Alligator Blood to undergo vet exam on Friday
Cox Plate runner Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) will be re-examined by Racing Victoria (RV) vets on Friday afternoon after showing signs of lameness on Thursday morning.
RV stewards reported the 6-year-old was lame in the near fore.
The gelding’s trainers, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, told stewards the horse hadn’t shown any signs of lameness, didn’t receive any treatment for it, and hadn’t missed any work.
Ferguson lauds El Bodegon
James Ferguson, the former trainer of Cox Plate contender El Bodegon (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), claims the import is a 'superstar' and will take a stack of a beating in the $5 million Group 1.
The G1 Criterium de Saint Cloud winner will have his first start for Chris Waller on Saturday, having had nine runs with Ferguson.
“I’ve made no secret of the fact I think he’s a superstar,” Ferguson told RSN.
“I think he will handle the situation very well. I think the tight track will suit him. He’s not a big horse and he will handle those bends really well.
“He got here fit as a flea and handles soft ground. From a racing perspective, you’d have to be even more confident. I think he’s got a real chance; I really do.”
Dwyer seeks further stakes success with speedy mare
Last-start G2 Caulfield Sprint winner Asfoora (Flying Artie) has come through that run well and is likely to race on this spring.
The Henry Dwyer stable reports the 4-year-old will probably next contest the G3 Furphy Sprint on Derby Day or the Listed GH Mumm Century S. on Oaks Day.
Well-related mare breaks maiden at Ballarat
Think I’m Famous (So You Think {NZ}) - a 4-year-old mare trained by Nigel Blackiston - broke through for the fourth time of asking, taking out a 1600-metre event at Ballarat on Thursday.
The mare is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Let’s Make Adeal (Red Ransom {USA}), who Blackiston also trained, and her grandam is four-time Group 1 winner Let’s Elope (NZ) (Nassipour {USA}).
Think I’m Famous was consigned to the Ainsley Downs Stud draft at the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Sale (Book 1), where Blackiston paid NZ$110,000 for her.
Vale, Mick Mair
Group 1-winning trainer Mick Mair has died after a battle with bowel cancer.
Brisbane Racing Club Chairman Neville Bell, who raced dozens of horses with Mair, paid tribute to his close friend.
“Mick fought a brave battle for many years, yet would always manage a smile,” Bell said.
“His positive outlook on life, no matter what the circumstances, was really inspirational. You could be down in the dumps, but talking to Mick, he would pick you up. And that remained the same right up until his passing.
“He’s one of those guys that make up the fabric of racing. He flew under the radar as far as training high-profile horses – even though when he did get a good one, he handled them superbly. He was never really in the limelight, but people like Mick are what racing is really about.
“He’s going to be very sadly missed.”
Mair’s career highlight was Swiss Ace winning the 2009 G1 Oakleigh Plate.
Moroney confident about Roch ’N’ Horse in Manikato
Kiwi trainer Michael Moroney said Friday night’s G1 Manikato S. was still a plum choice for his G1 Newmarket H. winner Roch ’N’ Horse (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}), despite an unfavourable draw. The 6-year-old mare has given barrier 15 for the sprint feature, but will shuffle to barrier 12 should the emergencies not run.
“Having a crack at a Group 1, we thought this would be the one that she would be most competitive in,” Moroney told LoveRacingNZ. “Nature Strip and co. are heading to the Champions Sprint at Flemington in a fortnight, and we had hoped she would have drawn a better gate, but that is just the way it has gone.”
Roch ’N’ Horse, co-raced by her breeder Little Avondale Stud, has been runner-up in her last two starts, the G2 Bobbie Lewis and G2 Gilgai S. Moroney is confident that his mare will be competitive, in spite of her draw, if there is good speed in Friday’s night race and the track is racing well.
Williamsburg finally draws well
Three-year-old Wiliamsburg (Snitzel) has drawn favourably for the G1 Spring Champion S. at Royal Randwick on Saturday, casting off a run of bad barrier luck with gate two. His co-trainer, Sterling Alexiou, has said the favourable draw this time could see the colt settle handier to things in his race.
