New race for Queensland
The Toowoomba Turf Club and Racing Queensland unveiled on Tuesday the Sunshine State’s newest innovative race, the Mort & Co King of the Mountain.
The new race, carrying prizemoney of $750,000, will be run over 1200 metres at Toowoomba’s Clifford Park on Saturday, December 31 and thereafter on the last Saturday of December each year.
The new feature will utilise the highly successful slot-race concept, with an expression of interest process to be opened in the coming weeks.
Racing Minister Grace Grace said that she is excited to see another slot-race added to the Queensland racing calendar, following the tremendous success of the inaugural The Archer in Rockhampton.
Grace Grace MP, Minister for Racing in Queensland | Image courtesy of Grace Grace MP
“The Mort & Co King of the Mountain will provide an incredible finish to the calendar year,” Minister Grace said. “The Darling Downs is renowned for its contribution to the state’s breeding industry, and it is fitting that this race will be restricted to locally bred horses, ensuring that the prizemoney remains in Queensland, and can be reinvested back into the industry.
“It’s deserving recognition for a region that is vital to the industry’s sustainability, generating $85.2 million in value added contribution to the state’s economy, whilst employing more than 650 people on a full-time basis.”
The race will be restricted to Queensland-bred horses that are prepared by a trainer based in the state.
Artorius recovers from tough Ascot run
Co-trainer Sam Freedman said Artorius (Flying Artie) had recovered from his tough third equal finish in the G1 Platinum Jubilee at Royal Ascot and it is now all systems go for the colt in the G1 July Cup at Newmarket on July 9.
"He knew he had had the run," Freedman told RSN of Saturday's performance.
"He dropped probably nine kilos and left his first little bit of feed since he arrived, but then this morning he'd put on five or six kilos and had eaten up.
"He's just had a hand walk so far, he'll have a light trot and canter, an easy week and we're looking forward to his next assignment."
The Golden Eagle at Rosehill and the G1 Darley Champions Sprint at Flemington are two races Freedman said had been pencilled in for Artorius upon his return.
No draw luck for Snapdancer and Away Game
The barrier draw has not been kind for the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable as they chase success in the final Group 1 race of the season.
Maher and Eustace have Snapdancer (Choisir) and Away Game (Snitzel) engaged in the G1 Tattersall's Tiara at Eagle Farm on Saturday as they look to stretch their Group 1 tally to seven for the 2021/22 season.
But the draw did not go to plan with Away Game in 17, while Snapdancer has drawn 21 in the final field of 16 and five emergencies. Despite the draw, co-trainer David Eustace could not be happier with the pair heading into Saturday’s race.
Away Game winning the Magic Millions 2YO Classic | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Away Game was purchased by Yulong for $4 million at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in May, before finishing 10th in the G1 Kingsford-Smith Cup a few days later and she will be looking to add a much-deserved Group 1 to her record.
"We thought she ran pretty well after what she had to endure at the Sale," Eustace said. "She went back from the wide gate, was ridden for luck but she got a little keen in the run. Hopefully we can have a bit of luck for her new owners and get her a Group 1 win."
Cantala plan for Private Eye
After Private Eye’s (Al Maher) second-place effort in the G1 Stradbroke H., the Jo Pride-trained gelding now looks set to be aimed at the G1 Cantala S. in the spring.
"I thought it was a great run, obviously with all the incredibly Heavy tracks we've received here over the autumn, his form has tapered off, you're always concerned when that happens with such a high-class horse," owner Jamie Walter of Proven Thoroughbreds told Racing.com.
Private Eye winning the G1 TAB Epsom in 2021 | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
"We were hoping and thinking it (the form slump) was due to the Heavy tracks and he just got sick of it.
"That was the most pleasing component of Saturday, to see him put in such a slashing run, the fact he was able to be ridden closer to the speed, topweight over 1400 metres - a distance probably short of his best - all added a lot of merit to the run.
"Even though he only had five runs, his preparation went on for a long time because of all the interruptions, he really needs a break, that brings the back end of the spring right into play, that's one of the appeals of the Cantala (Stakes).
"Of all the multiple options, timing-wise that (Cantala) seemed to work pretty well. We still need to find a proper lead-up for it."
Clear scans for Incentivise
Scans taken of G1 Caulfield Cup winner Incentivise’s legs have come back clear.
