McDonald chooses Melbourne Cup ride
Star jockey James McDonald will partner the Marcel Weiss-trained Loft (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) in this year’s G1 Melbourne Cup.
The stayer’s part-owner, Ozzie Kheir, confirmed McDonald has been booked for Flemington's $8 million showpiece.
“With the weights released on Tuesday, we wanted to just close out booking a rider as soon as possible and start to enjoy the journey,” Kheir told Racing.com.
“We have an amazing connection with James having also won the Melbourne Cup with Verry Elleegant. What better jockey choice to have on Loft for the 2022 Melbourne Cup.
“We are very grateful that James has committed so early, knowing he would get first pick on most runners. Now it's just fingers crossed he travels well.”
The winner of the G2 Belmont Gold Cup S. (3200 metres) in June has been handed 55.5kg for the two-mile feature.
High-priced yearling wins on debut
The 4-year-old mare Queen Of The Green (Written Tycoon), who cost $1.5 million as a yearling, finally made her first appearance at the races and the connections’ patience was rewarded, with the mare saluting in the 1225-metre maiden at Geelong.
Queen Of The Green is from the Group 3-winning mare Karuta Queen (Not A Single Doubt), making her a half-sister to Listed winner Eawase (Sebring).
Bred by Strawberry Hill Stud, she was purchased by Sheamus Mills Bloodstock (FBAA) at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and is trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr.
Her second dam is Card Queen (Final Card), who won at Group 3 level in 1999, while another Group 3 winner, Vain Queen (Artie Schiller {USA}), is also from this family.
“I still say she’s the best-looking thoroughbred I've ever seen,” Mills told Racing.com.
“She’s a big, strong filly and I think she’s got everything you look for in a horse. She’s got a huge girth, a really good hind quarter and I think she looks like a Ferrari.
“Obviously, as an unraced 4-year-old she was starting to test the patience a little bit, but she’s had a couple of genuine excuses for that. She had stress fractures in both hind legs, she’d had issues with her feet - she’s had two six-month injuries which are hopefully behind her now.”
Zoustar filly makes perfect start
The Lindsay Park-trained Sweetened (Zoustar) made a winning start to her career, taking out Race 1 at Geelong 3-year-old fillies Mdn Plate.
The filly, who is nominated for the G1 Thousand Guineas, showed a nice turn of foot in the straight, dashing clear of her rivals to score by 2l under Damien Oliver.
“She’s been a horse that the stable has had to be very patient with, she hasn’t been the soundest horse,” co-trainer, Ben Hayes, told Racing.com.
“There’s a lot more there, she was still a bit green doing a bit wrong, so I’m excited about her.”
Offered by her breeder, Fernrigg Farm, at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Sweetened was bought by Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock (BAFNZ)/Lindsay Park Racing for $300,000 and races in Jonathan Munz’s Pinecliff Racing silks.
Her second dam is On Type (Zeditave), who won three Group 2s, before producing Group 3 victress Sugar Babe (NZ) (Exceed And Excel).
WA unveils $5.5 million slot race
The richest weekend in West Australian racing history will be held this autumn with a series of thoroughbred, harness and greyhound races.
Racing and Wagering Western Australia (RWWA) has launched a new slot-race series called The Western Trilogy, with a total of $5.5 million in prizemoney up for grabs across the three racing codes.
“We’re excited to announce Australia’s first tri-code slot racing event,” said RWWA Chief Executive Officer Ian Edwards.
“Western Australia is new territory for slot races and we are ideally placed to bring the trinity of thoroughbred, harness and greyhound racing together for the first time in one sensational weekend program.”
Named after the marsupial which is native to WA, The Quokka will be run under weight-for-age conditions, is worth $4 million and will be held at Ascot on April 15, 2023. There are 14 slots available at a cost of $200,000 each.
Price praises Guineas contender
Co-trainer Mick Price claims there are similarities between 3-year-old colt Amenable and his father Lonhro.
“That horse is inexperienced, but you know what, I reckon he’s got a temperament like his dad,” Price told Racing.com.
“He’s a cool colt, he’s grown into a really nice horse, I wouldn't underestimate him.”
Amenable will be looking to win his way into the G1 Caulfield Guineas on October 8 when he contests Saturday’s G3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude.
“Ollie (jockey Damien Oliver) will probably ride him with a sense of timing as he does, and you’ll see him closing off really well,” Price explained.
“I like the horse a lot, he’s Caulfield Guineas-bound, so it’s an important race for him Saturday, (we) need him to run home strongly and get in the first three, and hopefully get a run in the Caulfield Guineas.”
Doull to Danehill
Despite a lacklustre display first-up in the Listed Poseidon S., the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Doull (Snitzel) will press on to the G2 Danehill S. as planned.
"On reflection, you are disappointed straight after the race because you know you've got a nice horse who underperformed to the eye," managing owner Anthony Mithen said.
"But you have to remember it was his second race start and he doesn't like Soft ground."
Purchased by the Rosemont Victorian Alliance, Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) and David Redvers Bloodstock for $1.2 million at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale in 2022, the colt won on a Soft 5 surface back in May, while last weekend's track was rated a Soft 7.
"He was in an awkward spot and Mark Zahra said he never felt comfortable or gave him a relaxed feel with that horse up on his outside three-quarters of a length in front and being dictated to on the rail," Mithen said.
"Mark came back and said I'd like the opportunity next time to roll with him and give him his chance to get a job done for us."
No Arc for Baeed
Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) will bow out in the G1 Champion S. at Ascot rather than the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, his trainer William Haggas revealed on Wednesday.
Following a stunning display on his first start over 10 furlongs in the Juddmonte International at York, connections indicated that they might consider supplementing Baaeed for the 12-furlong French feature on October 2.
However, following discussions between Haggas and the unbeaten star's owners Shadwell, it has been decided that Baaeed will sign off on his career closer to home next month.
Haggas said, “After much consultation with Sheikha Hissa and her team, we have decided that Baaeed's final start will be in the QIPCO Champion S. at Ascot on October 15.
“He was very impressive in the Juddmonte International and it was only right that we explored every option. But I, in particular, was very keen to keep him at a mile and a quarter and therefore the QIPCO Champion S. was the only logical solution.”
