Daily News Wrap

Unreserved Sierra Sue sale drawing to a close

The sale of dual Group 1-winning mare Sierra Sue (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) is set to reach the climax on Wednesday via the Inglis Digital Online Sale.

The highest bid for the daughter of Darci Brahma (NZ), who is being offered for unreserved sale, is currently $1.025 million with the final countdown of bidding beginning at 4pm (AEST) on Wednesday.

A winner nine of her 24 starts, Sierra Sue’s two most high-profile victories came when she landed this season’s G1 Sir Rupert Clarke S. and G1 Futurity S.

Gavelhouse Plus broodmare sale enters final hours

The National Broodmare & Stallion Share Sale on Gavelhouse Plus will come to an end on Wednesday with bidding on the first lot expected to close at 7pm NZST (5pm AEST).

The 81-lot catalogue includes stallion shares offered in Westbury Stud resident Reliable Man (GB) and Rich Hill Stud resident Shocking, who both enjoyed good weekends in Australia.

Press Statement chalks up 60th winner

Vinery Stud sire Press Statement sired a double on Tuesday which saw his total tally of winners in Australia for the season climb to 60, while in the past 12 months he has also been represented by three winners in Hong Kong, two win New Zealand and one in South Africa.

The first of his brace of winners on Tuesday was provided by the Melissa Dennett-trained He’s Spoken, who broke his maiden at Moree.

Meanwhile, double was brought up by the Annabel Neasham-trained Regal Pom, who, after a tirade of placed-efforts, finally got his head in front at Wyong.

Press Statement is set to stand the upcoming breeding season for a fee of $8800 (inc GST).

Fourth Australian winner for Caravaggio

One-time Coolmore Stud shuttler Caravaggio (USA) was handed his fourth Australian-bred winner on Tuesday courtesy of Palaggio’s impressive debut victory at Ballarat-Synthetic.

Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, the 2-year-old gelding pulled away from his rivals in the closing stages to post an easy 4.5l victory over Our Total Recall (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}).

Bred and raced by Robert Crabtree, Palaggio is out of Group 3 winner Rocket Commander (Court Command).

Caravaggio shuttled to Coolmore’s Australia base for one year in 2018 and his 86 winners overall are headed by seven stakes winners including Group 1-winning filly Tenebrism (USA).

Never Been Kissed retired

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Never Been Kissed (NZ) (Tivaci), whose finest hour came when she landed last year’s G1 Flight S., has been retired and she will be covered by Arrowfield Stud shuttler Maurice (Jpn) this spring.

Owned and bred by Waikato Stud and by their resident sire Tiavci, the rising 4-year-old mare landed three of her nine starts which saw her earn $742,015 in career prizemoney.

Mileva to answer distance query

Trainer Phillip Stokes will be using Saturday’s G3 Bletchingly S. at Caulfield as fact-finding mission to see if Mileva (Headwater) can see out a strong 1200 metres.

Having landed a brace of stakes victories over 1100 metres, Mileva has had four cracks at 1200 metres for a third placing but the mare ran a close fourth in the G3 Standish H. at Flemington in her best performance over the distance.

“We just need to work out if she runs a strong 1200 metres, that will be the first thing we work out,” Stokes told Racenet.

“Once we’ve done that, that will give us a better idea of where to place her. If she doesn’t run it out, then we can come back to some of those shorter sprinting trips. I’m pretty sure she’ll run out 1200 metres now as she’s stronger.

“She’s come on well. She worked really well this morning and I couldn’t be happier.”

Tough task for Chief Altony

Despite the classy field assembled for Saturday’s Listed Winter Challenge at Randwick, Cranbourne-trainer Alex Rae is still confident Chief Altony (Rebel Raider) can give a good account of himself in the 1500-metre event.

Last seen running third in the Listed Winter S. on July 9, the 5-year-old gelding could line up alongside 2021 All-Star Mile winner Mugatoo (Ire) (Henrythenavigator {USA}), and highly credentialled import Gold Trip (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}) in Saturday’s Randwick Listed race.

