State Of Rest retired to stud
Last season’s G1 Cox Plate hero State Of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner) will not return to Australia to defend his crown in the Moonee Valley Group 1 and he will instead be retired to stud immediately.
The globetrotting 4-year-old will cover his first book of mares at Rathbarry Stud in Ireland, before shuttling to Henry Field’s Newgate Farm in the Hunter Valley.
Trained by Joseph O'Brien, the son of Starspangledbanner was forced into retirement after an MRI scan conducted by Racing Victoria found an issue, meaning he will not pass the necessary protocols to travel to Melbourne.
State Of Rest (Ire) beats Anamoe in a thrilling edition of the G1 Cox Plate in 2021 | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
"Everyone here at Carriganog Racing is so disappointed that State Of Rest's racing career has come to a sudden end. He was without question a remarkably talented, durable and consistent performer. We asked a huge amount of him throughout his career and he delivered every time,” said O'Brien in a statement released on his social media channels late on Tuesday evening.
"He won Group/Grade 1 races on three different continents in the face of a wide variety of tracks, ground conditions and race tempos. It all came alike to him. He had the most incredible constitution and will to win.
“We’ll miss him greatly, but we look forward to training his progeny in the years ahead.”
State Of Rest retires the winner of five of his 13 career starts and alongside his victory in the G1 Cox Plate, the entire also landed the G1 Saratoga Derby, G1 Prix Ganay and G1 Prince of Wales's S. and accrued $5,226,940 in career prizemoney.
Impressive win for Backrower
The Micheal Freedman-trained Backrower (Astern) produced a tenacious display to add a second win to his CV when he took out a race over 1400 metres at Newcastle on Tuesday.
The 3-year-old son of Astern, who holds nominations for the G1 Caulfield Guineas and G1 Golden Rose S. stayed on bravely to defeat Wollombi (Extreme Choice) by 0.2l.
Purchased by his trainer for $200,000 at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale in 2021, the colt is out of winning Strategic mare Mignard, making him a half-brother to triple elite-level winner Le Romain (Hard Spun {USA}).
Rupert Clarke next for Snapdancer
Co-trainer Ciaron Maher has reported that last weekend’s G1 Memsie S. winner Snapdancer (Choisir) has come through the race in brilliant order and she is likely to take aim at the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke S.
"She has got a couple of options, the Rupert Clarke is in three weeks and probably as short a turnaround as she wants," Maher told Racing.com.
"And The Invitation if she gets an invitation looks an ideal race for her in Sydney."
Group 1 targets for Glint Of Hope
Last season’s G1 Australasian Oaks winner Glint Of Hope (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) will be given the chance to add more Group 1 victories to her CV this season.
Co-trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young have earmarked races like the G1 Underwood S. and G1 Turnbull S. for the 4-year-old mare.
“That’s kind of the million-dollar question to be fair, we’re sort of just weighing that up,” Young told Racing.com. “We were thinking a Let’s Elope or maybe a Sofitel on September 10, then maybe carry on to an Underwood or a Turnbull.”
Glint Of Hope (Jpn) | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Glint Of Hope ramped up spring preparations with a 1000-metre-jump-out at Cranbourne on Monday morning.
“I thought that was really nice (with) Blaike (McDougall) on her,” she said.
“She was there for a nice little hitout, she ended up finishing seventh but the feedback from Blaike was really positive, he says she’s come back really well, she’s obviously a lot bigger and stronger with a little bit of a let up after winning the Oaks.
“So we’re very happy with her. We may give her one more trial, but we’ll just reassess in the next few days and see how the week is for her.”
Kibou misses the spring
Just three days after his dominant win in the G3 Up And Coming S., promising 3-year-old Kibou (Maurice {Jpn}) has been sidelined for the 2022 spring carnival.
The son of Maurice (Jpn) has won three of his five career starts, including a comfortable 2.2l victory on Saturday, but he will not take any part in the spring and will undergo surgery to have bone chips removed in his knee.
“Co-Trainer Adrian Bott has this morning reported to Racing NSW Stewards that Kibou has been found to have bone chips in his near fore knee that require surgery,” Racing NSW wrote.
“Mr Bott confirmed that Kibou will undergo surgery shortly and then be spelled. As a result, Kibou will not race again during the spring carnival.
