Eduardo to return for autumn
Multiple Group 1 winner Eduardo (Host {Chi}) will race on this autumn after a series of tests found no physical issue with the gelding following his disappointing spring.
The gelding kicked off his season with a victory in the G3 Concorde S. but then his form tapered off, leading his trainer Joe Pride to run tests to check whether the 9-year-old was struggling physically.
“It was pretty average by his standards and that's the thing, he has set a really high standard and he was pretty plain through the spring,” Pride said. “But we put him through the 'pits', did some tests on him, we did a bone scan on him and it was 100 per cent.
“He is having a spell and he'll be back on December 19. At this stage, he will be aimed at either the Challenge S. or The Galaxy first-up.”
All-Star Mile plans for Uncle Bryn
Following a successful spring campaign, Uncle Bryn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) will be aimed at The All-Star Mile this autumn.
The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained son of Sea The Stars (Ire) was last seen winning the Listed Cranbourne Cup, having taken out the Listed Sale Cup on his previous start.
“The autumn rolls around very quickly,” Busuttin said. “The aim is The All-Star Mile, hopefully, and then onto the Australian Cup.”
Busuttin said no plans are confirmed on how the stable would get Uncle Bryn to The All-Star Mile.
Spell for Brayden Star
Meanwhile, Uncle Bryn’s stablemate, Brayden Star (GB) (Twilight Son {GB}) has been sent to the paddock following his third-placed defeat at Pakenham on Saturday.
The son of Twilight Son (GB) was a winner on his first start in Australia on Cranbourne Cup Day a few weeks ago, but didn’t seem to have the same turn of foot he showed that day on Saturday.
“It’s never good when you get a favourite beaten but he was beaten on his merits,” Busuttin said.
“He was off the bridle a long way out but coming into it, but the first two horses (Flash Feeling and Matron Bullwinkel) were just too good.
“Damien (Oliver) just thought that he might have come to the end of it this time and I thought the same thing. He thought he was going to pick them up at the 300-metre mark but the first two kept going.”
Gold Rush aim for Vilana
After being scratched from the G1 Winterbottom S. on race morning due to a leg abrasion, Vilana (Hallowed Crown) was given an exhibition gallop between races at Ascot on Saturday with James McDonald in the saddle.
“(He’s a) Beautiful horse that worked really well," McDonald said. “Didn't even raise a sweat.”
“He felt like he was just three-quarter pace down the running, but he was obviously going a little bit quicker.”
Vilana is currently favourite for the G3 Gold Rush where a strong performance in the $1.5 million event would cap off a campaign which has so far returned impressive wins in the Silver Eagle and The Hunter.
Australian-bred breaks maiden in South Africa
Veldskoen (Snitzel) shed his maiden status at the second time of asking as he saluted the judge at Kenilworth on Saturday.
Trained by Brett Crawford and bred by Ridgemont Highlands, the 4-year-old is the first winner from New Zealand Listed winner Belle Miraaj (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) and she is herself a sister to Fantastic Eclipse (NZ), who was also stakes-placed.
Veldskoen becomes the 14th winner for Snitzel in South Africa and his winning progeny in the country is headed by G1 South African Classic winner Heavenly Blue.
Fitzsimmons crowned Singapore Champion
After a long battle with New Zealand expat Donna Logan, the title of Singapore’s champion trainer in 2022 has been won by native Australian Tim Fitzsimmons.
Born and bred in Victoria, Fitzsimmons prevailed by six wins and now joins the likes of Lee Freedman, Laurie Laxon, Mark Walker and Steve Burridge as a premiership-winning trainer in Singapore.
“It’s one of those things that, it’s probably something I never, ever thought I’d be able to do, and to do it in my third full year, it’s really rewarding,” Fitzsimmons told Racing.com.
“There’s been some really, really good trainers win it; Laurie Laxon was a bit of a hero of mine, I think he won it nine times, so it’s a nice honour board to be on.”
