Artorius plans to be decided
Trainer Sam Freedman told Racing.com this week that reappearance plans for his globetrotting 4-year-old Artorius (Flying Artie) will depend on how the horse handles his jump-out this week. Artorius has flown back to Australia after an extensive tenure in England last year, and Freedman said he’s just starting to get back into gear.
Artorius | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
“He’s actually come back really well,” the co-trainer said. “He kept a winter coat for a while, but just in the last week it’s started to come through. We haven’t worked out where he’ll go. There’s a thought that he could potentially go to the Newmarket first-up, but we may choose to give him a run beforehand. Another idea is Sydney for the Canterbury S.”
Another tilt at Royal Ascot isn’t out of the question for Artorius, according to Freedman, who said Henry Field, among connections, was keen to improve on the horse's credible effort at the meeting last year.
Marabi for Oakleigh Plate?
The 6-year-old mare Marabi, the Greg Perry-bred daughter of I Am Invincible, will be out to defend her G1 Oakleigh Plate title this autumn, co-trainer Ciaron Maher confirmed this week with Racing.com. Marabi has been off the scene for 10 months after bone-chip surgery following her only unplaced career result, which occurred last time out when fifth in the G1 William Reid S. last March.
“She is still getting there fitness-wise, but I thought she closed off nicely,” said Maher after the mare’s recent jump-out on Monday. “She’ll possibly go to the Oakleigh Plate. It’s hard to do (win back-to-back editions), but she’s come back well.”
The last horse to win repeat editions of the Oakleigh Plate in consecutive years was Dual Choice, a daughter of Showdown (GB), who won in 1971 and 1972.
Inside draw for Maribyrnong Trial Stakes winner
The James Cummings-trained Zulfiqar (Exceed And Excel) will break from barrier one in Saturday’s G3 Chairman’s S. (1000 metres) at Sandown-Hillside, should he run in Melbourne. Zulfiqar scored an impressive win in the Listed Maribyrnong Trial S. (1000 metres) at Flemington in October before finishing fifth in the G3 Maribyrnong Plate (1000 metres) at the same track a month later.
Listed winner Zulfiqar | Image courtesy of Darren Tindale
Ben Melham will ride Zulfiqar, who is from a wonderful family. He is out of the Elusive Quality (USA) mare Sayf Shamal (USA), who is in turn out of Alizes (NZ) (Rory’s Jester), winner of the G2 Magic Night S.
Zulfiqar’s rivals include debut winners Vecee (Capitalist) and Serasana (Snitzel). Dual nominated, Zulfiqar has also drawn gate six for the Listed Lonhro Plate (1000 metres) at Randwick.
Excelida to resume in Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes
The Lindsay Park-trained Group 2 winner Excelida (Exceed And Excel) will kick off her autumn campaign in Saturday’s G3 Geoffrey Bellmaine S. (1300 metres). The 5-year-old will be handled by Michael Dee and has drawn gate five.
Excelida is a half-sister to the Too Darn Hot (GB) colt that made NZ$750,000 at this week’s New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale.
Alligator Blood with improvement
Jockey Jordan Childs, who partnered Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) on Tuesday in his unplaced trial at Geelong, has told Racing.com that the four-time Group 1 winner has improvement to come and is likely tracking as well as he did early in the spring. “He’s probably not the best trackworker or trial horse,” the jockey said.
“When he gets to race day, he really switches on. At these sorts of things (trials), he only does what he has to do so you have to keep that in mind.”
Alligator Blood finished in a close-up bunch at Geelong on Tuesday morning, with the 1000-metre trial won by I’m Thunderstruck (NZ) (Shocking). The two horses are early fancies for the $5 million The All-Star Mile next month.
Four-time Group 1 winner Alligator Blood | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Meanwhile, Alligator Blood’s New South Wales racing ban has been revoked, meaning he could head to Sydney following his Melbourne campaign.
“He is now allowed to race in New South Wales; all the ownership and structure changes that took place prior to him racing in the Melbourne spring carnival have now satisfied any previous concerns in NSW,” co-trainer, Adrian Bott, told News Corp.
“You will most likely see him in a number of feature (Sydney autumn carnival) nominations, without anything being finalised.”
Guineas aim for Cruz Missile
The Savabeel 3-year-old Cruz Missile (NZ), a winner of two of his four starts to date, will take his place in this Friday’s G3 Waikato Guineas at Te Rapa alongside stablemate Sedaka (NZ) (Savabeel). Cruz Missile was a last-start winner of the Listed Gingernuts Salver and will be aiming to make it three wins on the bounce this Friday.
