Capitalist's Friday double
Newgate resident Capitalist sired a double on Friday afternoon, beginning at Sportsbet-Wangaratta where the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Etienne strode to debut victory.
Capitalist | Standing at Newgate Farm
That was followed later in the afternoon at Canberra, as the 2-year-old filly Miss Belgium also marked her maiden win for trainer Norm Gardner, defeating Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott's pre-race favourite Hokusai (Brave Smash {Jpn}) by 1l.
Sebring Sun shining of late
Glenthorne Park resident Sebring Sun sired his second winner in just over a week on Friday. Trained by David Keating, 3-year-old gelding Miami Sun broke his maiden at the third attempt at Hobart, scoring impressively by 2.75l.
On December 23 the Allan Kehoe-trained Bring The Rabble, also a 3-year-old gelding, made it two wins from his last two starts when finding victory at Coonabarabran.
Both horses hail from Sebring Sun's first crop, in which he covered just 28 mares.
She's Extreme gains Star entry
Crack 3-year-old filly She's Extreme (Extreme Choice) has been nominated for the $5 million The All-Star Mile in March, with trainer Anthony Cummings citing attractive weight-for-age conditions.
The trainer also indicated a likely return to the elite level for his star filly two weeks prior in Sydney's G1 Surround S.
“She starts her fast work next week and then we’ll start her build-up to the Surround Stakes, her performance in that race will then probably dictate where we go next with her,” Cummings told Racing.com.
“The All-Star Mile is very firmly in the mix of options, not just because of the massive prizemoney but also because it’s run at weight for age.
“If we ran her in a handicap, such as the Coolmore Classic, she’d probably have to carry a fair bit of weight against the older mares, so going down the weight-for-age path in The All-Star Mile may be a more attractive proposition for her.”
Te Akau's 2-year-old test
Dominant New Zealand force Te Akau Racing have won the past six renewals of the R. Listed Karaka Million 2YO, and Mark Walker will be hoping he can extend that to seven as he further tests some top juveniles into the early part of next week.
With the Pukekohe feature racing looming on January 21, Walker will send out Trobriand (Kermadec {NZ}), Balance Of Power (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) and Talisker (NZ) (Embellish {NZ}) to contest Sunday's G2 Carlaw Park Eclipse S. at Te Rapa.
Whilst the latter will need to post a bold showing in order to qualify, Trobriand is currently a NZ$2.80 chance for the Karaka Million 2YO - though he will see the blinkers applied for the first time on Sunday.
Mark Walker | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
“Trobriand is an unassuming sort of horse. He only does what he has to but he just knows where the winning post is,” Walker said.
“His effort the other day was really good. He'll eat up the 1200 metres too. He's got a fantastic nature. You wouldn't even know he's a colt; he's so quiet. He gets the blinkers on for this one because, as I said, he's just so laidback.
“I talked with Opie (Bosson, jockey) and he agreed that it was the right time to put them on. He just seems to know how to win so he's probably the pick of ours, but you wouldn't be surprised if any of them won on the day.”
Leap Year heads to Hong Kong
Hong Kong interest has seen trainer Michael Kent lose a promising 3-year-old, after the owners of Leap Year (Olympic Glory {Ire}) were made an offer they couldn't refuse.
The gelding recorded victory on his only start at Cranbourne late last month, and was a $32,000 purchase by Michael Hibbs' Peregrine Bloodstock at the 2021 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, after which Hibbs retained a share.
“He went pretty good,” Kent told Racing.com. “I just leave it to the owners in those circumstances, but they decided to jump at the money which is fair enough given he was a gelding.
“But he was a really nice horse, I have no doubt he was Saturday grade in my opinion.
“He’ll do well up there, I think. He just kept on improving and had more to come, I think.”
Police in search of Cup vandal
A computer-generated image of a man sought in connection to the damage of Flemington's track on the morning of this year's G1 Melbourne Cup has been released by Victoria Police.
The unkown substance, which appeared to be oil-based, was poured onto the track at around 6am on the big day, and forced VRC track staff to carry out remedial works around the 1500-metre mark before the track could be confirmed safe to race.
