Australian Guineas for Jacquinot?
The G1 Golden Rose winner Jacquinot, a son of Rubick, has come back into work for trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, with a possible autumn target of the G1 Australian Guineas. Price told Racing.com on Thursday morning that the star colt had returned in very good order.
“He’s perfect,” the co-trainer said. “He’s got more weight on him, albeit he’s one of those really framey, athletic and clean-winded types of horses.”
Jacquinot is untried over the mile of the Australian Guineas, but he could contest the G3 Manfred S. first-up on Australia Day at Sandown.
Juvenile winner for Brave Smash
Aquis' first-season sire Brave Smash (Jpn) had a smart juvenile winner at Ipswich on Thursday when Szabo, a filly from the Charge Forward mare Something Secret, won the opening race by 4l for Gatton trainer Brenton Andrew. It was her debut appearance.
Emphatic emerges from the first crop of dual Group 1 winner Brave Smash, who covered his fourth book of mares at Aquis Farm this spring at a fee of $22,000 (inc GST).
The filly is the stallion’s second Australian winner after the very good Brave Halo, who has posted three wins from three starts in Western Australia to date. Brave Smash is currently third on the Australian First Season Sires’ table behind Harry Angel (Ire) and Trapeze Artist.
More of the same for I'm Thunderstruck
I’m Thunderstruck (NZ) (Shocking) is likely to follow a similar autumn path to 2022, co-trainer Mick Price confirmed this week. The 5-year-old OTI gelding will look to be second-up in the $5 million The All-Star Mile into the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. at Royal Randwick.
Earlier this year, I’m Thunderstruck was second to Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) in The All-Star Mile before another second, this time to Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars), in the G1 Doncaster Mile. He was then unplaced in the Queen Elizabeth.
Yes Yes Yes sibling for Saturday
Randwick’s Highway H. on Saturday is looking like an interesting race in the presence of the undefeated Darrell Burnet filly Supido Beauty (Supido). However, also in the field is the 5-year-old entire Vilified (Press Statement), a half-brother to The Everest winner and Coolmore resident Yes Yes Yes.
Vilified has been an embattled addition to the stable of Wauchope trainer Colt Prosser, requiring four leg surgeries and another for wind. He was last on debut for the Ciaron Maher-David Eustace yard two years ago, then moved to Prosser for whom he has won three races and placed in two. His last two races have been winning ones.
“Stallions can be really hard work on a racetrack but he’s a beautifully natured animal and so brave after all he’s been through,” Prosser told Tony Megahey for Racing NSW. “The way he’s been winning, it was worth bringing him to town.”
Vilified is currently a $16 chance in TAB markets for Saturday behind favourite Salire (Dream Ahead {USA}), who will have James McDonald aboard. Supido Beauty is $5 with Kerrin McEvoy.
Yendall for New Zealand
After this week’s news that Jake Bayliss would return to New Zealand’s riding ranks for a stint, Dean Yendall became the latest to follow suit on Thursday, announcing he will partner the 9-year-old Kiwi gelding Justacanta (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) in the G1 Railway S. at Te Rapa on New Year’s Day. Yendall partnered Justacanta to wins in the G2 Linlithgow S. and Listed Paris Lane S. last year.
Justacanta was trained by Patrick Payne for these victories and has since returned to his original trainers in Auckland, Shaun and Emma Clotworthy. Yendall will also partner the horse in the G1 Telegraph S. a week later at Trentham.
Justacanta (NZ) winning the G2 Linlithgow S. last year | Image courtesy of Bruno Cannatelli
“The owners messaged me out of the blue, asking if I would be interested in going over there to ride him,” the jockey told NZ Racing Desk. “Apparently he is going really well back home, so hopefully come raceday he is on his game again.”
Century of winners for Ben Brisbourne
Wangaratta's Ben Brisbourne notched his 100th winner as a trainer on Thursday when the 3-year-old filly End Of Winter (Brazen Beau) was an easy winner at her home meeting. She won the opening race at Wangaratta by 1.5l with jockey Neil Farley.
End Of Winter hadn’t been seen since her unplaced April debut at Sandown, and she led home Dirty Grin (NZ) (Zacinto {GB}) and Lotus Land (Vancouver) on Thursday to post her trainer’s century of winners.
Impressive winner for Justify
Coolmore stallion Justify (USA) sired his 29th first-crop winner on Wednesday as Diamondsareforever (Ire) got off the mark for the first time of asking at Dundalk.
The 2-year-old filly surged to the line to beat Blue News (USA) (Air Force Blue {USA}) by 1.8l, while Hypnotise Me (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) was another 0.2l away in third.
Bred by Premier Bloodstock, the filly is out of G1 Pretty Polly S. winner Diamondsandrubies (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) and she is herself a daughter of multiple Group 1-winning Champion Quarter Moon (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}).
