Pinjarra meeting moved
Pinjarra’s feature Magic Millions meeting has been moved to Sunday due to an extreme heat warning for Saturday afternoon.
Sunday’s scheduled meeting at Narrogin has been postponed with more information to follow.
Currie cleared of serious injury
Luke Currie has been cleared of serious injury after a fall at the Sha Tin trials on Friday morning.
Currie, who has only just started riding in the Asian racing-mecca, came off the David Hall-trained Pride Of Eight (Pride Of Dubai) when his saddle slipped, according to the South China Morning Post.
Luke Currie | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
He was then taken by ambulance to the Prince Of Wales in a conscious state, with doctors diagnosing the Group 1-winning hoop with a concussion.
Rising stars trial in style
A host of autumn stars were on display at the Warwick Farm trials on Friday morning, including gun sprinter Lost And Running (Per Incanto {USA}) and classy filly Zouzarella (Zoustar).
While Lost And Running was the headline act in the second trial of the morning it was the John O’Shea-trained galloper’s stablemate Quantico (I Am Invincible) who finished the better of Lost And Running and Jamaea (Headwater) over 900 metres in a time of 54.15s.
The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Zouzarella was ultra-impressive in her first public hitout since failing to fire in the G1 Thousand Guineas, leading all the way to defeat quality mare Nimalee (So You Think {NZ}) in the 1000 metre Group trial.
Zouzarella beat home Nimalee by 1.75l and clocked a time of 1:01.43.
Icon breaks maiden in Elite style
Elite Icon (Nicconi), a half-brother to G1 Winterbottom S. hero Elite Street (Street Boss {USA}), broke his maiden in style at Moonee Valley on Friday.
The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained gelding, who finished second on debut at Flemington last month, was taken straight to the front by Dean Holland before kicking clear on straightening to score by a commanding margin from Suparazi (Super One) and Shootoose (Shooting To Win).
A $160,000 2020 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale purchase by Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA), McEvoy Mitchell Racing and Damon Gabbedy's Belmont Bloodstock (FBAA), Elite Icon races in Hedge's silks.
Moody filly to perform
Unraced filly Nanagui (Sebring) has shown Peter Moody enough at home to warrant a debut in Saturday’s G3 Chairman’s S. at Caulfield.
The Pakenham-based horseman toyed with the idea of kickstarting the juvenile's career in a Bendigo maiden on Sunday but has opted to chase the extra $165,000 in prizemoney on offer.
"She will take very good benefit from the experience, but I don't like to run them where I don't think they can be competitive and I think she will run a good, competitive race," Moody said on his ‘Moody on the Mic’ podcast.
Henry Field and Peter Moody | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
"She's shown us nice ability at home, she's had one official jump-out over a short margin and another private jump-out amongst our own at home and really pleased us."
Hampshire ready to roll
Part-owner Anthony Panozzo believes well-bred colt New Hampshire (I Am Invincible) can become the fourth Group winner for super-producer Lipari (Redoute’s Choice) when he is unveiled in Saturday's G3 Chairman’s S. at Caulfield.
The Michael Moroney-trained colt, who will race in Rupert Legh’s famed blue and yellow lightning bolt silks, is a half-brother to G1 Australian Derby winner Levendi, G3 Premier’s Cup winner Wu Gok (Sebring) and G3 National S. hero Marcel From Madrid (Sepoy).
“We’re looking at all the big races with him, Blue Diamond, (VRC) Sires', all the proper races,” Panozzo, who is the managing owner of Dubai Sprint Consolation runner-up He's A Balter (Spirit Of Boom), told Racenet.
Lipari | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
“He’s pretty exciting I think, we don’t know how good he is until he gets to the races but everything he’s doing (track work and jump-outs) he’s doing with ease. Fingers crossed he can reproduce (raceday) what he's doing on the track.”