The pair is trained by Cambridge local Stephen Marsh, with Cruz Missile on a path to the G1 New Zealand Derby. Sedaka will head similarly to the G1 New Zealand Oaks, albeit also holding a Derby nomination.
Cruz Missile (NZ) | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“The ground will be the real concern,” Marsh told NZ Racing Desk. “He (Cruz Missile) has had one go on a Heavy track and didn’t like it, but he is the ideal Derby candidate. Sedaka’s not really at home on a wet track either. The weather has just been disastrous.”
Adelaide Cup target for Tralee Rose
Warrnambool trainer Symon Wilde has confirmed the G2 Adelaide Cup as the primary target for his talented 6-year-old mare Tralee Rose (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}). Her last win was in the G3 Geelong Cup in October 2021, and she had four unsuccessful runs through the spring, including a last-start 17th in the Melbourne Cup.
“We’re aiming at a couple of lead-up races over in Adelaide and then the Adelaide Cup,” Wilde said. “She seems really well and she spelled really well this time. We’re quite hopeful that they’re realistic targets for her that we’ve got pencilled in.”
Doomben to host QLD Jewel Raceday
Doomben will host this year for the very first time the $2 million Queensland Jewel Raceday, scheduled for March 18. It will be the first time the Brisbane track will play out the meeting, which features the $500,0000 pair of the 2YO QTIS Jewel and 3YO QTIS Jewel.
Traditionally run at Aquis Park in alliance with the Magic Millions March Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Doomben has secured the meeting while the $63 million redevelopment of the Gold Coast Turf Club is ongoing.
“This is the Queensland industry’s raceday and we look forward to showcasing the best local breeders, trainers and jockeys at Doomben,” said Tony Partridge, the Brisbane Racing Club’s CEO. “This day is a celebration of Queensland racing and, as such, we are offering free entry to all registered Queensland racehorse owners.”
Toronado filly breaks the ice
Lindsey Smith’s talented 3-year-old Queen Air (Toronado {Ire}), who ran third in the G1 Victoria Oaks in the spring, is a maiden no more after she coasted to 2l victory at Warrnambool on Wednesday.
The filly is the first foal of Rain Cloud, an unraced mare by Domesday to the Group 3 victress Shared Reflections (Umatilla {NZ}).
Rain Cloud has a yearling filly and a colt foal by I Am Immortal and was covered by Toronado (Ire) last spring.
Queen Air’s victory was one of five at the meeting for Smith.
John Hickmott dispersal sale open for bidding on Thursday
Veteran trainer John Hickmott, who now works in tandem with Carrina Riggs, will offer some of his racing stock to the open market.
Hickmott will offer a mix of horses, from consistent winners to untried horses, and believes the stock will be perfectly suited to jumps racing and the country circuit.
Among the 24 horses available is All Hard Wood (All Too Hard) - a winner of seven races and $282,555 in prizemoney.
The dispersal sale is being hosted online by sale specialists, bloodstockauction.com. The catalogue will be released online at 7pm AEDT on Thursday, February 2, with the final countdown starting at 7pm AEDT on Tuesday, February 7.
Long-serving Ken Beck to retire
After more than 25 years as a senior judge in Hobart racing, 74-year-old Ken Beck will retire after Hobart Cup Day on February 12. It brings to a close a long and fulfilling career for the man who will turn 75 in March.
“In March I’m 75, so I thought that’s a pretty good innings and, while I think I’m still going well, I thought I’d make this Hobart Cup my last one,” Beck told Tasracing. “The role has been a hugely passionate and enjoyable part of my life, and I thank everyone that has helped and supported me over the journey.”
Bowen race meeting moved to Townsville
Racing Queensland confirmed on Wednesday that this Friday’s scheduled race meeting of the Bowen Turf Club has been rescheduled to the Townsville Turf Club. It follows more than 900mm of rainfall on the track through January, including 120mm last Friday and Saturday alone.
The new venue means certain amendments to the race distances on the card, and participants are advised to check the Racing Queensland website for updates. No scratching fees will be charged owing to the disruption.
Racing returns to Port Lincoln
Racing SA has this week passed the Port Lincoln track as ready to resume racing, with recent work undertaken to have the surface fit for the 2023 Port Lincoln Cup meeting on March 3. As such, racing will resume at the track on February 3.
The repaired surface at Port Lincoln | Image courtesy of Racing SA
“We are pleased to say that the track presents extremely well and is a vast improvement on what we saw at the end of last month,” said Ian Ricardo, the Racing SA industry track manager. “It walks very consistent for the entire circumference with a very nice cover of grass. The club should look forward to a very positive remainder of its season.”
