Jacquinot secured by Widden Stud
This year’s G1 Golden Rose S. winner Jacquinot (Rubick), who will shoot for The Everest glory on Saturday, has been secured by Widden Stud and will retire to Antony Thompson’s farm at the conclusion of his racing career.
The son of Rubick will run for his existing ownership group in The Everest but in the future he will carry the colours of Sheikh Fahad's Qatar Racing for a new ownership syndicate headed by Widden Stud, in a deal which was brokered by James Harron Bloodstock.
“We see Jacquinot as a perfect fit for Widden Stud,” Thompson revealed to Racenet on Thursday. “Jacquinot is from the Encosta de Lago sireline that has been very successful for us through Northern Meteor and his champion son Zoustar.
“He was precocious enough to win on debut as a 2-year-old at Caulfield on Boxing Day and has done nothing but improve ever since.
“His Blue Diamond run (third placing) was exceptional albeit unlucky and the improvement he has taken into his 3-year-old season has put Jacquinot at the very top of the sprinting colts' division.”
Benaud to go for break after Caulfield Cup
The John O’Shea-trained Benaud (Reliable Man {GB}) won’t contest this year’s Melbourne Cup, regardless of how he performs in Saturday’s Caulfield Cup.
O’Shea will play the long game with the talented stayer, who is only four and has had just 12 starts.
“He will be better next year, that’s why I don’t want to overtax him, I didn't want to go to the Melbourne Cup,” O'Shea told Racing.com.
“He will run on Saturday and then have a nice break, race in the autumn and come back next year.”
‘Ollie’ to reunite with Oaks filly
Champion jockey Damien Oliver will ride So Dazzling (NZ) (So You Think {NZ}) in the filly’s next two starts in Melbourne this spring.
Oliver was aboard the John Sargent-trained 3-year-old when she won the Oaks Preview at Flemington last month before William Pike guided her to a third placing in Wednesday’s BM64 event at Newcastle.
So Dazzling (NZ) | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“It didn’t really pan out how we wanted (on Wednesday) and there was a bit of an inside bias but she hit the line well and she’ll be right on song for when she heads back down to Melbourne,” Sargent said.
“She pulled up good and we’re all ready to go. Damien Oliver will ride and she’ll head to the Wakeful and then the Oaks.”
Vet checks continue for Cup runners
Vow And Declare (Declaration Of War {USA}) and Tralee Rose (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) are the only two Caulfield Cup runners yet to be given a clean bill of health by Racing Victoria vets.
Sixteen of the final field of 18 were inspected on Thursday and received the green light. Racing Victoria vets will carry out inspections of Vow And Declare and Tralee Rose on Friday.
Waller unfazed by wide draw for sprint star
Trainer Chris Waller claims the outside gate (12) isn’t a concern for Nature Strip (Nicconi) in Saturday’s The Everest.
“Nature Strip likes to get into his own rhythm and while there is a little bit of extra ground to cover he can do it as he likes,” Waller said.
“When you draw on the outside, you’ve got nothing to your outside you’ve only got those to your inside and you can come across when you're ready at the pace you want to.
“So, barrier 12 allows that. He drew similarly last year (barrier 10 when he won the 2021 The Everest) and he won the TJ Smith Stakes in the autumn from a wide gate (barrier 11).”
Verry Elleegant among Japan Cup entries
Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) is featured among the first set of nominations for the G1 Japan Cup.
Meanwhile, Alligator Blood (All Too Hard), Duias (Shamus Award) and Durston (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) are also among the early nominations for the Grade 1, which takes place on November 27.
Verry Elleegant has failed to win in three starts since joining Francis-Henri Graffard’s French base and she will have her first start in the UK on Saturday when she lines up in the G1 British Champions Fillies and Mares S. at Ascot.
Cummings keen on Cascadian
Godolphin Australia's head trainer, James Cummings, believes Cascadian (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) is the stable’s best winning chance this weekend.
A last-start winner of the G2 Hill S. over 200 metres, Cascadian drops back to the 1800 metres of the G3 Craven Plate at Randwick.
“It’s a nice race, he’s my best-placed horse of the weekend,” Cummings said on SEN Track. “He just has not taken a backwards step since the Hill Stakes which he just careered away with.
“It’ll be a sweet race to take home, it’s weight-for-age, back to nine furlongs and he’s looking like he’s got the eye of the tiger about him at the moment.”
Cascadian will be ridden by James McDonald from barrier three.
Forgive Kissonallforcheeks, says Ryan
Nick Ryan has put a line through Kissonallforcheeks’ (Written Tycoon) most recent run, where she failed to finish in the money when favourite in the G2 Stocks S. at The Valley.
The 5-year-old drops back to 1400 metres in Saturday’s G2 Tristarc S. at Caulfield and will jump from barrier 14.
“We rode to the bias, and she wasn't happy at The Valley,” Ryan said. “She was ridden upside down and it didn’t work out.
“She’s been freshened and is coming back to the 1400 metres. She’s drawn wide, so she’ll be ridden back, and I think she can bounce back.”
Bowman waits for Cup call
Hugh Bowman is likely to stay in Sydney for the Melbourne Cup carnival. Bowman confirmed it's likely he would be spending Victoria Derby Day in Sydney, while Cup Day is up in the air.
“Unless I get a Melbourne Cup ride, I’ll remain in Sydney on Cup Day,” Bowman said.
As a handicap race in a year where the top weight has already been withdrawn, finding a suitable Cup mount isn’t the easiest task for a heavyweight hoop like Bowman.
“There aren’t too many options,” he said. “With my weight range, it makes it hard. We all know at this time of year, a lot of things can change, I’ll just hang around and see what comes my way.”
More Reward ready for Oaks
Trainer Dan Clarken is eyeing a tilt in the G1 VRC Oaks with More Reward (Reward For Effort) following her victory in the Listed Hill Smith S. at Morphettville last weekend.
Clarken said the filly had surprised him with how well she'd bounced through the run, which was her fifth outing for the campaign and her maiden victory after a string of minor placings.
"She ate up on Saturday night, I put her out in a yard and she's been out there pig-rooting and bucking and carrying on," Clarken said.
"I worked her this morning and she's taken no ill effect from the run. Physically she hasn't changed, she is what she is but it's not as if she's rattled away to nothing.
"It's exciting times with her."
Paddock for Extremely Lucky
Following his last-place finish in the G1 AJ Moir S., Extremely Lucky (Extreme Choice) has been sent to the paddock.
The Will Clarken-trained 4-year-old stormed home to take out the Listed Lightning S. at his home track Morphettville before crossing the border for an encouraging third placing after a wide run in the Listed Carlyon S. at Moonee Valley that his trainer said, in hindsight, took its toll.
"Unfortunately, I think we bottomed him out the start before at Moonee Valley and he, we knew he was always going to get a long way back (in the Moir)," Clarken said.
"Ben (Melham) was really soft on him early in the Moir and he was a couple of lengths off the last horse, and he was just getting sprayed with kick back, so it wasn't to be.
"He's gone to the paddock, and you'll see him back maybe around Christmas time or a bit later and racing into the autumn."
Richards off the mark in Hong Kong
Four-time New Zealand Premiership-winning trainer Jamie Richards celebrated his first winner in Hong Kong on Wednesday night when Handsome Rebel (Denman) saluted at Happy Valley.
“I’m very pleased, it’s been a long road getting here,” Richards said. “It’s good to get the birdie off the back and get the winner. A big thank you to everyone at the stable, they’ve all been working really hard and have done a great job.”
