Magnus scores 500
Widden Stud resident Magnus recorded his 500th winner on Saturday. After Adrian Coome’s 5-year-old gelding Afroginasock drew him to within one when finding victory at Rockhampton, Down The Barrel drew him to a round 500 when he broke his maiden at Toowoomba.
A top 10 Australian sire by winners in both of the past two seasons, Magnus’ progeny are headed by four Group 1 winners, including Streets Of Avalon, winner of the G1 Futurity S. and G1 CF Orr S. In total he is the sire of 27 stakes winners, and boasts an impressive 72 per cent winners-to-runners ratio.
Waterhouse/Bott takes Tasmanian prize
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott conducted another successful raid on Tasmania on Sunday, heading home with the Listed Tasmanian Oaks prize following the 0.5l victory of their Soul Choice (Redoute’s Choice).
It was a second-straight Listed win in Tasmania for the 3-year-old filly who, on February 10, won the Strutt S., also over 2100 metres, having previously placed second in the Listed Launceston Guineas.
From the final crop of Redoute’s Choice, Soul Choice is a sister to stakes-placed Choice Of Mine, the pair being out of Thislilsoulofmine (Can) (Perfect Soul {Ire}).
Roch ‘N’ Horse an Oakleigh possibility
Trainer Mike Moroney has said that his dual-Group 1 winning sprinter Roch ‘N’ Horse (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) may start in Saturday’s G1 Oakleigh Plate at Sandown.
Roch ‘N’ Horse missed last Saturday’s G1 Lightning S. due to a minor leg injury, and will also be entered in the G1 Champions Sprint.
“She had a bit of filling in her hind leg on Saturday,” Moroney said. “She’s obviously bashed it overnight. It was up and we iced it down to a trot and canter. She wasn’t sore, but it was still there after the work, so we decided to give it a miss.
“We will be back working her on Monday. I wouldn’t say the swelling has gone out of it 100 per cent but it's more or less out and we will give good thought to running in the Oakleigh Plate, we will just see.”
Cummings’ three Diamonds
Godolphin’s trainer James Cummings is mob-handed ahead of Saturday’s G1 Blue Diamond S., and wouldn’t pick between his three intended runners - all of whom hold excellent chances.
Although the unbeaten Barber (Exceed And Excel) sits as an equal-favourite at $6, Cummings also fields Exploring (Brazen Beau), at $14, and Zulfiqar (Exceed And Excel) at $18.
“I like Barber as a 2-year-old, he was a gun yearling who always progressed and improved. He looks pretty bombproof,” Cummings told Racing.com.
“At every stage, he’s got better and better; is undefeated. Had two runs before Christmas – won the Golden Gift, which was a high-pressure race.
“Jamie Kah said that, while he may not have won by a long way (in the Blue Diamond Prelude), he gave her the ride in the race and that he was never going to be beaten.”
Halo heads to Diamond
Western Australia will have a juvenile to cheer on in the G1 Blue Diamond S. after Brave Halo’s (Brave Smash {Jpn}) owner Wally Daly stumped up $55,000 for a late nomination fee.
Trained by Sean and Jake Casey, Brave Halo latterly finished fourth behind Barber in the Blue Diamond Prelude (Colts and Geldings) at Sandown, and Wally has been in receipt of offers for the entire by first-season sire Brave Smash (Jpn), who stands at Aquis Farms.
“I received some substantial offers. I should have accepted; I’m a fool, but I thought I’ve gone this far,” Daly told Racing.com. “I didn’t want to get into partnerships with people I don’t know. I like to race my own horses. They were generous offers and I’m very thankful for them.”
Asfoora good in Plate workout
The Henry Dwyer-trained Asfoora (Flying Artie) took in a course proper gallop on Sunday morning at Ballarat, as she puts the finishing touches to her preparation for the G1 Oakleigh Plate.
A 4-year-old mare, she won her last start, the G3 Begonia Belle at Flemington on October 29 last year, and took the G2 Caulfield Sprint previous to that. Working alongside a stablemate over 800 metres, clocking 22.06s for her final 400 metres.
Asfoora is a $6 chance with Sportsbet for Saturday’s race, equal second-favourite with I Am Me (I Am Invincible) and Star Patrol (Starspangledbanner).
Maher/Eustace Cup duo looking good
Ciaron Maher and David Eustace have two high-level stayers eyeing comebacks - with Floating Artist (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and Il Paradiso (USA) (Galileo {Ire}) reportedly progressing towards comeback runs.
Il Paradiso, who has been in rehabilitation for a tendon injury, was last seen placing third in the 2019 G1 Melbourne Cup. Meanwhile, a paddock accident enforced time off for Floating Artist, who hasn’t been seen since finishing fourth in the 2021 version of the same race, behind Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}).
“Both are really well touchwood,” co-trainer Eustace told Racing.com.
“Floating Artist is sound and moving really well and has had some really nice, easy gallops on the grass and is ready to have a jump-out soon and everything is going to plan.
“Il Paradiso is the same, we've had a really smooth preparation and the team have done a great job and the owners have been very patient.
“His workload has been at a consistent level and we are gradually just improving that and he's had two trials and will have another one and then he's not far off kicking off.”
Dubai Breeze-Up catalogue revealed by Goffs
A 73-strong catalogue of 2-year-olds for the Goffs Dubai Breeze-Up Sale on March 21 is now online.
Slated for 5pm (local) in the Meydan Racecourse Parade Ring, the sale's breezes will take place the day prior at the Dubai Racing Club Training Track at 7.45am (local) on Monday, March 20.
Held for the first time in 2022, the inaugural sale has already produced 13 individual winners in five countries and there are also several Group-placed horses. Among the best graduates is the winner Labeling (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who is also Group 1-placed in Japan, as well as the winning Mr Raj (USA) (Bolt D'Oro {USA}), who ran third in the G3 UAE 2000 Guineas earlier this month.
Sweet Success for Sanna, Whyte in Amir Trophy
Alberto Sanna had twice previously won Qatar's biggest and richest race, the HH The Amir Trophy, but he could not contain his emotions after putting a perfect steer on former Ballydoyle inmate and now Douglas Whyte-trained Russian Emperor (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) to take Saturday's US$2.5 million (AU$3.63 million) event in Doha.
Sanna was himself part of the ultra-competitive collection of riders in Hong Kong for two seasons but managed a strike rate of just 4.6 per cent. To make matters worse, he was handed a 10-meeting suspension in late 2019 and his Hong Kong licence was stripped not long after winning in Group 3 company.
“For nine months after that I didn't ride, I didn't even think about horses,” Sanna recently told Asian Racing Report's David Morgan. “I became heavy, I think I was 72 kilos and it was the time of COVID. I was quite depressed because I had given my whole self to doing well in Hong Kong and I got cut off at the wrong time...”
Murphy back with a winner
British-based Irish jockey Oisin Murphy made his presence felt on his return to race riding, bagging a stakes winner in Qatar on Saturday aboard the Hugo Palmer-trained Flaming Rib (GB) (Ribchester {Ire}), in the G3 Dukhan Sprint.
Murphy received a 14-month suspension, which ended last week, for breaking COVID regulations in the UK, plus twice failing an alcohol test at the races. Murphy is a three-time British Champion Jockey
