RV considering spring shake-up
Racing Victoria (RV) has privately met with all three Melbourne clubs and consulted Country Racing Victoria about potential changes to the spring carnival.
The discussions reported by Racing.com included moving two of Victoria’s biggest races, including the G1 Cox Plate and the G1 Caulfield Cup, however there are allegedly very little enthusiasm for moving headline races.
Ideas for a new-look spring include:
-Shifting the G1 Thousand Guineas from its Wednesday slot to a standalone Saturday post Champions Day
- RV asked the Melbourne Racing Club whether it was still keen to shift the G1 Caulfield Cup and G1 Cox Plate to the middle to later part of November
- Following the wagering success of running the G1 Manikato S. on Cox Plate Day in 2022, there is a strong push to repeat the format in 2023.
- Move the G1 CF Orr S. from the autumn to Zipping Classic Day. The Zipping race card could be set to look stronger in 2023, with a push to increase prizemoney across the day. A Group race at Caulfield would likely move from its current slot to the autumn
Tom Prebble rides first winner
Tom Prebble rode his first winner when he partnered the Rob Blacker-trained Scientific (Smart Missile) to victory in a heat of Racing Victoria's Rising Stars Series at Mornington on Thursday.
“It's definitely a feeling of relief with everyone else putting a bit of pressure on me, but I'm happy it's done now,” he said.
“Mum and Dad made me do 100 other sports, they tried to keep me away from it, but I ended up back here (in racing), so I'm happy I did.”
Summer Loving to shine in the MM Wyong Classic?
Golden Gift placegetter Summer Loving (Exceed And Excel) will strive to give Gai Waterhouse an unprecedented sixth win in the R. Listed Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic on Wednesday.
Watherhouse won the race four times as a sole trainer and has since added a brace of victories alongside co-trainer Adrian Bott.
“She is a very talented filly and her Golden Gift run was outstanding. I rode her in a recent tick-over trial and she felt good,” the filly’s jockey Tim Clark said. “However, Summer Loving did not jump well in the Golden Gift and she won't want to miss the start from the one barrier here or we are in trouble around the tight track.
“It is a good field but this filly is pretty good.”
Tiptronic retired
Tiptronic (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) has given his connections an enjoyable ride over the last few years, however, a series of disappointing results spelled the end of his racing career in the mind of co-trainer and part-owner Graham Richardson.
Richardson purchased the gelding out of Waikato Stud’s 2015 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale draft for NZ$100,000 and he has gone on to win eight races, including two at Group 1 level, and more than NZ$800,000 in prizemoney.
Graham Richardson with Tiptronic (NZ) after his G1 Zabeel Classic triumph last year | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“I am building a paddock in the backyard for him and when that’s done he will have a home for the rest of his life.
“There is nothing wrong with him. He is just doing things a bit upside down on raceday and he is a 9-year-old,” said Richardson, who trains in partnership with Rogan Norvall.
“He has been an amazing horse for us and I don’t want anything to happen to him.
Marsh has high hopes for Ulanova
Ulanova (Santos) will now head to the G2 Eclipse S. before heading to the R. Listed Karaka Million 2YO.
The son of Santos delivered in style at Te Rapa in her spring debut and, following a break, was a runaway trial winner at Avondale on Monday.
“She was very good and I was happy she relaxed nicely enough outside of the leader and took over at the right time and was strong through the line,” he said.
Ulanova winning at Te Rapa on debut | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“That will tidy her up and she will go to the Eclipse S. on January 1 and then into the Karaka Million.
“She was very difficult at the start and hard to ride. She was really tough and now everything has clicked. She still has a bit of a streak in her though, but much better than she was.”
Railway plan for Levante
Group 1 targets await Levante (NZ) (Proisir) in the new year, with a trip across the Tasman in the offing should she perform to her usual high standards.
The Ken and Bev Kelso-trained mare has performed well in both of her starts in Australia, finishing fourth in both the G1 Newmarket H. and G1 Champions Sprint, both taken out by fellow Kiwi-bred Roch ‘N’ Horse (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}).
Prior to her hit-and-run Melbourne campaigns, the 6-year-old daughter of Proisir won the G1 Telegraph and G1 BCD Group Sprint having finished second in the G1 Railway.
“Levante ran in the sprint at Flemington and performed very well for fourth,” Kelso told RSN. “She has come home, had a bit of time off, and will trial at Matamata on the 23rd (of December) and then run in the Railway at Te Rapa. Then there is the Telegraph, which she won at Wellington. We have also got another Group 1 called the BCD Group Sprint, which she won over 1400 metres.
“We will just play it by ear on those couple of races. After the Telegraph we will decide on whether we go to the BCD or look at something in Melbourne.”
Impendabelle tops Karaka Classic order of entry
An impressive victory in the G2 Wakefield S. earlier this month has thrust the undefeated filly Impendabelle (Impending) to the top of the order of entry for the Karaka Million 2YO.
With her earnings now at NZ$88,900, Impendabelle has a clear lead on the order of entry over another stakes-winning filly from Cambridge, Ethereal Star (Snitzel), who sits in second place with NZ$57,300.
Impendabelle after her impressive victory in the G2 Wakefield S. | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
Te Akau and trainer Mark Walker are responsible for five of the top eight horses on the order of entry. Trobriand (Kermadec {NZ}) moved up to third with a win at Te Rapa on Saturday, which boosted his earnings to NZ$36,590 in a two-start, two-win career.
Power elected as Vice President of Thoroughbred Breeders’ NSW
Thoroughbred Breeders’ NSW (TBNSW) annual general meeting held on December 12 saw a number of changes to the board, following the resignation of long-standing Director and Vice President Caroline Searcy.
Coolmore’s Business Manager Paddy Power was elected as the new Vice President of Thoroughbred Breeders’ NSW, having formerly served as Director of TBNSW since 2015 and Treasurer, while TBNSW Director Olly Tait of Twin Hills Stud accepted the position as Treasurer.
