Aft Cabin sustains bleed
Godolphin’s exciting 3-year-old colt Aft Cabin (Astern) suffered a bleed from both nostrils on Saturday morning during trackwork and will now miss his spring targets. Aft Cabin was last seen on September 17 winning the G3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude in fine style, and had naturally been one of trainer James Cummings’ big hopes for the spring.
However, the rules of Australian racing state that after a first bleed a horse must exit training for a minimum of two months, with a second incurring a lifetime ban. Godolphin have indicated that the horse will be seen early in the new year.
Snitzel juvenile double
By a matter of a few hours, Te Akau’s Rhetorical (NZ) was a first 2-year-old winner of the season at Riccarton for Arrowfield Stud’s Snitzel, as the sire recorded a remarkable juvenile double when the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Empire Of Japan dominated in the G3 Breeders’ Plate in Sydney shortly afterwards.
Trained by Mark Walker, Rhetorical was having her second start and toughed it out to finish 0.3l ahead Gwynver (NZ) (Ghibellines).
Snitzel’s super Saturday was further enhanced by the win of Williamsburg in the Listed Dulcify S. at Randwick, with the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained 3-year-old colt prevailing by 0.71l over Communist (Russian Revolution).
Snitzel | Standing at Arrowfield Stud
And, if that wasn’t enough, Snitzel’s son Remarque won the concluding event at Randwick, a BM94 H., in the colours of Arrowfield Stud for trainers Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes.
After a brilliant day, Snitzel has sired a total of 43 winners in Australia and New Zealand this season, and doubled his seasonal stakes tally to four on Saturday. He stands at Arrowfield Stud for $220,000 (inc GST).
Zoustar’s fillies shine at Randwick
Zoustar recorded a stakes double at Randwick on Saturday. Taking the G3 Gimcrack S. was the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained filly Platinum Jubilee, who did so in remarkable fashion by scything her way through the field very late on.
Topping off the day for the Widden Stud resident was victory in the G1 Flight S. for the Chris Waller-trained Zougotcha, who bounced out of her win in the G2 Tea Rose S. on September 17 to defeat She’s Extreme (Extreme Choice) by 2l on Saturday afternoon.
As the former handler of Zoustar, it was also the first time Chris Waller claimed a Group 1 victory with a horse sired by one of his previous Group 1 winners.
Zoustar stands for $198,000 (inc GST) at Widden Stud this year.
Exceed And Excel to the fore at Flemington
Darley’s mighty Exceed And Excel enjoyed a vintage day at Flemington on Saturday afternoon, where he recorded his first stakes winner for the season when Zulfiqar claimed victory in the Listed Maribyrnong Trial S. for James Cummings, and quickly doubled his tally with Excelida’s win in the G2 Rose of Kingston S. The son of Danehill (USA) is now the sire of 204 individual stakes winners.
Exceed And Excel | Standing at Darley
In addition to the two stakes wins, Exceed And Excel enjoyed a treble on Saturday as Osamu claimed his third win at Eagle Farm for trainers Steven O'Dea and Matthew Hoysted, with the 5-year-old gelding finding victory in Handicap company.
Exceed And Excel stands at Darley Kelvinside for $132,000 (inc GST) this season.
All Too Hard six-timer
Vinery Stud stallion All Too Hard, who recently celebrated another top-flight victory courtesy of Alligator Blood in the G1 Underwood S. last weekend, notched an impressive six winners internationally on Saturday.
At the Gold Coast, 5-year-old mare Bid In A Hurry recorded her fifth career win for trainer Caroline Allardyce and Can’t Be Done was successful for Peter Fernie at Kalgoorlie, whilst in Hong Kong, Happy Sharing (NZ) was victorious in a Sha Tin handicap.
All Too Hard | Standing at Vinery Stud
Angela Plumb’s 3-year-old filly Shotgun Diva broke her maiden at Casino, and to complete the tally, All Too Hard also recorded a double at Inverell.
All Too Hard will stand for $38,500 (inc GST) this season.
Savabeel’s double
Fresh from siring a cross-Tasman double on Friday, Waikato Stud’s Savabeel repeated the feat on Saturday afternoon.
Headed by the victory of Andrew Forsman’s 3-year-old colt Mr Maestro (NZ) in the Listed Super Impose S. at Flemington, Savabeel recorded a second winner via Belle of the Ball (NZ), a 4-year-old Waikato Stud-bred mare who was claiming her third-straight victory for Mark Walker and Te Akau Racing.
Lunar shows flare to win Bart Cummings
As soon as she could find some racing room, there was no stopping Lunar Flare (Fiorente {Ire}) as she gained victory in the G3 Bart Cummings, in turn securing her spot as Grahame Begg’s first runner in the G1 Melbourne Cup. When the mare lines up in the Group 1 on November 1 she will be attempting to emulate her sire Fiorente (Ire), who won the race in 2013.
