (Headwater) has come through Saturday's gallop at Kembla Grange in good shape.
The Robert and Luke Price-trained 3-year-old will resume in Saturday’s G2 Silver Shadow S. at Randwick, with Tommy Berry to ride.
Bonny ramping up for spring
Trainer Graham Richardson has some bold spring plans for his G2 Matamata Breeders’ S.-winning filly Bonny Lass (NZ) (Super Easy {NZ}).
Bonny Lass will tackle the open-class horses in a Te Rapa trial on Monday, with Richardson keen to see her have a good day out without being fully extended.
“She (Bonny Lass) has been working along steadily and is ready for a nice quiet hitout on Monday,” he said. “I feel she has strengthened up nicely over her winter break and she is ready for a trial now.
“She was up there with the best 2-year-olds last season, so it would be good to see her take the next step as we have some big plans for her this season.
“Safely through her trial, she will probably go to a race meeting for a day out and then we will get her ready for her fresh-up run which will be in the (G3) Gold Trail S. at Hastings next month.
“If everything goes to plan then we will be looking to get her to Riccarton for the 1000 Guineas in November, but there is plenty of water to go under the bridge before then.”
Whiskey shot at black type
Trainer Shaune Ritchie is keen to aim progressive 3-year-old Whiskey (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}) at stakes company after he broke his maiden at Te Rapa on Saturday.
Ritchie will monitor the recovery rate of his charge with an eye on a start in the Listed Wanganui Guineas on September 4 as his next assignment.
“I don’t really want to go to Ruakaka or Hastings with him so a race like the Wanganui Guineas looks ideal,” he said.
“Although he comes from a real sprinting family, I think he can get a little further later in the season so races like the Karaka Million 3-Year-Old (1600 metres) might not be out of the question.”
Whiskey was purchased for NZ$21,000 out of the Brighthill Farm draft at the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale.
