Daily News Wrap

O'Brien takes charge of Graceful Girl

G1 Winterbottom S. winner Graceful Girl (Nicconi) has joined the stables of Danny O’Brien.

Owner Bob Peters said the 4-year-old mare recently made the trip to Victoria and would be given a spell.

“She’s gone across but she’s gone straight to the spelling paddock,” Peters told Racing.com.

“She’s had the race (Winterbottom) and the float trip – it’s pretty heavy going for them, it takes fives days to get across in the truck – so she’ll have a good spell now.

“At this stage, she probably won’t be racing in the autumn.”

Graceful Girl has five wins from her 10 starts and had been prepared by top Western Australian trainers Grant and Alana Williams.

Goodwood goal for Outlaws

Trainer Ryan Balfour is eager to aim Saturday's Listed Christmas H. winner Outlaws Revenge (Reward For Effort) at next year's G1 The Goodwood.

Jockey Dom Tourneur is confident the 4-year-old will stack up at the elite level.

“If he ran into a better class of horses, I think he’d run a better race,” he told Racing.com.

“I’d like to see him with a better quality of horse, and they go at a stronger tempo, and I reckon he’d have an even better turn of foot.

“Last time we had a crack at Group level he wasn’t mentally strong or mature enough. Certainly now he’s demonstrating that he’s going to be deserving of a crack at group level.”

Outlaws Revenge may contest the G3 Standish H. down the straight at Flemington next month, before being spelled with an aim to peak in South Australia's leading sprint.

Lady headed to Gold Coast

Lady Of Honour (No Nay Never {USA}) is on track to tackle the R. Listed Magic Millions 3YO Guineas first-up next month.

Co-trainers Ben and JD Hayes have confirmed that the last Listed Twilight Glow S. victor would tackle the race off a break.

The Hayeses confirmed that recent Moonee Valley winner and stablemate Luna Cat (Puissance De Lune {Ire}) may also be set for the $2 million feature.

Williams out until end of December

Leading Melbourne jockey Craig Williams has begun his 17-meeting suspension, which will see him miss much of December.

Williams was found guilty of careless riding at Moonee Valley last Friday night aboard Volcanic Rock (Hinchinbrook).

Stewards found that approaching the 1400-metre mark Williams shifted out when not clear of Skyt (Nicconi) and deemed the incident to be in the high range.

He started his 17-meeting suspension after yesterday's Flemington meeting and will return at Moonee Valley on New Year's Eve.

Wilde beginnings for Ed

Expectations have been raised for the Symon Wilde-trained Untouchable Ed (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) after his impressive victory on debut at Bendigo.

The Price Bloodstock-owned 4-year-old, a half-brother G1 Levin Classic winner Dukedom (NZ) (Bachelor Duke {USA}), charged home to win the 1400 metre maiden for jockey Harry Coffey by a widening 2l.

"He'll go on and win nicer races," Coffey said. "Another 1400-metre race maybe for him next time because he has to go up in grade and it's tougher but after that a mile and beyond will be his go.

"It's pretty exciting to see what he can do when he knows what's going on because today he was pretty green."

Untouchable Ed was purchased for NZ$50,000 by John Foote Bloodstock from the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale. Given his ownership, he looks a likely prospect to head to Hong Kong.

In-form Ballymore eyes Boxing Day

Four wins during the week, including a double at Te Rapa on Saturday, has trainer Pam Gerard excited about the prospects for her Ballymore Stables team leading into the busiest period of racing in New Zealand.

Wins by Tevere (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) and Sassy Merlot (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}) provided plenty of reasons to celebrate for Gerard and her Australian-based training partner Michael Moroney.

“We’ve got some very nice young horses coming through, but we needed to get them racing consistently on good tracks to see the best from them,” she said.

“We seem to be getting a good roll on now and that really lifts everyone’s spirits, the staff, the owners and people associated with us and that is a good feeling.”

Gerard said Sassy Merlot who could also feature on Boxing Day at Ellerslie.

“Sassy Merlot has needed the dry tracks to excel and she got that at Te Rapa,” she said. “It’s a big ask for a 3-year-old to take on the older horses in that grade and she ended up winning very convincingly.

“A race like the Uncle Remus S. (Listed) on Boxing Day is a nice target for her as I think at the moment the 1400 metres is as far as she wants to go.

“She will have to take on the boys in that race, but after what she did on Saturday I’m not afraid of that.”

James pays tribute to Wellwood

Roger James acknowledges the decision to bring Robert Wellwood into a training partnership back in 2018 has reinvigorated his own passion for the racing game and played a major role in a successful Saturday.

The pair produced a perfect set of stakes victories at Te Rapa as Concert Hall (NZ) (Savabeel) took out the G2 Cal Isuzu S., before Cheaperthandivorce (NZ) (Savabeel) scored in the G3 Waikato Cup and Two Illicit (NZ) (Jimmy Choux {NZ}) won the G1 Captain Cook S.

“Robert has been with me in partnership now going on four years and we are really hitting our straps,” he said.

“I have had four previous training partners who have all gone on to do well in their own right and Robert came along at just the right time for me to put another partnership together.

“He has a top background in the equestrian field, is young and enthusiastic and that motivates me, in what is probably the twilight of my career.

“That’s not to say I’m thinking of stepping back at all as I’m 100 per cent committed, but it is nice to have someone to share the load with.

“Robert also recently commenced buying into the business, so whatever is mine in terms of clients and infrastructure will eventually be his and that will be good for both of us.”