“I wouldn’t be surprised to see him settle up much handier than he has been but, in saying that, we don’t want to ride him too upside down just to use the barrier,” Alexiou said.
Williamsburg is currently at single odds in the betting market for the Spring Champion S. in a field that includes the in-form Sharp ’N’ Smart (NZ) (Redwood {GB}), a winner of his last two races including the G3 Gloaming S. Alexiou said it was likely Williamsburg would head for a Derby preparation in the autumn through both the Randwick and Rosehill Guineas.
Widdup keeps the faith in Icebath
Despite being winless since her victory in last year’s The Invitation at Royal Randwick, Icebath (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) is ready to retain her claim on the race, according to her trainer Brad Widdup. The 6-year-old mare was last seen when fourth in the G1 Epsom H. on October 1, and she was second to Anamoe (Street Boss {USA}) in the G1 George Main S. on September 17.
“If you say fourth in an Epsom is disappointing, most people would say you are a hard marker, but that has been her most disappointing run so far,” Widdup told RacingHQ. “She has trained on well, she looks fantastic and is rock hard for Saturday.”
The $2 million The Invitation is worth an even million dollars to the winner and, in the 12-horse field, Icebath has drawn barrier three. Tommy Sherry is booked for the ride.
Seven-length maiden winner for Fogden
The 4-year-old mare Metzarro was a barnstorming winner for her sire Pierro on Thursday, posting a 7l win margin at Gatton between her and her nearest rival, the Star Witness gelding Project Paperclip. Metzarro, ridden by Emily Lang and trained by Kacy Fogden, had been third last time out at the Sunshine Coast and, since joining Fogden from the Anthony and Sam Freedman stable, she has now run four races for a win and two placings.
Metzarro was a $300,000 yearling at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, consigned by Fernrigg Farm and sold to a consortium that included Anthony Freedman Racing, Blue Sky Bloodstock (FBAA, William Johnson Bloodstock and De Burgh Equine.
The mare’s dam is a half-sister to Linton (Galileo {Ire}), who was a popular winner of the G1 Stradbroke H. in 2013, and five Group races all up.
NZB Filly of the Year races continue
The New Zealand Bloodstock (NZB) Filly of the Year Series will move into the northern regions on Saturday with the G3 Soliloquy S. over 1400 metres at Te Rapa. It’s the second of the 11 races in the prestigious series, of which the first leg was taken out by Best Seller (NZ) (Wrote {Ire}) in last month’s G3 Gold Trail S. at Hastings.
The final event will be the G1 New Zealand Oaks (2400 metres) at Trentham on March 18 and, with a points system in place, Best Seller currently leads the Series with the Gold Trail placegetters Sans Doute (Not A Single Doubt) and Mazzolino (NZ) (Savabeel) coming up behind her.
NZB Filly of the Year trophy
Previous winners of the NZB Filly of the Year Series include the likes of Amarelinha (NZ) (Savabeel) and Princess Coup (NZ) (Encosta De Lago), and last year’s joint winners Belle En Rouge (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}) and Self Obsession (NZ) (Shocking).
Curlin heads Hill ’n’ Dale roster
Hill ’n’ Dale Farms has announced its 2023 stallion roster and fees, with Horse of the Year Curlin (USA) heading the group at US$225,000 (AU$360,000). The operation’s leading stallion stood for US$175,000 (AU280,000) in 2022.
Curlin (USA) standing at Hill 'n' Dale Farms | Image courtesy of Sarah Andrew
Ghostzapper (USA) remains unchanged at US$75,000, (AU$119,200) and rounding out the farm's complete roster are Army Mule (USA) at US$12,500 (AU$20,000), Charlatan (USA) at US$50,000 (AU$80,000), Kantharos (USA) at US$20,000 (AU$32,000), Lost Treasure (USA) at US$3500 (AU$5500), Maclean's Music (USA) at US$50,000 (AU$80,000), Midnight Lute (USA) at US$12,500 (AU$20,000), Mucho Macho Man (USA) at US$7500 (AU$12,000), Violence (USA) at US$40,000 (AU$65,000) and World of Trouble (USA) at US$5000 (AU$8000).
