Wollombi impresses at Canterbury
After showing a lot of promise as a 2-year-old, the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Wollombi (Extreme Choice) made an immediate impression on her first start as a 3-year-old when she broke her maiden at Canterbury.
Having finished third in last two starts as a juvenile, Wollombi finally got her head in front, finishing 0.8l ahead of Byron Belle (Snitzel).
Purchased by her trainers for $100,000 from the Kingstar Farm draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2021, the daughter of Extreme Choice is out of the winning Hinchinbrook mare Hazlebrook. Blake Ryan will offer a Winning Rupert half-brother to Wollombi at the upcoming Inglis Ready2Race Sale in October.
Sixth Northern Hemisphere-bred winner for Zoustar
Zoustar chalked up his sixth Northern Hemisphere-bred winner courtesy of Zu Run’s (GB) victory at Chelmsford on Tuesday.
Having finished fifth on his first start in July, the Andrew Balding-trained colt finished strongly to defeat Band Of Steel (GB) (Golden Horn) by 2.5l.
Zu Run was purchased by David Howden for 100,000gns (AU$172,200) at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale and he is out of placed Pivotal (GB) mare Bewitchment (GB) making him a half-brother to Listed winner Nymphadora (GB) (No Nay Never {USA}).
Zoustar’s European crop is headed by Group 3 winner Lezoo (GB) and during his time in the Northern Hemisphere he stands at Tweenhills Farm and Stud.
Two Bays Farm purchase 50 per cent share in Nudge
Inglis revealed on Wednesday that the 50 per cent share in Group 3 winner Nudge (Fastnet Rock) they offered via their online digital platform last week was purchased by Two Bays Farm for $550,000.
The 6-year-old will head straight to the breeding barn, where she will be covered by Zoustar.
“She’s been a fabulous race filly and mare, she’s a quality type and she’ll produce beautiful foals,’’ Two Bays’ Ross Ferris said.
“She’s booked into Zoustar which is very exciting and I’m sure she’s going to be a quality addition to the broodmare band over many years to come.’’
Anamoe draws the rail for G1 Winx S.
The triple Group 1-winning Godolphin horse, Anamoe (Street Boss {USA}), has drawn barrier one for Saturday's star-lined G1 Winx S. He will have jockey James McDonald aboard, with his trainer, James Cummings, telling Sky Racing that the horse was tracking along smoothly ahead of his big spring return.
The dual Group 1 winner Mo'unga (NZ) (Savabeel) has drawn next to him in barrier two, while the respective stars Profondo (Deep Impact {Jpn}) has drawn barrier seven, Duais (Shamus Award) has drawn five and Forbidden Love (All Too Hard), a winner of the G1 George Ryder S. in the autumn, has drawn barrier 10. Hinged (Worthy Cause), a winner of the G1 Surround S., has drawn widest in barrier 11.
The Winx S., formerly the Warwick S., is the first Group 1 of the new Australian racing season and 11 horses will go to post at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Mo’unga ready for Winx title defence
The Annabel Neasham-trained Mo’unga (NZ) (Savabeel) will attempt to defend his G1 Winx S. crown when he lines up in the Group 1 at Randwick on Saturday.
Mo'unga defeated multiple Group 1 winner Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) in the race 12 months ago and his regular rider Tommy Berry has been pleased with the way the horse has developed over the winter months.
"He's come back much stronger. I was quite surprised because he's five now and you don't really expect them to mature that much between four and five," Berry said.
"He was the winner of the Winx S. last year, so hopefully he can do it again this year."
Winx counting down to Pierro foal
In the days leading into the G1 Winx S. on Saturday, the ownership behind the record-setting mare has taken to Winxhorse.com.au to provide an update on her final weeks of pregnancy.
Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) is expecting her first live foal in the coming weeks, with an October 17 cover to Pierro last year. It followed a year off from the covering shed after the Champion's first foal, by I Am Invincible, was born deceased in 2019.
"Our much-loved Winx is nearing the end of her pregnancy journey and we are all very excited to meet her foal," the ownership stated. "Winx is looking well and has been enjoying some quiet time in the paddock. Her amazing team of carers have prepared a nursery and are counting down the days until the safe and healthy arrival of her foal."
Karaka graduates shine
New Zealand Bloodstock (NZB) has revealed the facts and figures of its graduates' success through the 2021/22 racing season. Karaka-sold horses won 21 Group 1 races and 99 stakes races over the season just completed and, of the Group 1-winning class, they include Derby winners Asterix (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), Jungle Magnate (NZ) (Tarzino {NZ}) and Pinarello (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}).
Karaka graduates last season also included the Hong Kong heroes Golden Sixty (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}) and Sky Field (Deep Field), plus the G1 Newmarket H. winner Roch 'N' Horse (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}).
