Nature Strip draws 12 in The Everest
Reigning The Everest champion Nature Strip (Nicconi) has been drawn in the outside barrier 12 for Saturday’s edition of the $15 million sprint.
The last start G1 Golden Rose S. winner Jacquinot (Rubick) will jump from barrier two, while Joyful Fortune (Nicconi) will line up beside him in stall one and Private Eye (Al Maher) is on the other side in barrier three.
The Clayton Douglas-trained Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) has drawn nicely in barrier five and the Bjorn Baker pair of Overpass (Vancouver) and Shades Of Rose (Rubick) will break from barriers six and eight respectively.
Godolphin’s runner Ingratiating (Frosted {USA}) will jump from four and Triple Crown’s Mazu (Maurice {Jpn}), who will be attempting to become his ownership group's third winner in the race, will break from barrier 11.
Meanwhile, the field is completed by Eduardo (Host {Chi}), Lost And Running (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) and Masked Crusader (Toronado {Ire}), who will jump from barriers nine, seven and 10 respectively.
Top Ranked out of the Cox Plate
The racing career of Top Ranked (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is under a cloud after the gelding pulled up with a leg issue following a routine piece of work at Moonee Valley on Tuesday, ruling the son of Dark Angel (Ire) out of next weekend’s G1 Cox Plate.
Top Ranked, who dead-heated to win the G1 Epsom 10 days ago, was about 150 metres from completing his workout, before going amiss with his rider quickly dismounting.
Australian Bloodstock's Jamie Lovett said he was unsure of the exact nature of the injury but had fielded two phone calls from trainer Annabel Neasham, the second more positive than the first.
Top Ranked (Ire) | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“Talking briefly with Annabel, most importantly the horse will be okay,” Lovett told RSN927.
“Initially the concerns were there, but they got him back to his box and the reports so far have been good. That's a blessing and while it's disappointing for Annabel and connections, the most important thing is he is okay, and the rider is okay.”
North Star Lass chasing Guineas glory
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained North Star Lass (Zoustar) will be entering uncharted waters when she tackles the G1 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield on Wednesday.
The G2 Furious S. winner will be having her first run in Melbourne and it will also be the first time she will run on Good ground, having endured rain-affected tracks during her time in Sydney.
“She's a beautiful filly, a big filly,” Waterhouse said. “She has handled the wet very well up in Sydney and she has handled hard racing. She seems a very tenacious type of filly.
“She looks very well at Flemington since she has come down. It's a bit quieter down here for her and she seems to like that.”
Stablemates to clash in Sapphire
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable believes it has two genuine chances in a stakes race at Caulfield on Wednesday and in turn a Group 1 contest later in the spring.
Grand Impact (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}) and Bews (I Am Invincible) will represent Price and Kent Jnr in the G3 Blue Sapphire S. as a lead-up to the G3 Coolmore Stud S. at Flemington on October 29.
Michael Kent Jnr and Mick Price
“Bews is going great and we're trying to get him into the Coolmore,” Price said. “I was worried he would not get into the field as he was down the order in entry, but luckily it has fallen away a little.
“Grand Impact is going well also, and this has been the plan for him. He's got to be good enough on the day, but he'll show up for sure.”
El Bodegon gets his first look at The Valley
Group 1-winning import El Bodegon (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) got his first look at The Valley ahead of his run in the G1 Cox Plate in 11 days’ time.
The son of Kodiac (GB) was a Group 1 winner as a 2-year-old for Newmarket-based trainer James Ferguson and since his arrival in Australia has been transferred to Chris Waller, who was a member of the ownership group in the colt.
“Ollie's (Damien Oliver, jockey) line when he got off the track was, 'He's a small horse but talks a big game' and I think that's exactly right," Waller’s assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth said.
“No riders have ever got off and said he feels like a small horse, he covers the ground exceptionally well and is a real athlete.
“It's hard to line up European form and a-mile-and-a-half back to this but he obviously ran behind the Melbourne Cup favourite, so that's probably not the worst form. I know the Melbourne Cup and Cox Plate are worlds apart, but it is obviously the same calibre of horse.”
Unbeaten Amelia’s Jewel set to make comeback
The unbeaten Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) will make her comeback in Listed Belgravia S. at Ascot on October 22 after she pleased her trainer, Simon Miller, in a trial at Belmont on Monday.
As a 2-year-old Amelia's Jewel won the Listed Supremacy S. the G3 Gimcrack S. and G2 Karrakatta Plate and Miller is confident she has come back bigger and better this time round.
Amelia's Jewel | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
"She had a big blow after the trial, so she'll strip fitter," Simon Miller told The Races WA. "She'll go to the Belgravia S. now in two weeks' time and I'm comfortable with where she is at.
"The thing that took me a bit by surprise from the trial was when she shied at a couple on her inside when she was taking a gap. She hasn't been in that position before, normally she just comes around them. The difference between this prep and her last is I haven't placed any pressure on her.
"She's got a long campaign ahead of her and I'm happy to send her to the races."
A total of 48 remain in the Melbourne Cup
A total of 48 horses remain in the hunt for the Melbourne Cup after third declarations closed on Tuesday.
Included in that number are six European horses of which five – Deauville Legend (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Loft (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), Without A Fight (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), Hoo Ya Mal (GB) (Territories {Ire}) and Camorra (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) – were due to arrive in Melbourne on Tuesday night to commence their quarantine at Werribee.
Those five horses are safely in the field for the 3200 metres on November 1 while the sixth, Rodrigo Diaz (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}), arrived on September 20 and is currently number 30 in the order of entry.
Also safely in the field limit of 24 for the Melbourne Cup are Le Don De Vie (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}), Persan (Pierro) and Grand Promenade (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) while G1 Caulfield Cup favourite Smokin' Romans (NZ) (Ghibellines) sits just outside the cut-off as number 26.
Barzalona on Verry Elleegant
Mickael Barzalona has been booked to ride Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) in Saturday’s G1 British Champion Fillies and Mares S. at Ascot.
Verry Elleegant comes into the race off the back of three unconvincing runs in France.
“Verry Elleegant was very unlucky in the way the race was run at Longchamp where there was no tempo and she was in on the rail and pulled hard,” Graffard told Racing TV in the UK.
Verry Elleegant (NZ) | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
“She basically didn’t have a race. It’s hard to see such a fantastic mare beaten like that and it's upsetting too but I felt that the race was over for her at the first bend when I saw where we were.
“Everything went against her and it's best forgotten, but she’s come out of it well. She’s happy and she tries and hopefully things will go her way on British Champions day.”