“Wagering Operators are requested to remove Kibou from all feature spring betting markets.”
Uncommon James out for the spring
Trainers Steven O’Dea and Matthew Hoysted have reported a setback for their rising star Uncommon James (Cable Bay {Ire}). The 4-year-old gelding was last seen putting in a dominant display in the Listed Regal Roller S. at Caulfield, but will now head for a spell owing to some ‘minor filling’.
Uncommon James | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
The O’Dea Hoysted media release explained: ‘Disappointingly, due to timing, we’ve made the decision, in the horse’s best interest, to stop now and send him for a spell. This will enable us to focus on the autumn carnival with him’.
Illation set for more tests
In a bid to get to the bottom of Illation’s (So You Think {NZ}) poor run in the G1 Memsie S. on Saturday, co-trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr will run further tests on the 4-year-old.
Price said Illation was set to undergo a 'Dynamic Scope' under gallop on Thursday to determine if there is any underlying issue with the entire.
Illation | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
"A dynamic scope is you tape a camera into the throat and from the pack it wirelessly relays back to the computer," Price said.
"We can study frame by frame, in slow-mo, what is happening with the throat and it's the best test that you will get."
Group 1 winners stretch legs at Doomben
Last time out G1 Tattersall’s Tiara winner Startantes (Star Turn) stretched her legs in the first heat of the Doomben trials on Tuesday morning. The Robert Heathcote-trained mare was sluggish away from the barriers, and was given an easy time under jockey Ben Thompson, in the Open 1000-metre trial, coasting home to finish fifth.
In the second heat, Tony Gollan’s G1 Kingsford-Smith Cup winner Vega One (Lope De Vega {Ire}) had a firm workout under Ryan Maloney, finishing the trial in fourth position.
Travel trouble for Rothfire
Robert Heathcote planned to have Rothfire (Rothesay) in Melbourne for this weekend’s G2 McEwan S. at The Valley, but flight delays have thrown the target into doubt.
Rothfire
"I was supposed to fly down tonight with Rothfire and Prince Of Boom to Melbourne, but I've just got a phone call that the plane has technical difficulties and they will not be flying tonight," Heathcote told Racing.com on Tuesday.
"Hopefully tomorrow night, but they can't guarantee anything. The horses are both good to go but I just need things to go my way.”
Five Diamonds attracts European runner
The inaugural Five Diamonds has attracted a Northern Hemisphere-bred runner in the form of Logvillers (Fr) (Le Havre {Fr}), a 4-year-old colt from the stable of Yann Barberot.
Longvillers was bought into by OTI Racing last month, and raced for the first time under his new ownership in the G3 Prix Quincey at Deauville last weekend. He finished last of six runners in that race, but connections feel he’s still on track for his Southern Hemisphere target.
"He lost both front shoes early in the race and on that hard track he jarred up," OTI Racing's Managing Director Terry Henderson told Racing.com.
"Progeny by Le Havre generally like the sting out of the ground. The result doesn't change anything, he remains on track for Sydney."
He will enter the care of Chris Waller ahead of the Five Diamonds, a $2 million race at Rosehill on November 5 which is restricted to locally-bred 4-year-olds or Northern Hemisphere 5-year-olds.
More surgery for Egan
Jockey Billy Egan has undergone secondary surgery following his race fall at Pakenham Synthetic last Friday.
Egan was cleared of all breaks in his left arm, as once feared, but was later diagnosed with compartment syndrome, requiring an operation in the early hours of Saturday.
The 32-year-old jockey had further surgery at Dandenong Hospital on Monday to address nerve and ligament damage.
Billy Egan
“He’s had another surgery on Monday, he’s been in quite a bit of discomfort,” VJA boss Matt Hyland said.
“We are confident the surgery will aid his recovery. Post this latest surgery we will then be in a better position to assess his recovery time.”
Twelfth winner for Harry Angel
Darley Stud shuttler Harry Angel (Ire) sired his 12 first-crop winner when the Richard Fahey-trained Marine Wave (Ire) got off the mark at the second attempt at Southwell on Monday.
Having finished fifth on debut, the filly stayed on strongly to beat Radio Goo Goo (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) by 1.3l.
Harry Angel is standing at Darley’s Kelvinside base at a fee of $16,500 (inc GST) and his first Southern Hemisphere runners are set to hit the track this season.
