Buenos kept back in distance
The Matt Smith-trained Buenos Noches (Supido) is unlikely to step up in distance, despite holding an entry for next month’s G1 Caulfield Guineas (1600 metres).
The 3-year-old colt won the Listed Poseidon S. at Flemington over 1100 metres on his latest outing, and Smith confirmed that his big-race target may now be the G1 Coolmore S. back there.
Buenos Noches
“He might stay at the sprints and just go to the Coolmore, depending on what he does next start, the straight, 1100 metres, seems to suit him,” Smith told Racing.com.
“He's ticking over nicely, he'll be back down there (Melbourne) in two weeks, the Danehill (1200 metres), he'll be back for that.
“We thought we'd take a punt, we brought him down because we thought if he went good it gives us the option to come back for the Coolmore, and I always prefer to give them a trip down there first if we can. When he handled it well, it's become a bit of an easier decision.”
Pride set to start Private on Saturday
Trainer Joe Pride will look to kick off the season of last year’s G1 Epsom H. winner Private Eye (Al Maher) at Randwick this Saturday.
The 5-year-old gelding had a trial at Pride’s Warwick Farm base last Friday and will line up in this weekend’s G2 Premiere S. over 1200 metres, having finished last season with a second to Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) in the G1 Stradbroke H. at Eagle Farm.
“The race I really want to get him to is the Champions Mile at Flemington but he'll kick off in a few sprints first in Sydney," Pride told Racenet.
“He's coming up super, going good. It was a lovely trial from him on Friday.
“He's a horse that's been going great for a long time but those bog tracks in the autumn hampered him like it did a lot of horses.
“When we finally got him on a decent track in the Straddie (Stradbroke H.) he showed what he can do.
“I'm just hoping we can avoid the Heavy tracks with him because he's going as well as he's ever gone.”
Litt on weather watch with Profondo
Profondo (Deep Impact {Jpn}) was sent to Melbourne ahead of the G1 Turnbull S. on Saturday by his trainer Richard Litt in the hope that a better weather forecast compared to Sydney would give his stable star a chance to return to Group 1 glory.
However, the weather hasn’t exactly played ball with Litt’s plan.
“It’s going to be up to Mother Nature,” Litt told Racing.com.
Profondo | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“The wet tracks don’t suit him, but we are very pleased with him, and we just want to see him on a better surface.
“He has done everything we’ve asked him to, and he is going really well and he just needs dryer ground.”
O’Brien looking forward to Turnbull with two
Trainer Danny O’Brien will be doubly represented in this Saturday’s G1 Turnbull S. as both Inspirational Girl (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) and Young Werther (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) will head to Flemington.
Inspirational Girl, a 7-year-old mare, posted an encouraging first-up second place in the G2 Feehan S. at the beginning of this month.
“She's come on really well and getting her to Flemington and 2000 metres is ideal for her,” O'Brien told Racing.com.
Danny and Nina O'Brien | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
“She has got plenty of residual fitness, so I have no problem with her running over 2000 metres second-up.”
Young Werther may have taken second in the Turnbull last year, but O’Brien warned that, although he will be second-up again this year, he’s had a longer break than last time.
“Last year he was coming off a much shorter break as he had run in the Australian Derby. This time, he had the whole year off this year, so there's definitely more improvement in him to come.”
The Epsom shapes up
Annabel Neasham's Top Ranked (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Converge (Frankel {GB}) will be the joint topweights in this weekend’s G1 Epsom H. at Randwick.
Even though the weights are expected to be raised a minimum of 0.5kg (to ensure a topweight of 56kg), Matt Smith is keen to send forward last weekend’s G2 Golden Pendant winner Nimalee (So You Think {NZ}) who currently has 54.5kg.
“Nimalee has come through last Saturday's run in good order,” Smith told Racenet.
“She has had three runs in this campaign, and I am pretty comfortable with backing her up on Saturday.
“I thought she was very tough in the last furlong-and-a-half (300 metres) of the Golden Pendant and that tells me she is close to being right.
“She's a big, strong mare and it takes her a few runs to get fit and I still think there is improvement in her.”
Meanwhile, the Chris Waller-trained Hinged (Worth Cause) may end up the pre-race favourite with a weight of just 50.5kg, provided the 4-year-old mare draws a good barrier.
Defibrillate back at home
After a little over three years spent campaigning in Australia, Defibrillate (NZ) (Shocking) is set to have his first run back in New Zealand in Saturday’s G1 Arrowfield Stud Plate at Hastings.
Co-trainer Graham Richardson, who also part-owns the 8-year-old gelding, has booked Opie Bosson for this weekend’s feature.
Trained in Australia by Patrick Payne, Defibrillate won a trio of stakes races but has been sent back after a discussion between Payne and Richardson.
Defibrillate (NZ) | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
“I wouldn’t say he’d reached his limit, but he got to the stage where he was getting a fair bit of weight over there,” said Richardson.
“Paddy (Payne) and I talked about it and decided he’d be a better weight-for-age horse in New Zealand.”
Spangle heading for Hong Kong Mile
After his victory in Sunday’s G3 Celebration Cup (1400 metres) at Sha Tin, Tony Cruz’s California Spangle (Starspanglebanner) may now come up against Golden Sixty (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}) in the G1 Hong Kong Mile in December.
Whilst the G1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200 metres) is also an option, the trainer said that the horse’s racing style is behind his decision.
“I think he's a miler. He's a real front-runner,” Cruz told Racing.com.
“At the 1200 metres, it's hard to get to the front if you've drawn wide, but in the 1600 metres there are no fast horses around. I think he will be the fastest one and easily lead the race and have it his own way again.
“Zac said the horse can relax even better now than last season so there's been improvement in him. He can relax in a race much better than before, and he thinks we need to go a mile race next time.”
Scone Equine Group gets approval for new facility
The Upper Hunter Shire Council has granted approval for Scone Equine Group to build a state-of-the-art equine hospital and referral centre adjacent to Scone Racecourse.
This will allow them to bring all of Scone Equine Hospital’s services onto one site.
“We are very excited about this development,” Dr Cameron Collins, managing director, said in a statement.
“This new hospital will allow our team of highly experienced veterinarians, which includes specialists in surgery, medicine, reproduction and anaesthesia, to provide our patients and clients with the latest in surgical procedures, medical techniques and diagnostic equipment in a modern and advanced facility.
“The strength of the Upper Hunter as the centre of the Australian breeding industry, coupled with the recent commitment by Racing NSW to develop Scone Racecourse into a major training centre with increased stabling and all-weather track facilities are key components in the decision to develop this hospital.”
The new facility is expected to be completed by August next year.
