Sunday treble for So You Think
Coolmore Stud’s So You Think (NZ) sired three winners across Australia on Sunday afternoon. The headline was the stakes success recorded by Gentelman Roy at Sandown-Hillside, who won the G3 Sandown S. for Ben and JD Hayes and became a 44th stakes winner for the sire.
A Bathurst double completed a brilliant afternoon, as Down To Earth opened his account for Ashlee Grives and Know Where To Look notched a fourth career success for Roy McCabe.
So You Think stands at Coolmore for $93,500 (inc GST) this year.
Decision time for I’m Thunderstruck
Co-trainer Mick Price admitted to being disappointed by the efforts of I’m Thunderstruck (NZ) (Shocking) in Sunday’s G1 Underwood S., as his star finished fourth in the Sandown-Hillside feature.
Price pointed to his next start, in October’s G1 Might And Power S., as the pivotal race for the gelding.
“The fork in the road for that horse has got to be the Might And Power to find out whether he's a 2000-metre horse or he's a miler,” Price told Racing.com.
Price picked up on the pace set by the race’s leader and eventual winner Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) as the undoing of his stable star.
“It's very difficult to pick up a leader when they run four sectionals that are 12.5 seconds,” he explained.
“I was a little bit disappointed he didn't finish closer regardless, although I need to have a good look at the sectionals.”
Fireburn a possible for Flight S.
Last season’s G1 Golden Slipper hero Fireburn (Rebel Dane) will maybe see a quick turnaround to line up in this Saturday’s G1 Flight S. at Randwick, according to her trainer, Gary Portelli.
He said he would make his decision on Monday, after claiming that she would have been successful in the G1 Golden Rose on Saturday had she received a better draw. She was a fast-finishing 1.9l fifth at the weekend, having jumped from barrier 15.
Timing-wise, Fireburn was second only to the winner Jacquinot (Rubick) in running the last 600 metres in 33.79s against his 33.61s.
“Brenton (Avdulla) said she wins the Flight Stakes next week if she backs up, but we have to see how she backs up,” Portelli told Racing.com.
“It was an enormous run and I have no doubt if she draws a gate she wins the race.
“The sectionals would be unbelievable; it was almost shades of the Golden Slipper but she ran out of ground.
“We had to ride her back to get any sort of luck early.
“Credit to the filly, she is in good order so we will see how she gets through it.”
Portelli also fielded Sejardan (Sebring) in Saturday’s feature race, who finished seventh and will now be freshened up ahead of a tilt at the G1 Coolmore Stud S. in November.
Lees leaves Willinga out
Trainer Kris Lees has confirmed that Willinga Beast (Snitzel) won’t join stablemate Wolverine (NZ) (Tivaci) in this Saturday’s G1 Flight S., citing the 1600-metre trip as unsuitable for the 3-year-old filly.
Willinga Beast finished fifth last time out in the G2 Tea Rose S. over 1400 metres on September 17, when attempting an all-the-way win but fading in the last 200 metres.
“Wolverine will run, not Willinga Beast,” Lees told Racing and Sports.
“We will freshen her, and she will go to the Roman Consul (S.) the week after.
“(The 1400 metres) just found her out. We had to try and see where she sat but she is more effective at 1200.”
Wolverine was a dual Group 2-winning juvenile in New Zealand and was second in the G1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce at Awapuni last April. Now two runs deep into her preparation, Lees is cautiously optimistic ahead of her first tilt at a top-flight event on this side of the Tasman.
“She came over with good credentials from New Zealand, you're just never sure how that form might stand up,” Lees said.
“She has improved off her two runs and I think she's got more to give going forward.
“She has worked home well so she looks suited now at the mile.”
Cummings hopeful with Duais
Trainer Edward Cummings is hopeful that his star mare Duais (Shamus Award) will give a good account of herself in this weekend’s G1 Turnbull S. at Flemington, drawing confidence from the mare’s third-up record.
“She will take improvement out of the Turnbull but I think she’d be good enough to run very well as she did in the Australian Cup,” Cummings told Racing.com.
The 5-year-old has failed to find her form so far this season, most recently managing just sixth in the G1 George Main S. at Randwick on September 17. But Cummings isn’t worried, pointing to a longer-term plan for the mare.
“She will take improvement out of the run but that’s by design as her whole preparation is about getting her through each run to build her fitness in order to get her to her main targets.
“She’s getting there. She's been trying to take chunks out of me all week which is a good sign and that normally indicates she's good and ready to go.”
Kah tops off incredible weekend
Jamie Kah completed an incredible weekend in the saddle on Sunday afternoon when she rode a double at Sandown-Hillside.
With elite success in the G1 AJ Moir S. secured on Friday night at The Valley aboard Coolangatta (Written Tycoon), Kah rode an incredible five winners on Saturday afternoon at Mornington.
Although pre-race favourite Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) failed to shine in the G1 Underwood S. on Sunday, Kah still posted two winners earlier on the card, taking the first race aboard Picarones (Shooting To Win) and the third race on Aesop (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}).
Bowman suspended again
Hugh Bowman found himself sidelined for the second time this month after pleading guilty to excessive use of the whip aboard the Annabel Neasham-trained Mo’unga (NZ) (Savabeel).
It was a decision that Bowman would have been pushed to contest, given that he used his whip 11 times before the 100-metre marker, and the permitted limit until that point is five. Racing Victoria stewards issued a $3500 fine to the leading rider, and nine-meeting suspension.
This comes after Bowman had his 13-day suspension reduced last week, that one issued by Racing NSW stewards for failing to ride out Lost And Running (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) in the G2 The Shorts at Randwick on September 18.
His latest suspension will begin after this Saturday’s Randwick meeting, with Bowman due to return after that on October 10.
Irish education for Hayes brothers
Will Hayes accompanied his twin brother JD on an educational holiday to Ireland last week, focussed on Camorra (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), Lindsay Park’s G1 Melbourne Cup hope. The pair stayed with the current trainer of the 5-year-old gelding, Ger Lyons.
“That was a terrific experience, we were over there for 10 days just absorbing everything there is to know about Irish racing and Camorra,” JD Hayes said on this week's A Good 3 podcast.
“We were able to stay with Ger Lyons and he was very hospitable; he actually let us ride work there, which was a really interesting experience.”
Camorra was last seen finishing eighth in the G1 Irish St. Leger on September 11, a performance which Hayes explained was due to the testing conditions on the day.
“I'm quite happy with the physical horse that we have,” he said.
“It didn't go to plan in the Irish St Leger where he competed against the world's best at level weight on Heavy ground (and) I think it can really turn it on its head when he gets into a handicap on good ground.
“I think that's a few factors that can really improve a horse.”