Halvorsen for the Christmas Stakes
The 7-year-old gelding Halvorsen (Magnus), who was scratched from last Saturday’s Kensington S. at Flemington, will instead tackle the Listed Christmas S. at Sandown on Boxing Day in his lead-up to a third G3 Standish H. Co-trainer Robbie Griffiths, speaking to Racing.com, said the gelding hasn’t been thrown out of line with the unexpected change of schedule.
“It works well because it’ll keep his program on track for the Standish in January,” he said. “It’s only a nine-day change so it shouldn’t affect anything going into it.”
Halvorsen will be aiming for a third Standish H. next month. He won the race in 2020 and again this year, albeit both of those wins occurred at Flemington. The 2023 race will be at Sandown.
First runner for Dylan Dunn
Professional rider Dylan Dunn will make his training debut on Friday night when he saddles the 4-year-old mare Angel Of Boom (Spirit Of Boom) for the third race at Cranbourne. The 27-year-old former Champion Apprentice admitted to Racing.com this week that he was nervous ahead of his debut.
“As a rider, I’m simply getting on, race riding and handing it back, so it’s a completely different ball game,” Dunn said. “I’ve ridden in Group 1s and overseas, but the nerves don’t even compare to how nervous I am having my first runner.”
Angel Of Boom transferred to Dunn earlier this year from Leon and Troy Corstens. She is lightly raced with six starts and has showed significant promise, being out of the placings only once.
Neufbosc looks to second ATA Stakes
The 8-year-old gelding Neufbosc (Fr) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) will line up this Saturday at Ascot for another crack at the Listed ATA S., a race he won in 2020 ahead of then winning the 2021 G2 Perth Cup. Trainer Neville Parnham is hopeful his seasoned campaigner is on-song for Saturday’s race.
“He keeps improving and that was the plan,” the trainer told Tabradio this week. “We wanted him to peak for Perth Cup time and he’s getting pretty close to that now. I’m expecting him to shake things up on Saturday and run well.”
Neufbosc narrowly winning the 2021 Perth Cup | Image courtesy of Racing & Wagering Western Australia
Neufbosc was an original Melbourne Cup import for Lindsay Park and, since moving to Parnham in Western Australia, he’s won three stakes races, including the ATA S. and Perth Cup double, and the Listed Carbine Club of WA S.
Prowess for sharp Friday trial
The Karaka Million 3YO Classic fancy Prowess (NZ), a daughter of Proisir, will appear in a star-studded trial on Friday at Matamata. The 3-year-old filly will step out against the Group 1 winners Levante (NZ) (Proisir) and Maven Belle (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}), as well as the well-credentialled sprinters Babylon Berlin (All Too Hard), Bonny Lass (NZ) (Super Easy {NZ}) and Cambridge Stud’s Letzbeglam (Snitzel).
Prowess has won two of her four starts and was last seen when third to Pier (NZ) (Proisir) in the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas. She was also third to Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) in the G3 Soliloquy S.
Prowess (NZ) | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“She spelled well and is in really nice order, and we’ll have a better idea of exactly where we’re at after the trial, but we’re very happy with her,” said Robert Wellwood, her co-trainer.
Bosson’s early Christmas
Premier New Zealand rider Opie Bossom has enjoyed an early Christmas in preparation for a full book of rides on Pukekohe’s Boxing Day card. His bookings are headed by the Te Akau Racing gelding Prise De Fer (NZ) (Savabeel), a winner recently of the G1 Captain Cook S. and a five-time Group winner all up.
Bosson’s rides on Boxing Day centre around key runners for Te Akau Racing, so the jockey celebrated Christmas lunch last Sunday.
Prise De Fer (NZ) | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“We had our family Christmas lunch last Sunday so our Christmas Day will be fairly quiet,” he told NZ Racing Desk. “I’ll just try and not eat too much and get myself ready for the races next day.”
Jigsaw hunts hat-trick
Cindy Alderson’s in-form gelding Jigsaw (Manhattan Rain) will look to make it three wins on the bounce in Monday’s Listed Christmas S. at Sandown-Hillside.
The 4-year-old resumed with an impressive victory on his home track (Cranbourne), before notching a Listed triumph in the Divetone S. at Caulfield.
Jigsaw will carry 54.5kg and be ridden by Daniel Moor from barrier two.
Lord Stakes for Nugget
Emerging stayer Nugget (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) will tackle Listed company for the first time when he contests Monday’s Lord S. at Sandown-Hillside.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained import has been most impressive in three runs in Australia, finishing second at Flemington first-up, before winning his next two at Kembla Grange and Randwick respectively.
John Allen will ride the 6-year-old, who will jump from gate five.
