Tony Cruz to train SA Derby winner
Jungle Magnate (NZ) (Tarzino {NZ}) – an impressive winner of last month’s G1 South Australian Derby at Morphettville – will be trained in Hong Kong by top conditioner Tony Cruz.
Jungle Magnate (NZ) winning the G3 Chairman’s S. | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
The 3-year-old gelding was purchased by bloodstock agent George Moore for Patrick Kwok, who raced champion Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road To Rock), following his Derby triumph.
Jungle Magnate will be aimed towards next year’s Hong Kong Derby.
O’Shea eyes Cox Plate for Maximal
Regally bred stayer Maximal (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) will be targeted towards the G1 Cox Plate in the spring, according to trainer John O’Shea.
First, though, for three-quarter brother to Frankel (GB), is Saturday’s G2 The Q22 at Eagle Farm, where he will break from stall 14.
“We’ll be taking our medicine early, dropping him in and hope he can get within striking distance because he has a great turn of speed,” O’Shea told Racing.com.
Maximal will be spelled following Saturday’s $1.2 million contest.
“He’s got Victorian interests and the opportunity to hopefully qualify him for a Cox Plate would be nice because I think he would be well suited in a high-pressure race like that,” O'Shea said.
Cup winner on comeback trail
Vow And Declare (Declaration Of War {USA}) – the winner of the 2019 Melbourne Cup – has overcome a tendon injury.
The Danny O’Brien-trained stayer hasn’t raced since finishing 11th in last year’s Naturalism S. in the spring.
“He has rehabbed really well,” O’Brien said.
Vow And Declare is on the comeback trail following rehab for a tendon injury | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
“Lee Everson has had him since October last year and he’s been back with us at Barwon Heads for about six weeks.
“He has got a good fitness base and his legs look clean and sound.
“He’s got time now over the winter to get himself ready for the start of the spring.”
O’Hara looking to cash in
Sydney-based jockey Kathy O’Hara is hoping to take advantage of some of her peers being in Brisbane for Group 1 racing on Saturday.
O’Hara has a book of six rides at Randwick, and one her better chances is the Kacy Fogden-trained Midnight In Tokyo (Kobayashi), who will line up in the 1100-metre 2-year-old event.
Kathy O'Hara is set to ride Midnight In Tokyo this Saturday | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“My manager rang me last week and told me I got the ride and it’s probably one of the better horses I’ve been offered lately,” O’Hara told Newscorp.
“I’ve got to do my best to capitalise when the big jockeys are up in Brisbane riding in the Group 1 races, so hopefully I can capitalise on this horse.”
Swan Hill to take centre stage
The annual two-day Swan Hill carnival in regional Victoria gets underway on Friday, with the eight-race card highlighted by the $125,000 VOBIS Gold Elvstroem Classic for juveniles and $150,000 Golden Topaz.
One of the well-fancied runners in the 2-year-old feature is the VOBIS Gold The Showdown winner King’s Consort (Ilovethiscity), who ran fourth in the G3 Sires’ Produce S. in Adelaide last start.
The Team Freedman-trained gelding will be ridden by Damien Thornton.
Vale, Sally Chirnside
The racing industry is mourning the passing of trailblazer Sally Chirnside; the first female committee member of any Principal Racing Authority in Australia.
Chirnside created history when she was elected to the Victorian Racing Club committee in July, 1991.
Chirnside and her husband, grazier Andrew, bred and raced a number of top horses, including the Bart Cummings-trained Lord Dudley (), winner of the Australian Cup, Blamey Stakes, VRC Sires' Produce Stakes and VRC St Leger at Flemington.
She served on the committee until her retirement in April, 2002.
“Mrs Chirnside will be remembered by all involved at the Victoria Racing Club and the thoroughbred racing industry as a woman who broke through the glass ceiling with determination, dignity, passion and a sense of grace,” said VRC Chairman Neil Wilson.
Thursday double for Star Witness
Widden Victoria resident Star Witness enjoyed a double on Thursday, with Cooper Gem winning on the synthetic surface at Ballarat and Gypsy Rozay breaking her maiden status at Mackay.
Cooper Gem is from the same family as Listed winner Lake Sententia (California Dane).
Star Witness | Standing at Widden Victoria
Star Witness stands for $14,300 (inc GST).
Meanwhile, Tavistock (NZ) had an Australasian double, with Fields Of Honour (NZ) saluting at Gosford and Sha Carri (NZ) victorious at Hawera. The former is out of dual Group 1 winner Fashions Afield.
Matamata Racing Club purchases training facility
The Matamata Racing Club (MRC) has bought of one of the region’s most successful training establishments.
Founded in the early 1970s by renowned trainer Dave O’Sullivan, the property was originally named Wexford Stables, but in recent times, it has been the base for the Hickmans’ Valachi Racing.
The opportunity to purchase the property, which comprises 5.4 hectares and current stabling for more than 60 horses, arose when the Hickmans chose to divest their extensive stud and racing properties.
The MRC will take possession of its new property on August 1, by which time trainer tenants will have been identified and allocated their portion of existing stabling.
Vale, Don Couchman
The racing industry is paying tribute to former Hawera trainer Don Couchman, who died aged 86 late last month.
Couchman, who trained for the best part of three decades, enjoyed Group 1 success with The Filbert (NZ) (Souvran {GB}), Cubacade (NZ) (Alvaro {GB}), Kerry Lane (NZ) (Super Gray {USA}) and Pinson (NZ) (Allgrit {USA}).
The late Don Couchman (right) | Image courtesy of Race Images PN
The Taranaki horseman began working as a stablehand in the late 1940s and also rode for a short time. He would later work as a school caretaker and at the Patea freezing works, before training full time.
“He was just such an easy-going bloke. He had a great eye for a horse and never spent a lot of money on the horses that he bought,” said Paul Belsham, who trained in partnership with Couchman.
Numbers prove Per Incanto is a sire on fire
Per Incanto (USA) – one of New Zealand’s elite stallions’s – is enjoying a stellar season, evidenced by his winner-to-runners' ratio.
The Little Avondale Stud resident, who stands for NZ$50,000 (plus GST), is 29th on the list of the top 50 sires in Australia this season (by prizemoney), but his 53.4 per cent winner-to-runners' rate is superior to his peers.
Per Incanto (USA) | Standing at Little Avondale Stud
The sire of this year’s G1 Newmarket H. hero Roch ‘N’ Horse (NZ), Per Incanto is also fourth in the New Zealand General Sires’ Premiership.
