Price targets spring weight-for-age path for Ayrton
Talented galloper Ayrton (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}), who recently campaigned in Brisbane without luck, will be aimed towards some feature weight-for-age events in the spring, according to co-trainer Mick Price.
Mick Price, co-trainer of Ayrton (NZ)
“I am still convinced his best distance is something between a mile and 2000 metres and certainly a mile,” Price told Racing.com.
“He’s spelling and then we’ll set a program for him in the spring in Melbourne.
“I think I will go weight-for-age path with him.”
Moroney eyes up weanlings at Karaka
Renowned bloodstock agent Paul Moroney is glad to be back on home soil to attend Friday’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling Sale at Karaka.
“You have got to pick your way through them and they are certainly not the cream of the crop and you don’t expect that because they go through the yearling sales,” he said.
“There are some nice horses and the Valachi horses have lifted the standard, because they are usually horses that would come here in their yearling draft.”
Kibou suited by rise in trip, says Bayliss
Progressive juvenile Kibou (Maurice {Jpn}) will relish the step up to 1400 metres in Saturday’s 2-Year-Old H., according to the gelding’s jockey Regan Bayliss.
“The 1400 metres will suit him because I’ll be able to put the bridle in his mouth once we find our spot and get him to switch off,’’ Bayliss told Racing New South Wales.
Kibou winning at Warwick Farm this month | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“I reckon it won’t pose a threat to him, he’s a big-striding horse and I think potentially he will get further as a 3-year-old."
Kibou broke his maiden tag when scoring over 1100 metres at Warwick Farm at his last start (June 1).
Devoted chases hat-trick
Talented 3-year-old Devoted (Xtravagant {NZ}) will be looking to extend his winning run to three and add a second stakes success when he contests Saturday’s Listed Belmont Guineas (1600 metres).
The Peter Investments-bred and owned gelding, who hails from the family of stakes winners Flaming Heart (Salieri {USA}), Heart Starter (Domesday), Real Love (Desert King {Ire}) and Suspicion (Mukddaam {USA}), won the Listed Raconteur S. last time out.
Trained by Michael Grantham, Devoted faces seven rivals and will jump from barrier two under Clint Johnston-Porter.
Veteran WA jockey raring to go
Shaun McGruddy can’t wait to get back into the saddle at Belmont on Saturday, having been sidelined for four weeks due to a back issue.
“I’ve come back a lot earlier,” McGruddy, who has four rides on Saturday, told The Races WA.
“Along with cortisone injections I did a heap of swimming.
“I rested for the first two weeks, but since have spent a lot of time in the water doing exercises.
“I reckon I will be close to 100 per cent by Saturday.”
Globetrotter wins in third country
Green Luck (Street Cry {Ire}) notched his first win in New Zealand on Thursday, adding to victories in Australia and Hong Kong.
Green Luck when racing in Hong Kong | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
A half-brother to triple Group 1 winner Luckygray (Bradbury’s Luck), the 7-year-old won twice in Australia when trained by Matthew Dunn and six times in Hong Kong whilst in the care of Caspar Fownes.
'Sceptre Session' at Tattersalls
The Tuesday evening of the Tattersalls December Mare Sale routinely provides some blockbuster results within the catalogue as a whole and it now has a dedicated section for elite fillies and mares under the newly devised Sceptre Session. The session will feature up to 75 of the best-bred performers and producers, ranging from fillies in training to in-foal broodmares.
“Sceptre was one of the most outstanding fillies ever to grace the turf and is inextricably linked with the rich history of Tattersalls and specifically Somerville Tattersall who himself owned the great mare for a short while,” said Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony. “The new 'Sceptre Session' will feature the very best race fillies and broodmares and add a new dimension to a sale which is already long established as the most prestigious showcase of world-class breeding stock in Europe.”
Jolly hoping to knock off star sprinters in Flemington feature
South Australian trainer Richard Jolly believes Karacasu (Headwater) can knock off highly rated duo Star Patrol (Starspangledbanner) – a winner of his past three starts - and unbeaten filly Passive Aggressive (Fastnet Rock) - in Saturday’s Listed Creswick S. at Flemington.
“Karacasu is a pretty smart horse when he’s right. He just needs a few things to fall into place for him,” Jolly told News Limited.
“I think he’s up to that company, but the straight just worries me.”
Ryan confident Grand Pope can turn the tables
Trainer Nick Ryan is bullish about the chances of Grand Pope (More Than Ready {USA}) in Saturday’s 1000-metre BM78 race at Flemington.
The 4-year-old ran third to Diamonds (Rich Enuff) and meets that horse better at the weights.
Nick Ryan has high hopes for Grand Pope this weekend
“He will be back (in the run), so we will be on the edge of our seats coming back in trip but he will be motoring home,” Ryan told Melbourne radio station.
“He gets down in the weights, seems to be very effective up the straight on his home track, so I’m glad it’s not a big field, and if he can be somewhat in touch, he will be hard to beat.”
Siblings victorious at Wangaratta
Eaglesaurus (Alpine Eagle) made it a big day for the family when he broke his maiden status at the seventh time of asking at Wangaratta on Thursday.
The 3-year-old gelding followed the lead of little sister, 2-year-old Alpinova, who also won for the first time, earlier on the program.
Both Simon Zahra-trained horses are by Alpine Eagle out of Novasaurus (Testa Rossa).
It wasn’t just Alpine Eagle that had a double on Thursday, with Spirit Of Boom, Snippetson, Reward For Effort, Reliable Man (GB) and Deep Field also with two winners across Australia.
Ballistic Boy on trial for Caloundra Cup
Trainer Chris Andersen will gauge whether Ballistic Boy (Smart Missile) lines up in the Listed Caloundra Cup (2400 metres) on July 2 by his performance in Saturday's Listed Ipswich Cup (2150 metres)
“Saturday is a bit of a test,” Anderson told Newscorp.
“If he goes well enough, we would like to run him in the Caloundra Cup.”
The 5-year-old is coming off a disappointing run in the G2 The Q22.