Smith likens Tuvalu to Scales
Lindsey Smith has likened his exciting young galloper Tuvalu (Kermadec {NZ}) to former stable stalwart Scales Of Justice (Not A Single Doubt) ahead of the 4-year-old’s second-up on assault on Caulfield this Saturday.
The Warrnambool-based trainer is confident Tuvalu can lump 61kgs to victory in a 1600 metre BM78 H., saying the last start Port Fairy Cup winner is more developed than Scales Of Justice was at this stage of his career.
"He reminds me of Scales Of Justice and maybe he's doing a little bit more than 'Chopper' did at the same time and if he could get to his (Scales Of Justice) grade, obviously we'd be delighted,” Smith told RSN.
"I'm a bit of a play-by-play man, but I look towards Western Australia maybe and a couple of those Group 1 races but if he surprises me, he could sort of head towards the mile race at Flemington over the Carnival (Kennedy Mile).”
Savezar poised for Cup reward at Wingatui
Robert Dennis’ persistence with quirky mare Savezar (NZ) (Savabeel) has already proven fruitful and it could yet again produce an immensely satisfying payoff if she can take out Saturday's Listed Alleviate Administration Dunedin Gold at Wingatui.
Previously with Cambridge trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood, Savezar joined Dennis as a one-win mare last August and in seven starts since, she has never finished worse than fourth, winning three times, including the Waikouaiti Cup at Wingatui last month with a dazzling late turn of foot.
"She shouldn't have been able to win from where she was the other day. Horses don't usually do that. She was very impressive," Dennis said.
"She's more or less taken the race in her stride. It didn't knock her around too much and her work since has been good.
“Because she's so highly strung, I don't give her too much work. She keeps herself naturally fit and that's been the way with her since she arrived here."
Shadwell and Godolphin dominate Tattersalls opener
There was a true blue feel to the first day of the Tattersalls February Sale, with the partial dispersal of Shadwell stock and a sizeable draft from Godolphin dominating the leader board and accounting for all five of the six-figure lots to have changed hands during a strong opening session.
Barring 2018, when several members of the Ballymacoll Stud dispersal set new record prices for February, the average of 18,311 gns (AU$37,000) was the highest seen at this Sale and was not far from double the figure set 12 months ago.
The day's clearance rate was up 15 points at 82 per cent for 170 sold from 208 offered, bringing a first-day aggregate of 3,112,800 gns (AU$6.25 million), up 168 per cent.
With the Sale staged under normal conditions this time, compared to the virtual auction of 2021, the median also improved by 57 per cent to 9 000 gns (AU$18,050).
Enable set for Dubawi date
Dual G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and triple G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. winner Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) is one of eight Juddmonte mares set to visit Dubawi (Ire) this season.
Enable (GB) | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Enable, whose 11 Group 1 wins also included the G1 Oaks and GI Breeders’ Cup Turf, was covered by Kingman (GB) last winter.
Subjectivist sidelined until 2023
Group 1-winning stayer Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) will remain sidelined until at least 2023 after failing to recover from injury in time to prepare for a title defence at the G1 Ascot Gold Cup.
The Charlie Johnston-trained galloper sustained an injury to his right foreleg in July last year and hasn’t been seen at the races since.
“We felt that to be ready in time for Ascot he’d have to go back into work now and as it’s really only eight months since the injury was sustained and we don’t feel it’s quite long enough,” Johnston said.
“He's very well in himself, but we want to give the injury the best chance of withstanding training when he comes back into full work. The longer he has off the better chance we stand, so we've had to weigh that up.”
Vermeulen to appeal six-month ban
Trainer Fabrice Vermeulen, who was banned for six months by France Galop for alleged ownership record falsifications for a dozen horses in his care, has opted to appeal the decision, the Jour de Galop reported on Thursday.
“I am appealing the decisions because I don’t understand them, quite simply I think it’s just (a) misunderstanding," Vermeulen said.
Vermeulen’s assistant Jeremy Para who was banned for a year with six months suspended, has not appealed as of Thursday evening.
