Aquis snaps up Libertini for The Everest
Libertini (I Am Invincible) has been confirmed as the seventh runner in the $15 million The Everest.
Slotholder Aquis Farm has reached an agreement with the mare’s owners for her to run in the world’s richest turf race at Royal Randwick on October 16.
Owner Gerry Harvey told The Daily Telegraph he was excited to give the Anthony Cummings-trained 5-year-old a second shot at The Everest.
“Anthony tells me that the mare is going better than ever and we just need to draw a good barrier and a dry track,’’ Harvey said.
“She drew the outside barrier last year and we might as well have stayed home.
“But we know she has broken 1 minute 8 seconds twice for the Randwick 1200 metres so if she turns up in that sort of form then she is in with a good chance.’’
Legend trials impressively
Top sprinter Classique Legend (Not A Single Doubt) was in dynamic form at Friday’s Randwick trials.
The Les Bridge-trained grey settled in fourth spot in his 1050-metre heat and dashed clear with little persuasion from rider Kerrin McEvoy to have 2.6l on Signore Fox (Exceed And Excel) at the post.
Bridge has yet to decide whether Classique Legend will resume in the G2 Premiere S. or go into the defence of his The TAB Everest title without a lead-up outing.
He is currently the $6 second favourite for October 16 feature behind Nature Strip (Nicconi), who is at $4.50. Eduardo (Host {Chi}) shares the $7 third line with Masked Crusader (Toronado {Ire}).
Archanna on market
Regally bred mare Archanna (Snitzel) headlines another strong catalogue for the Inglis Digital September (Late) Online Auction, which is now open for bidding.
A three-quarter sister to the five-time Group 1 winner and sire The Autumn Sun, she has won three of her 11 starts, all on metropolitan courses, and is offered as a racing and breeding proposition.
Archanna
Archanna herself was a $1.3 million Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale purchase for trainer Chris Waller and agent Guy Mulcaster.
The 208-lot strong September (Late) Online Auction catalogue is now open for bidding at inglisdigital.com, with the final countdown starting from midday AEST on Wednesday, September 29.
Paulele in top order
Trainer James Cummings can’t fault Paulele (Dawn Approach {Ire}) ahead of the Listed Petaluma Heritage S. at Rosehill.
“He is very bright after his narrow defeat in the San Domenico. He is ready to run a really good race,” he said.
Paulele
“The horse has got versatility, he can either be up there right on the speed or he can be ridden conservatively, and from a wide barrier (10) James McDonald is going to have a decision to make.”
Paulele was an easy winner of the Listed Rosebud S. when resuming two runs back at Randwick before his close second in the G3 San Domenico S. at Kembla Grange.
Colt too nippy
Nipotino (Snitzel) showed a measure of the family ability at Randwick on Friday when she won the sole 2-year-old trial on the program.
The colt sat outside of the leader for Rachel King and went straight and true to the line to beat the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained filly Kobenhavn (I Am Invincible) by 0.2l.
Nipotino is prepared by John Thompson, who trained his dam Nieta (Nicconi) to win five races and multiple black-type placings.
Thompson purchased Nipotino out of Kitchwin Hills’ Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale draft for $280,000 with breeder Greg de Vries remaining in the ownership group.
On target for Cups
Quality stayer The Chosen One (NZ) (Savabeel) takes the next step in his build-up toward the G1 Caulfield Cup and G1 Melbourne Cup when he tackles the G1 Underwood S. at Sandown.
While not expecting to upset the hot favourite Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}), Baker, is keen to have a go in a race that has been good to the stable over the years.
The Chosen One (NZ)
“We’ve won it on four occasions, dating back to The Phantom in 1990 and then more recently with Lion Tamer (2011), Dundeel (2013) and Bonneval (2017),” he said.
“We’re very happy with The Chosen One. He was good in the Feehan first-up (when third) and we haven’t done a lot with him. He may be looking for 2000 metres or a bit more now, but we’re bound to have a go.”
Cup Day postponed
Benalla Cup Day on Friday was postponed without a race run after a wet patch in the straight deemed the track unsafe.
“The riders in the first race, the 10 of them had a discussion among themselves that they wanted to have a vote and they did and after that, the outcome was the meeting was postponed,” Michael Williams from the RV Stewards team told Racing.com.
“Their main concern was going from a Good 4 to a Heavy 10 in a short distance and if one was to put in awkward stride it would have a ripple effect to the horses behind it.”