Lunar Flare secures her spot in the G1 Melbourne Cup after winning the G3 Bart Cummings at Flemington | Image courtesy of Darren Tindale
It was an eighth win for the 7-year-old mare, and a first victory in nearly a year having taken the G2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500 metres) last October.
Cognito emerges as NZ 2000 Guineas prospect
Cognito (So You Think {NZ}) entered the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas reckoning after he galloped to an impressive victory in the Inglewood Stud Guineas Trial at Riccarton on Saturday.
Trained by Mark Walker and raced by Te Akau, the son of So You Think (NZ) defeated Diss Is Dramatic (NZ) (Dissident) by 0.8l, while Malborough Bay (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) was another 1.6l away in third.
“It was heart in the mouth stuff there at the 200 metres but once he got the gap he stretched really nicely,” Walker said. “To be fair, he probably should be unbeaten as he got no favours at Ruakaka last time and only went down a nose, so it was good to see him get that touch of luck when he needed it today.
“He is a lovely horse who I think will just eat up the ground once he steps up to a mile.
“His main aim is the 2000 Guineas, but before then he can have a go over the mile with a run in the War Decree S. here at Riccarton later this month.”
Guineas plan for Blue Solitaire
The G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas is now firmly on the table for Blue Solitaire (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) after she passed her audition for the Group 1 with a victory at Riccarton on Saturday.
The Shane Kennedy and Anna Furlong-trained daughter of Almanzor (Fr) was last seen finishing fast in the Listed Canterbury Belle S. and she clearly relished the step up in trip, beating Satellite (NZ) (Vadamos {Fr}) by 1.8l.
Kennedy confirmed that the 1000 Guineas is on the radar for Blue Solitaire pending her performance in the G3 War Decree Stakes at Riccarton on October 22, a race that is also on the programme for stablemate Kikimora (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) who was narrowly beaten into second one race later.
Hayes National Cup double
The David Hayes-trained Super Wealthy (Epaulette) recorded back-to-back victories in the G3 National Day Cup at Sha Tin on Saturday afternoon.
Super Wealthy was a 2017 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale graduate for Bhima Thoroughbreds, he was formerly named Covert Operation when racing in Australia.
Harry McAlpine becomes new Australasian representative for Tattersalls
Bloodstock consultant Harry McAlpine has been named as an additional Tattersalls Australasian representative alongside Jenny McAlpine. The Queensland native is based on the McAlpine family's Eureka Stud, and handles stallion nominations and sales. He also acts as a bloodstock agent and consultant managing the Black Soil Bloodstock racing and breeding operation of Brian Siemsen.
Harry McAlpine
Tattersalls' Chairman Edmond Mahony said, “Harry is a great addition to the Tattersalls team of overseas representatives and his appointment working alongside Jenny McAlpine demonstrates the importance we attach to promoting Tattersalls sales throughout Australia and New Zealand. Having worked at Tattersalls in Newmarket and at William Inglis in Sydney, Harry is already familiar with the Tattersalls ethos and sales portfolio and between him and Jenny, Tattersalls has two highly respected individuals to represent the company in a hugely important market.”
McAlpine added, “Tattersalls has a fantastic reputation in both Australia and New Zealand and to be promoting Tattersalls alongside Jenny is a role I am looking forward to enormously.”
Soumillon’s moment of madness
Leading French rider Christophe Soumillon has been banned for two months following an extraordinary incident in which he elbowed fellow rider Rossa Ryan out of the saddle during a race at Saint-Cloud on Friday.
In the immediate aftermath of the incident it appeared as if Ryan had suffered no ill effects, though he has since reported experiencing pain in his neck.
“I've spoken to him and he said he's getting scans on his neck,” Rossa's uncle Tom Ryan told Punters.
“Unfortunately, he thinks there's a chance that he's broken it in the fall.”
Ryan, who works for Lindsay Park, was angered by the leniency of the penalty.
“He'd get a year for that anywhere else in the world. Two months is a shocking result, and he can still ride this weekend (in Sunday's Prix de l'arc de Triomphe),” Ryan said.
Soumillon showed remorse after the event…
“It was a terrible thing that happened,” Soumillon said. “I was riding my race as always and two of us wanted the same spot. I thought I was just easing Rossa over so I could stay behind Ryan (Moore). Unfortunately, on the very soft ground, he became unbalanced and came off.
“That was the first surprise because I wondered what had happened. When I watched back the pictures, I could see clearly what had happened - that I had gone elbow to elbow with him, which unfortunately I should never have done.
Soumillon is set to partner the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Sunday, and will be able to keep the ride as his suspension starts on October 14 and ends on December 12.