Champion Juvenile Good Magic (USA), a son of Curlin, will be announced at a later date.
Perfect Power to Dalham Hall
Treble Group 1-winning sprinter Perfect Power (Ire) has been retired to stand at Darley's Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket for 2023. The son of Ardad's fee will be announced at a later date.
Sam Bullard, Darley's Director of Stallions, said, “We are delighted Perfect Power is coming to Dalham Hall Stud. Breeders from all around Europe will have admired his performances in many of the great races for 2- and 3-year-old sprinters and it is a rare opportunity for British breeders to have access to a stallion with such precocity and speed.
“His powers of acceleration are exactly the sort of thing that makes our sport so thrilling. What's more, he's a fantastically muscular colt, and an especially good mover: he is very likely to throw commercial young stock in his own speedy image.”
Jericho Cup qualifier on Saturday
Warrnambool’s 4600-metre Jericho Cup, revived in 2018 to fall on the fourth Sunday every year after the Melbourne Cup, has the second of its two New Zealand qualifying heats coming up in Saturday’s Road to Jericho (3000 metres) at Riccarton. The first qualifier, won by Quota (NZ) (Makfi {GB}), occurred at New Plymouth on the North Island last month.
NZB Airfreight is the naming-rights sponsor of Saturday’s event, offering a NZ$5000 airfreight credit to the winner, and New Zealand’s influence on the Jericho Cup since its re-inception has gone as far as the first three winners of the race being New Zealand-bred.
The Jericho Cup trophy | Image courtesy of thejerichocup.com.au
Saturday’s race at Riccarton has attracted a field of 13 and, with the relaxation of COVID restrictions, next month’s Jericho Cup will be the first time since 2019 that trans-Tasman horses have been able to line up in the popular race.
Armidale races abandoned
Racing NSW has pulled the plug on Saturday’s race meeting at Armidale, officially abandoning the card following 24mm of rainfall over the course, and 60mm for the past week. Water on the track has made it unsuitable for racing.
Further rainfall is forecast over the region for the next 48 hours leading into Saturday and, with no likelihood of improvement, the meeting was abandoned and not postponed.
Fifth stakes winner for Almanzor
Cambridge Stud shuttler Almanzor (Fr) was handed his fifth stakes winner on Wednesday when his son Rajapour (Ire) retained his unbeaten record in the Listed Prix Isonomy at Deauville.
The Jean-Claude Rouget-trained put himself in the picture for the Classics next season when he defeated Bolshkinov (Fr) (Camacho {GB}) by 2l, while Greygoria (Ire) (The Grey Gatsby {Ire}) was another 3.5l away in third.
Almanzor is represented by one stakes winner in New Zealand, Dynastic (NZ), and he is standing for a fee NZ$50,000 plus GST.
Adlerflug tops the third day at Arqana
A colt by the late stallion Gestut Schlenderhan-based Alderflug (Ger) was the headline act of the third day of the Arqana October Yearling Sale after Marco Bozzi went to €125,000 (AU$195,200) for the colt.
The agent bought Lot 398 from Haras d'Ombreville for American owner Albert Frassetto, one of the former members of the syndicate which owned the Group 1 winner Grand Glory (GB) (Olympic Glory {Ire}),
Trade settled down a notch as the second section of the three-part sale got underway on Wednesday but the clearance rate remained strong, and even improved a little, to 84 per cent. The consistency of the trade was borne out by an average price of €26,852 (AU$42,000) and median of €22,000 (AU$34,400). The 132 yearlings sold during the afternoon and evening added €3,544,500 (AU$5,534,500) to turnover.