On Friday, Melbourne Crime Investigation Unit detectives also released an image of a car towing a trailer, tank and pump which are thought to have been used in the incident.
Pilkington firm on Vermentino decision
Despite odds-on favourite to extend his unbeaten record to four wins at The Valley on Saturday, part-owner Mark Pilkington believes connections made the correct decision in gelding Vermentino (Extreme Choice).
The 4-year-old underwent the operation after breaking his maiden in December 2021, and although he is yet to take on black-type races, he is currently $1.55 for Saturday's 1200-metre BM84.
Pilkington admitted that the story of Nicconi, whose own gelding operation was booked in before a last-minute diversion, did weigh on his mind, though he cautioned: “...that story is very much in the minority.”
Vermentino winning at Sandown | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“He’d (Vermentino) caused a bit of angst – he was not altogether uncomplicated, put it that way,” Pilkington told Racing.com.
“He was very cantankerous. We tried to keep him a colt, but in the end he had to be a racehorse. After his first win, they had a lot of trouble floating him and the like, so we made the decision and the owners have been very patient and hopefully it all pays off in the long run.
“All the form has worked out well around him and hopefully he can work his way through the grades and become a nice sprinter.”
Sinarahma retired
The Allan Sharrock-trained Sinarahma (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) has been retired after finishing seventh in the G1 Zabeel Classic at Pukekohe on Boxing Day. A multiple Group and Listed-winner, the 8-year-old mare was covered in the spring and had been in good form of late, with her most recent victory recorded earlier this month when taking the G2 Cal Isuzu S., taking her total number of wins to nine.
“The track probably got too firm for her and she did pull up with the thumps afterwards,” trainer Allan Sharrock said. “We made the decision to pull pin and she has done a good job. She is now out in the paddock and will be happy to be a mum.”
Group 2 winner Sinarahma (NZ) | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
The daughter of Group 1 winner and Champion Stayer in NZ Shez Sinsational (NZ) (Ekraar {USA}) (who bowed out in the very same race), Sharrock is confident that in time her progeny will make an impact of their own.
“She is a valuable broodmare and that page will look very good in the Book 1 catalogue. She is going to have some valuable foals I would say,” he said.
Flemington to face the heat
Liam O’Keeffe, senior track manager at Flemington, has warned of hot temperatures expected for the New Year's Day meeting, with significant watering planned for the racing surface.
“The forecast is quite warm, we’ve got 27 degrees on Friday, 29 degrees on Saturday and then a top temperature of 35 at this stage for Sunday,” he told Racing.com.
“It’s going to be very warm, we’re going to put on a lot of water – about 10-12 millilitres each night – and that will have us in the Good 4 range for Sunday morning.
“It should race fairly even. Warm temperatures and we’ve got a 15-20km northerly, so you may see horses just sit up for a little bit of cover around the home-turn and they’ll have quite a strong tail-wind home in the straight. You’ll see some quick times in straight racing.
“The rail is out four-metres, just to cover that wear and tear on the inside, so nice thick fresh cover of grass for the meeting here on Sunday.”
Hayes' HK presents under the tree
Legendary trainer David Hayes has admitted he's looking forward to the coming months as his stable appears inundated with a slew of exciting prospects. Recently there was an encouraging debut for Bon’s A Pearla (Bon Hoffa) and a “spectacular effort” saw Flagship Warrior (Foxwedge) (formerly named Harleymoven) win in his first attempt in Hong Kong. Both were Group 1 performers in Australia - and Sunday will see another import kick off a new phase of his career.
Formerly trained by Chris Waller, Straight Arron (Fastnet Rock) was a winner of the G3 Carbine Club S. for Hong Kong-based Hermitage Thoroughbreds, and will resume his career for the same connections, having last been seen running third in the G3 Frank Packer Plate in April.
David Hayes | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
“He’s settled in really well,” Hayes told Racing.com. “He got a frustrating setback on arrival, he had a hairline fracture on a splint bone, but that’s completely behind him now.
“He’s had two nice trials, I thought both were impressive.”
Connections are hoping that Sunday will set Straight Arron on a path to the 4-Year-Old Classic Series beginning in January, which culminates in the Hong Kong Derby in March.