Auckland Cup downgraded
The Pattern Review for the 2020/21 season has been completed, with the New Zealand Pattern Committee downgrading three races, most notably the Auckland Cup which drops back to Group 2 status.
This leaves the Melbourne Cup and Sydney Cup as the only 3200-metre Group 1 races in Australasia.
Also downgraded are the Easter H. from Group 2 to Group 3 and the Rotorua Cup from Group 3 to Listed.
Top filly passes away
Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), the winner of this year's GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. and GI Beverly D. S., has died after suffering complications from a fractured pelvis.
“Unfortunately, she had fractured her pelvis and that displaced overnight,” said trainer Aidan O'Brien. “It's terrible really when it displaced it caused internal bleeding and we didn't have any choice as she was in a lot of pain. It's such a shame.”
Bred by Aidan and Annemarie O'Brien's Whisperview Trading, Santa Barbara won her lone start as a 2-year-old at The Curragh last September and was the early favourite for the G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Cazoo Oaks.
She missed the board in both those races but bounced back to be a neck second in the G1 Pretty Polly S. at The Curragh on July 27 before reeling off an American Grade I double.
Applications open
Applications have opened for the 2022 Keith and Faith Taylor Equine Scholarship, which supports the successful recipient to travel to Ireland and complete the world-renowned Irish National Stud Diploma Course.
Due to COVID-19 related travel restrictions, the successful candidate must be fully vaccinated (Irish National Stud policy) and be willing to complete any quarantine requirements. If the return to New Zealand is delayed for any reason, the Irish National Stud and NZTBA will support the recipient during this time.
Applications can be sent to nztba@nzthoroughbred.co.nz by Friday, October 15. Interviews will be conducted October 20 and 21 with the recipient selected and notified by Friday October 29.
On trial for 1000 Guineas
A pair of Stephen Autridge and Kris Shailer-trained 3-year-old fillies will this weekend aim to enhance their chances of making the trip south for November's G1 Barneswood Farm 1000 Guineas at Riccarton.
Autridge and Shailer will produce Aris Aris (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) in the Kilgravin Lodge 1300 at Matamata on Saturday and Glory Bound (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) in the Gartshore Construction 1200 at Tauranga a day later.
"They are a couple of fillies we like that are coming up all right. Track conditions might interfere a little bit we're looking forward to seeing what they can do," Autridge said.
Tapiture colt popular
Strong trade continued at Keeneland Thursday in the 10th of 11 sessions of the Keeneland September Sale and the second of three Book 5 sessions. The day's top seller was a Tapiture (USA) colt (Hip 3173) from the Paramount Sales consignment, who brought US$145,000 (AU$198,600) from John Greathouse, agent for Glencrest Farm.
A total of 303 yearlings summoned US$9.194 million (AU$12.6 million) with the average US$30,343 (AU$41,570) and the median was US$23,000 (AU$31,500). In the pre-vaccine pandemic era last year, 244 horses brought US$4.764 million (AU$6.5 million) during the 10th day of selling with an average of US$19,528 (AU$27,000) and a median of US$13,000 (AU$18,000).
Awapuni specialist
Quiz Kid (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) will be looking to continue his great association with Awapuni on Saturday when he lines up in the G3 Boehringer Ingelheim Metric Mile.
The 5-year-old has had three starts at the Palmerston North venue for a win and two placings, including runner-up results in the Listed ANZAC Mile and Listed Rangitikei Gold Cup earlier this year.
Quiz Kid (NZ)
He will be met by Heavy 10 track conditions on Saturday, but Shaun Phelan, who trains the gelding in partnership with his father Craig, believes they will suit his charge, with a small caveat.
“Just as long as it is loose,” he said. “When he went down to the G3 Winter Cup at Riccarton last month it was just too sticky and he probably had enough. He likes Awapuni and a nice, loose, heavy track will suit him.”
Winning run continues
Stepping off a 3.5l Doncaster nursery handicap victory earlier this month, Godolphin's 2-year-old colt Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was in command throughout the G3 Tattersalls S. at Newmarket and registered another clear-cut success at the expense of Coolmore and Westerberg's French raider Trident (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}).
“He's not a big, imposing horse by any stretch and Lorna, who rides him at home, said it would take a good one to beat him,” trainer Charlie Appleby said.
“He did a bit of work on Saturday and, while he didn't surprise us, he worked particularly well. That was always the plan to go out there and make it and get them to come at us. It was a great ride by William (Buick) and it paid off.”