“You take a step back when you see horses like that in the nominations, but it is exciting to be mixing it with them,” Rae told Racing.com.

“We were very happy with it (the Winter S.), I thought coming back to 1400 metres was probably his downfall, they were just too sharp for him, but he stuck on and was as game as ever. We learnt a little bit from it that his most suitable distance is around the mile mark. Fifteen hundred metres on Saturday seems close enough, the next logical target, especially with a real lack of options this weekend.

“He travelled really well for his first time away from the stables, came home in good order, ate up, is feeling good this morning, the trip took nothing out of him and it’s no reason not to go back again.”

Moya Lass all set for debut

Moya Lass (Caravaggio {USA}) will be hoping to get her career off to the best possible start when she tackles the Ladbroke It! H. at Sandown on Wednesday.

The daughter of Coolmore stallion Caravaggio (USA) is the 12th named foal from the unraced mare Blowin In The Wind (Danehill {USA}), whose standout performer to date has been dual Listed winner Theanswermyfriend (High Chaparral {Ire}).

"It's a great race to start her off in," Julius Sandhu said. "It's going to be a good experience because it's not 15 horses and potentially being crowded up at her first run in a race.

"It's a lovely opportunity on a big track like that to get her first race experience."

High-class entries for Warwick Farm trials

Group 1-winning colt Anamoe (Street Boss {USA}) will line-up in the first trial of the morning at Warwick Farm on Friday morning.

Fellow rising 4-year-old star Profondo (Deep Impact {Jpn}) is also set to take his place in the 900-metre heat after he was last seen finishing fourth in the G1 Rosehill Guineas.

The Group 1-winning colts will be joined in the trial by fellow elite-level winners Cascadian (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) and Mo’unga (NZ) (Savabeel), while the Chris Waller-trained Espiona (Extreme Choice) has also been entered.

Blacker set for first spring carnival runners

Rob Blacker is hoping for dual representation at the Flemington Melbourne Cup Carnival this year after the success of Skyphios (Fiorente {Ire}) in the Byerley H. at Flemington on Saturday assured him a start in the G1 VRC Derby, while Tigertiger (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) is aiming for a tilt at the G1 Melbourne Cup.

"The path we'll take is we'll have him (Tigertiger) in it (the Cup) and as long as I'm happy with him we'll try and get in through the Geelong Cup which would be the race which defines which way we go," Blacker said.

"There's also the 2800-metre Benchmark 96 on Melbourne Cup Day which would be a lovely race for him, but we're still a fair way off and I'll make a decision in September."

Big spring targets for Hezashocka

Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr have spring staying goals with Hezashocka (NZ) (Shocking), after his win in the VRC Members H. at Flemington last Saturday.

The 4-year-old gelding has won two starts this preparation and could be aimed at the G1 Melbourne Cup in the spring.

“He got there very easily, he’s a stayer with a turn of foot, when they go slow, he can pick them up, which is nice,” Kent Jnr told Racing.com.

“We’re going to give him a little breather now and he’ll be entered for the Caulfield, Melbourne Cups. There’s a lot of nice races for a horse like him, you’ve got the Geelong Cup, Moonee Valley Cup, Bendigo Cup, all those races, they’re worth good prizemoney. It’s hard to find these stayers with a bit of zip and he’s going the right way.”

Strong jump-out for Spanish Mission

Last year’s G1 Melbourne Cup placegetter Spanish Mission (USA) (Noble Mission {GB}) warmed up for his spring targets with a third-placed finish in a jump-out at Pakenham on Tuesday morning.

“Physically, he’s in great shape,” Moody told Racing.com. “He’s a happy, heathy horse. Ears pricked, he wanted to be out there, and he just had a nice spin around.

“He doesn’t like soft ground, so we chose to give him a 1200-metre pop out of the gates over the synthetic course.

“Action’s good and his attitude good. He jumped into the bridle and travelled strong – he probably travelled a little bit fresh as you’d expect for the first trial this time around, but I couldn’t be more pleased.