The son of Shamus Award has not been sighted since his second-place run in the G1 Melbourne Cup, after which he was found to have issues in his legs.
However, since returning to training at Peter Moody’s Pakenham base there have been no issues with the 5-year-old gelding.
“We’ve been scanning him every time he steps his work up and so far it's all come back 100 per cent,” managing owner Ozzie Kheir told Racing.com.
“We scan him prior to and post his work and there are no issues. So far, with two scans done, everything has been good.
“It’s (scanning legs) is not absolutely necessary but it’s for peace of mind for all the owners who all put the horse first.
“If at any stage a scan comes back that is slightly worse than before, we’ll just pull up stumps and look to the autumn.”
Verry Elleegant steps up her work
Multiple Group 1-winning mare Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) continues to impress in her early training with new handler Francis Henri-Graffard.
Managing part-owner Ozzie Kheir told Racing.com that watching Nature Strip (Nicconi) win the G1 King’s Stand S. for Australia at Royal Ascot got him excited about the prospect of the mare running in Europe, with the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on October 3 possibly on the agenda.
“It (Nature Strip) certainly got the juices going and really, we are all very excited at what she might be able to do over there,” Kheir said.
“It’s still in the early stages (of her training) but she is enjoying her work and her trainer reports that she is very bright and well.”
Classique Legend Everest decision coming soon
A decision on whether 2020 The Everest winner Classique Legend (Not A Single Doubt) will line up in the 2022 edition of the $15 million race will be made in the second half of July, according to the gelding’s trainer Les Bridge.
Bridge said the grey is in the final stages of his rehabilitation from a suspensory injury sustained when he ran fifth, beaten 2l, behind Nature Strip in the 2021 edition.
“He’s been in for about a month and has been on a rehabilitation program for his suspensory ligament,’’ Bridge told Racing NSW. “We’ll keep him going the way he’s going and see how he progresses.
“I’ll get to a stage where I’ve got to make up my mind whether I go to The Everest or use this as part of his rehabilitation and go a bit longer and wait for the TJ Smith. That’s what it’s down to now.
“As long as the suspensory is going good we’ll keep going.”
Purton back from the brink
After logging a four-timer at Sha Tin on Sunday, including the G3 Premier Cup aboard Beauty Joy (Sebring), Zac Purton was able to reduce Joao Moreira’s lead in the Hong Kong Jockeys’ Premiership to just two with eight meetings remaining.
Purton suffered a fractured wrist, fractured ribs and a broken nose as one of four riders involved in a fall when riding Lucky Patch (NZ) (El Roca) in December’s Hong Kong Sprint, Purton was sidelined for a month and has ridden under duress since.
The jockey said he considered bowing out of the title race altogether after the incident.
“It was only a month ago that I was contemplating hanging the boots up for the rest of the season. My body was in really bad shape, I’d been struggling physically for months and months and months, trying to get myself fit and healthy again,” Purton told RSN 927’s Racing Pulse.
“Obviously, when I first came back, we had the hard lockdown here and the (Hong Kong) Jockey Club wouldn’t allow us to go, so I couldn’t get the treatment I needed.
“But it just wasn’t helping to start with, my body was in such bad shape that it’s taken about three months of solid work… seeing the physios and sports masseuses and getting on all the machines, seeing a chiropractor and a podiatrist and many other different people.”
Ahead of Wednesday night’s Happy Valley meeting, where both Moreira and Purton have a full book of rides (nine), the Brazilian has 127 wins and the Aussie 125.
“Physically, I’m probably the best I’ve been since December last year when I had the fall. I’m still not at 100 per cent. I’m grinding away, just trying to turn up and give everything I’ve got, and I just hope it’s going to be enough,” said Purton.
Tuesday supplemented for Irish Derby
Coolmore’s impressive G1 Epsom Oaks winner Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has been supplemented for Saturday’s G1 Irish Derby at the Curragh.
Trainer Aidan O’Brien had alluded to the fact the daughter of Galileo (Ire) could line up in the Group 1 against her male counterparts and on Tuesday he confirmed to the Racing Post she will be supplemented for the race.
Meanwhile, the trainer also confirmed that last year’s G1 1000 Guineas winner Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) has been retired, after finishing a well-beaten sixth in the G2 Duke Of Cambridge S. at Royal Ascot.
