King ready for Criaderas charge in Villiers
Rachel King has declared that she will take her medicine and ride notoriously sluggish starter Criaderas (Lonhro) cold from barrier 15 in Saturday’s G2 Villiers S. at Randwick
King, who is shooting for three consecutive victories in the $750,000 feature, said the James Cummings-trained gelding is the type of horse that is capable of winning a race like the Villiers.
Criaderas | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“Criaderas does need a bit of luck with how he races but when things go his way, he is a very talented horse. We have tried all different things to get him to jump better and settle closer in his races, but he always seems to resort to what he does best. It is just the way he is, he has always been like that,” King told Racenet.
“But in a Villiers, it’s a big field with decent horses and they should roll along at a nice tempo which hopefully will give him the chance to run into the race.”
Hoops outed for failed breath tests
Queensland-based jockeys Brad Stewart and Justin Huxtable have each been suspended for three weeks after failing breath tests at Eagle Farm trackwork earlier this week.
Both jockeys pleaded guilty to a charge under AR139(1)(a) after their breath tests were above the allowable threshold.
"In determining penalty, stewards considered both riders' guilty plea, personal circumstances, forthright evidence, and the relevant penalty precedents," a QRIC stewards report released on Thursday read.
Richards buoyed by Bosson booking
Jamie Richards believes Opie Bosson could hold the key to Prise De Fer (NZ) (Savabeel) claiming an elusive topflight success in Saturday’s G1 Captain Cook S. at Te Rapa.
The 6-year-old gelding will contest the reschedule feature event off the back of placings in the G1 Windsor Park Plate and G1 Livamol Classic at Hastings.
Pris De Fer (NZ) | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
"He's shown throughout his career that he's probably a fraction off the top ones but hopefully he's not that far away and with Opie (Bosson, jockey) being back in, that's a big help," Richards said.
"Opie was happy with him. He's ready to run really well. His form at Hastings was top-notch. We've been happy with him all the way through so I can see no reason why he's not a top-three chance."
Sebring Sun on the board
Glenthorne Park-based sire Sebring Sun has sired his first winner, with the victory of 2-year-old Coriander at Mackay.
Coriander, trained by Tom Smith at Rockhampton, was victorious in a 1050 metre 2-year-old race.
He was purchased for $15,000 by Burleigh Estates at the 2021 Magic Millions March Yearling Sale.
Purton claims third Jockeys’ Championship
Zac Purton has claimed a record-equalling third International Jockeys’ Championship despite riding no winners at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.
Purton amassed 22 points with three seconds and a third under the 12 points for a win, six for second and four for third format.
Zac Purton
With second placings on Glorious Lover (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}), Amazing One Plus (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}) and Shining Gem (Makfi {GB}) along with a third on Circuit Seven (Deep Field), Purton out-scored Tom Marquand, Hollie Doyle, James McDonald and Mickael Barzalona, who shared a four-way tie for second on 12 points.
Lighthouse sailing towards stakes success
Group 3-placed American-import Lighthouse (USA) (Mizzen Mist {USA}) will use Saturday’s Des Gleeson H. at Flemington as a stepping stone towards next month’s Listed Chester Manifold S. if everything goes according to script.
David Eustace, who trains Lighthouse in partnership with Ciaron Maher, said a third consecutive victory on Australian soil would all but guarantee the Jamie Roth-owned 5-year-old a tilt at Southern Hemisphere black type.
Lighthouse (USA) after winning at Ballarat
“The plan from the moment she arrived was to get some black-type form over here and she's going to get her opportunity to do that fourth-up and fit," Eustace old Racing.com.
"She'll race through to the breeding season at least, so she's going to have at least nine months of racing and I suppose it just depends on how far she gets and how far she can stretch out.”
Price on the board
Young apprentice Maddi Price rode her first winner at Warrnambool for master Jamie Edwards on Wednesday.
Maddi Price winning at Warrnambool aboard Grable
The 20-year-old partnered Grable (Dream Ahead {USA}) to a 1l victory in a BM58 H. over 1100 metres.
Rossa to tackle Falvelon fresh
Will Clarken has confirmed the Listed Falvelon Quality at Eagle Farm on Boxing Day as stable star Beau Rossa’s (Unencumbered) return date.
The leading South Australian-based trainer said the G1 Memsie S. runner-up has arrived in Sydney in superb condition and will make his way to Queensland in the coming weeks.
Beau Rossa at Caulfield
"He will run first-up in the Falvelon, he will have plenty of weight but it’s a good stepping stone into the Magic Millions Snippets," Clarken told RSN.
Thunder to strike second-up
The All-Star Mile favourite I’m Thunderstruck (NZ) (Shocking) has ‘walked back into pre-training’ in ‘sensational order’, according to Michael Kent Jnr.
Kent Jnr, who trains the G1 Toorak H. and Golden Eagle winner in partnership with Mick Price, said I’m Thunderstruck is likely to contest the $5 million feature second-up before potentially stretching out to 2000 metres.
I'm Thunderstruck (NZ) (navy, yellow and white silks) winning the Golden Eagle | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“He’s the right horse and Flemington is his track. Flemington is going to suit him better than Caulfield, that’s for sure,” Kent Jnr told Racenet.
“It’s very exciting what he may be at his third prep, we think he’ll get 2000 metres and that opens up more doors. The world is his oyster.”
Pateman to saddle up first Sydney runner
Champion jumps jockey and dual licence holder Steven Pateman will saddle up his first runner in Sydney as a trainer in Saturday’s Christmas Cup at Randwick.
Pateman is ‘chasing the wet weather’ with consistent stayer Lion’s Share (Animal Kingdom {USA}), who comes through a fourth-placing in the Listed Sandown Cup.
“(Dropping) back in trip doesn’t suit from two miles to 2400 metres, but she has been racing well on good ground, so the likelihood of a soft track is right up her alley,” Pateman told Just Horse Racing.
“On good ground, she is a top-three chance, on a heavy track she is a really good chance of winning.”
