Tragic loss of apprentice jockey
Popular apprentice jockey Marina Morel has tragically died as the result of injuries sustained in a fall during trackwork at Gulgong on Tuesday.
The 20-year-old was airlifted to Westmead Hospital following the incident, where she remained in intensive care until her passing on Saturday.
A French national, Morel arrived in Australia in 2014. She rode trackwork for trainer Luke Thomas at Cessnock before joining the Brett Thompson stable in 2021, where she went on to be licensed as an apprentice jockey.
Winning return for Probabeel
Reigning New Zealand Horse of the Year Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) began her new campaign on a winning note in Saturday’s G3 Lamaro’s Hotel Geoffrey Bellmaine S. at Caulfield.
Ridden by Brett Prebble for champion Kiwi trainer Jamie Richards, Probabeel edged out Flying Mascot (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) by 0.1l to record the 13th win of her 29-start career.
“She just hit a flat patch and was spinning her wheels a bit,” Prebble said. “We were up in a more forward position to what she’d normally be. The pace wasn’t that quick, but they dropped the hammer before the turn and really made a bit of a sprint home and that’s where she hit that flat patch.
“But then her stamina and her class kicked in late. It was a good feeling. It’s always hard carrying big weight and she’s a little bit older, too. Her determination and her ability, she’s always a pleasure to ride and I’m lucky to have the opportunity.”
Probabeel also won the Geoffrey Bellmaine last year and used it as a springboard to victory in the G1 Futurity S. in her next start. She is set to follow the same path again in 2022.
Group 1 targets beckon Lost And Running
Rising star sprinter Lost And Running (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) made a spectacular return to racing in the G3 Southern Cross S. at Randwick on Saturday, and the 5-year-old now has the G1 Canterbury S. looming large on his horizon.
Returning to action after a breakthrough spring that featured a win in The Hunter, second in the Classique Legend S. and fourth in The Everest, Lost And Running cruised to a first-up victory by 1.95l on Saturday.
Lost And Running (NZ) | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“He is just doing everything so much better now as he’s got older,” trainer John O’Shea said. “The next 12 months, if we can continue to keep him sound, he has got a really bright future.”
Irish import starts on winning note
Former Irish galloper Earlswood (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) made a winning Australian debut in Saturday’s G3 Keno T.S. Carlyon Cup at Caulfield and could have bigger targets in store.
The winner of three races in Ireland including the G3 Gallinule S. and Royal Whip S., Earlswood prevailed by 0.1l in a tight battle with Kiwi Group 1 winner Callsign Mav (NZ) (Atlante).
Earlswood (GB) (outside white cap) | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
“We’re over the moon today,” trainer Maddie Raymond said. “We’ve come here without a jump-out, so he’s got plenty of improvement left in the tank. It’s very exciting going forward.
“Obviously The All-Star Mile is a little bit tempting. We’ll have a chat with the owners. We could go to a Blamey potentially and then The All-Star Mile and take the risk of him getting in. But I think he’s an ideal Australian Cup candidate.”
Argentia returns in style
After a spring that began with high hopes and ended with an early spell, classy filly Argentia (Frankel {GB}) made a promising start to a new campaign with a victory in Saturday’s G3 SENET Kevin Hayes S.
Trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, Argentia was a highly impressive debut winner during the winter and began the spring as a leading contender for the G1 Thousand Guineas. However, a disappointing unplaced finish in the Listed Atlantic Jewel S. and subsequent setback brought a premature end to her campaign.
Argentia | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
“She pulled up with an issue at The Valley and we were bitterly disappointed, and it is just good to see her return,” Sam Freedman said. “She was not screwed down for this.
“She’s a very, very good filly and we’ve got some decisions to make now where we head, and she’s got a very bright future.”
Snapdancer dominates Triscay
The Sydney branch of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace’s powerful stable struck a big blow late in the day at Randwick on Saturday.
Snapdancer (Choisir), sent out as a $2.90 favourite for the G3 Robrick Lodge Triscay S., lived right up to expectations with a dominant 2.66l victory for jockey James McDonald. The 5-year-old mare has now had 16 starts for five wins, seven placings and more than $1 million in prizemoney.
Snapdancer | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
“She was always a mare we thought would get better with time and she has really improved this preparation,” stable representative Jo Gerard-Dubord said. “We gave her a light spring and that is being rewarded now.
“There are plenty more races for her. They are a great group of owners, Brad Spicer and the team, and it’s good now she is a stakes winner. That was her first stakes win, so that was great.”
Michelle Payne opens Queensland account
Trainer Michelle Payne is dipping her toes into Queensland, where she celebrated a first win with Group Think (So You Think {NZ}) in the Gallopers Sports Club BM72 H. at Doomben on Saturday.
“We just have a boutique stable up here in Queensland,” said Nikita Beriman, who looks after the Payne stable interests in Queensland. “We revolve the horses around from Victoria to Queensland. We’ve got four at the moment with another four or five to come back in. The door’s always open.
“We’ve had a couple that haven’t been the best of performers, so it was good to get one on the board, and to get it in town – even better.”
Pride eyes The Big Dance
Just a few days after The Big Dance was announced as a $2 million addition to Sydney’s spring carnival program, the November 2022 feature is already on the radar for trainer Joe Pride.
Pride saddled Silent Agenda (Redoute’s Choice) to win the George Mullen Farewell Mile at Randwick on Saturday and believes the mare could be an ideal candidate.
“Orla (Pearl, part-owner) has already told me that he is a Big Dance horse, so I’ve got to get him into a Country Cup somewhere,” Pride said. “We bought the horse with Country Cups in mind, and when they announced that race we were like, ‘Why not?’”
Time Test breeding right tops Sale
A breeding right to young Little Avondale Stud shuttle stallion Time Test (GB), who was last year's leading European first-season sire by black-type winners with four, topped the Goffs Online Sale of Stallion Breeding Rights when fetching a bid of £100,000 (AU $190,000) from Dash Grange Stud.
Breeding rights to Territories (Ire) and Belardo (Ire) sold for £18,000 (AU$34,000) and €16,500 (AU$31,000), respectively.
Time Test (GB) | Standing at Little Avondale Stud
Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby said, “Today's online Sale completes a successful week for Goffs and marks a first for the company – selling horses in a traditional, physical sale and also in an online only auction in the same week. It demonstrates the ever-growing capabilities and ongoing innovation of Goffs to be able to conduct auctions in both spheres and it has been very pleasing to see all five of the breeding rights sell. The Sale has provided a solid platform on which we can grow and we look forward to expanding our online sales offer in the future.”
Cause of death undetermined
The cause of the sudden death of G1 Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit (USA) (Protonico {USA}) on December 6 at Santa Anita remains undetermined, according to the findings of a necropsy.
In a news release issued on Friday, the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) stated that a “definitive cause of death was not established despite extensive testing.”
While anti-ulcer medication omeprazole the diuretic Lasix were detected in blood and urine samples, these findings were consistent with the medication report filed with CHRB by the attending veterinarian.
“No other drugs, heavy metals (including cobalt), or toxicants were detected,” wrote the CHRB.
The necropsy report itself summarises the findings of the study, which experts say are indicative of sudden cardiac events in racehorses.