“I’ve set the Herbert Power as his final lead into the Melbourne Cup, a week before the Caulfield Cup. That gives him three weeks and a few days into the Melbourne Cup. What I do before then - I am thinking maybe a mile or a 1700 (metres) – maybe even to something like the Heatherlie into a 2000-metre race into the Herbert Power.”

Hoo Ya Mal targets St Leger

An exciting career awaits in Australia but, before English Derby runner-up Hoo Ya Mal (GB) (Territories {Ire}) joins Waterhouse/Bott, he will be prepared by George Boughey for an ambitious tilt at the St Leger at Doncaster.

Trained by Andrew Balding to split Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) at Epsom, Hoo Ya Mal was subsequently snapped up by his new connections for a whopping £1.2million ($2,091,053) at the Goffs London Sale.

Big season ahead for Alabama Gold

Stephen Autridge is excited about the prospects awaiting rising 3-year-old Alabama Gold (NZ) (Turn Me Loose {NZ}) after his win over 800 metres at the Cambridge trials on Tuesday.

The son of Turn Me Loose (NZ) comes into his new preparation having landed the G3 Matamata Slipper in February, and Autridge is hoping to add to his stakes tally this coming season.

“I am absolutely rapt,” Autridge said. “He was just there for an outing and the number one thing was to teach him to race in behind. He jumped in front and eased in behind, relaxed nicely and came out and sprinted, which was really good.

“He will have one lead-up at Ruakaka into the Northland Breeders’ Stakes.

“He will then go to Hawke’s Bay for the Colin Meads and hopefully the Guineas”

Wagering key to prizemoney boosts

Wagering results will determine any further prizemoney announcements and bonuses for the autumn carnival according to new Racing Victoria (RV) CEO, Andrew Jones.

RV announced an uplift of over $26 million to prizemoney levels in June but also flagged to review industry performance throughout the second half of 2022 before making a final determination on prizemoney for the 2023 Festival of Racing.

“We are distributing as much in prizemoney as we think the industry can sustainably afford,” Jones told Racing.com’s After The Last.

“If we think wagering is going to fall off a little bit we will leave a margin of safety in our P and L (profit and loss).

“But once we are confident in our revenue we distribute a percentage as prizemoney and we allocate that across the spring carnival, autumn carnival but also the day-to-day racing and which is probably how the majority of trainers, owners and staff get feed. So it’s really important we keep the minimums healthy as well as the maximums.”

Kiwi trainer Collett to relocate to Australia

Trainer Richard Collett’s move to Sydney is in full swing, with a number of horses booked to fly out at the end of the month, while his New Zealand-based Pukekohe stables is on the market and due to be auctioned on August 10.

Collett is returning to Warwick Farm, where he had boxes in the middle of last decade, only this time it will become his only base. He has obtained 22 boxes, most of which had been used by Clare Cunningham, who is married to Collett’s son, leading jockey Jason.

“I took seven or eight horses over there and they raced well; we won races on each of the four city tracks in Sydney, and provincial tracks. I enjoyed the racing there, there’s no question about that,” Collett said.

“I was keen to get back but it’s taken a while to sort out our affairs here. We’ve subdivided our property and you can’t do things like that overnight, we had to release as much value out of the property as we could, and also tidy up a lot of other bits and pieces. COVID also put things back a bit.

“I found it personally very hard, the restrictions we were put under in the Auckland area, and I know Andrew and others felt the same thing - it also makes you worry what could happen again.”

New RV CEO to meet with V’Landys

New Racing Victoria CEO Andrew Jones is set to meet Racing NSW’s Peter V’landys next week.

Jones told Racing.com’s After The Last that his main focus would be on delivering the best experience for the fans.

“The main issue from a fan point of view is can we make sure we have the best horses racing each other with the best jockeys on board,” Jones said.

“I’ve reached out to Peter and he’s reached out to me and we will have a meeting next week and have a chat and see where we go. I think what will happen is we will cooperate on some things and probably compete on others.

“Where collaboration finishes and competition begins, we’ll see.

“But where we have to compete we are very, very confident in our ability to do so.”