NZB states that, in Australia last season, Kiwi-bred horses won 16 Group 1 races and 71 stakes races, earning 47 per cent more than Australian-bred horses, on average. Furthering this data, seven of the last 10 Group 1 Derbies in Australasia have been won by New Zealand-bred horses, and New Zealand-bred fillies have won 43 per cent of all Group 1 Oaks races in Australasia in the past three seasons.
Cummings mindful of Duais’ Melbourne Cup weight
Edward Cummings – trainer of star mare Duais (Shamus Award) – will wait until the release of Cup weights before finalising the program for the triple Group 1 winner.
Speaking on Melbourne radio station RSN927, Cumming said: “Once we can fully appreciate where fits on the weight scale for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, we can then determine whether protecting her weight for the Melbourne Cup is more important, and therefore, we would go through the Cox Plate. If we feel like her weight in the Cups is fair enough, then we could potentially target both and not be too disadvantaged if she were good enough to win the Caulfield Cup and attract a penalty.”
Duais resumes in Saturday’s G1 Winx S., with the G1 George Main S. and G1 Turnbull S. on the agenda after that.
Lombardo to sit out spring
Group 1 winner Lombardo (I Am Invincible) has gone for a spell following his disappointing effort in Saturday's Listed Regal Roller S. at Caulfield.
“Lombardo is a good horse and clearly ran well below his best,” Michael Kent Jnr, who trains in partnership with Mick Price, told Racing.com.
Lombardo | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
“We couldn't find much wrong with him, but he did have a huge prep, culminating in the G1 The Goodwood, last prep and in the best interests of the horse, we have decided to spell him and bring him back for the autumn.”
Yulong Command returns to his favourite place
The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Yulong Command (Written Tycoon) will return to Moonee Valley on Saturday when he lines up in the Listed Carlyon S.
The 5-year-old gelding has won five of his six starts at The Valley and Sam Freedman is confident he can add to that tally this weekend, however he has said he is hoping the deck stays dry.
“He likes firmer ground, but he is an amazing horse around The Valley,” Freedman said.
Yulong Command | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
“He’s got a great record here and our preference is to run, but if it got into that really heavy range, we would just wait with him.
“We haven’t really got lofty targets with him, but he’s a short course specialist and he loves it here.
“We’ll try and keep him here as much as we can.”
Cross Talk auditions for Epsom tilt
Last start Listed Winter Challenge S. winner Cross Talk (NZ) (Keano {NZ}) will be out to prove to his trainers, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, that he deserves a shot in the G1 Epsom H. when he takes his chance in the Listed Rowley Mile at Hawkesbury on Thursday.
“He’s going terrific. He has just continued to improve,” jockey Tim Clark said.
“He’s shown he has got a bit of versatility as well, he’s not just one-dimensional.
“First-up he sat outside the leader, another day I rode him he sat back off them and then the other day he dominated from the front.
“He gets into a lovely rhythm like many of Gai and Adrian’s horses. He bowls along and breaks their hearts a little bit because he is still able to finish his races off, even if he does go at a good clip early.”
Classique Legend moving closer to return
Trainer Les Bridge has said that Classique Legend (Not A Single Doubt) is two weeks away from his first barrier trial and should all go to plan he is likely to kick off his campaign in the G2 The Shorts at Randwick on September 17.
The star sprinter and 2020 The Everest winner has not raced since finishing fifth to Nature Strip (Nicconi) in the $15 million showpiece last year after suffering a suspensory injury in the race.
Classique Legend
“He’s had so many layoffs this horse over the last couple of years that I won’t know until I trial him how he’s really going,” Bridge told Sky Sports Radio. “He always works good, and after he trials on the first (of September), I will be able to gauge his fitness.
“I will run him in The Shorts first-up. That’s 1100 metres and he’s won that before.”
Dubai carnival on the cards for Alligator Blood
With Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) banned from racing in Victoria and New South Wales, co-trainer Adrian Bott has told Racenet that the son of All Too Hard could be aimed at the Dubai carnival.
The gelding is still eligible to race in Queensland and Bott and his co-trainer Gai Waterhouse are planning to aim him at Magic Millions raceday, but could end up heading to Dubai, where the carnival is staged from January until the end of March.
Hall celebrates first win
Five weeks after being granted his licence, Mack Hall was handed his first win as a trainer courtesy of Gin ‘N’ Swanic’s (Gingerbread Man) victory at Belmont Park on Wednesday.
Relishing the heavy track conditions under apprentice jockey Luke Campbell, Gin ‘N’ Swanic came from last to first to beat Mr Fahrenheit (Reward For Effort) by a decisive 3.8l.
Mack Hall | Image courtesy of Racing WA
“I’ve always been around horses, but on the racing side of things I started working with Todd Harvey and Rob Harvey,” Hall said.
“They taught me a hell of a lot. Then I went to Jarrad Noske for a few months, doing some breaking in and that. Now I’m training in my own right, which is good.
"Everyone has been a massive supporter and getting around me.”
