Cox Plate to stay put, Thousand Guineas on the move
Racing Victoria (RV) has opted not to change the date of the G1 Cox Plate, saying uncertainty around industry funding played a key part in deciding to maintain the status quo. However, RV also stated it would reconsider moving the Cox Plate once the wagering licence deal was finalised, which is expected to happen in mid-2023.
A statement from RV on Wednesday morning read: ‘Moving the Cox Plate had more pros and cons to consider. While the Cox Plate clearly works in its current timeslot, RV believes it also works well in mid- to late- November. However, with the current Victorian Wagering and Betting Licence expiring in August 2024, the industry faces significant uncertainty around future funding. RV decided not to consider making any change to the Cox Plate date until this uncertainty is resolved.
‘The Board ultimately determined not to proceed with the move in 2023, however it remains open to considering such changes in the future should it be in the best interests of Victorian racing at the time.’
Meanwhile, the G1 Thousand Guineas will now be run on November 18, moving from its traditional Wednesday timeslot in mid-October, with the race to receive a significant prizemoney boost of $500,000 to $1.5 million. The G3 Blue Sapphire S. will move with the Thousand Guineas and it, too, receives a prizemoney uplift to $500,000.
In other program changes, the G1 Manikato S. moves to Cox Plate Day, the G2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup shifts to the Friday night prior (October 27), the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke S. will shift to mid-November and will now be worth $1.5 million, while a new race has been developed for the Caulfield November 18 meeting. It will be a Country Cup final worth $1 million which will feature the best horses from the country cups across Victoria.
Party For Two chasing history in the Blue Diamond
Sunshine Coast trainer Damien Batters will attempt his first Group 1 victory this Saturday when his 2-year-old filly Party For Two, a daughter of Sidestep, lines up in the G1 Blue Diamond S. at Sandown. The trainer and the filly’s connections paid up a $55,000 late entry fee on Monday to secure her berth.
Party For Two has drawn the inside barrier, but she will be the first Queensland-trained juvenile to win the Blue Diamond should she be successful on Saturday. The filly has won two of her four starts to date and was second to Exploring (Brazen Beau) in the G2 Prelude for the fillies earlier this month.
Party For Two | Image courtesy of Racing Queensland
“We’re under no illusion,” Batters said on Wednesday. “It’s a Group 1 and they’re not easy to win, but she’s got a good barrier and she’s a real fighter, so they’ll know she’s there.”
Western Australia also chasing Diamond history
The 2-year-old colt Brave Halo (Brave Smash {Jpn}) will also be chasing Blue Diamond history this Saturday as the first Western Australian-trained horse to win the prestigious Group 1 feature. He will line up for Bullsbrook training duo Sean and Jake Casey.
Brave Halo was a last-start fourth in his eastern debut earlier this month, running in behind Barber (Exceed And Excel) in the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (Colts and Geldings). Before that, he was undefeated in three starts in Perth.
“He came through it (the Prelude) really well,” Casey told Racing.com on Wednesday. “He was pretty unlucky so he didn’t get knocked around in the run. His action was good, he’s feeling good so we’re very happy with him.”
Waller uncertain on Nature Strip’s future
Trainer Chris Waller told journalist Ray Thomas on Wednesday that he was still unclear on the future of his 8-year-old sprinting star Nature Strip (Nicconi). He described the horse’s performance as “five to 10 per cent below his best” in the G1 Lightning S. last Saturday, but admitted it was likely Nature Strip would get another shot at the highest level.
Waller will monitor the horse in the lead-up to the G1 TJ Smith S. on April 1, a race Nature Strip will be vying to win for a fourth successive time. He arrived home to Sydney on Tuesday night.
Nature Strip and James McDonald | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He deserves another chance I think, but we’ll see how he is over the next few days,” Waller said, with jockey James McDonald backing that up.
“He feels a million dollars and is working sharply,” the jockey said. “He’s a quick horse and is always going to work well, but I think Chris was right when he said the horse is about 10 per cent off his best at the moment. All good things come to an end and he’s been racing at the absolute top level for a very long time. He’s been fantastic and I’m very proud of him.”
Six on the bounce for Tassie star
Scott Brunton’s The Inevitable (Dundeel {NZ}) won Wednesday’s Listed Hellova Street S. (1600 metres) as he pleased and in doing so, the cult hero did his chances of gaining a berth in The All-Star Mile no harm.
The 7-year-old’s easy 1.5l victory was his seventh in stakes grade, sixth in succession and 16th overall (from 29 starts).
Meanwhile, Victorian visitor Aurora’s Symphony (Glass Harmonium {Ire}) maintained his good form, taking out the G3 Launceston Cup (2400 metres).
The Symon Wilde-trained gelding, who was coming off a win in the Colac Cup, was piloted by Blaike McDougall.
Rising Light (Dawn Approach {Ire}) was second, 0.5l behind the winner, while Spirit Ridge (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) ran third.
The G3 Vamos S. (1400 metres) was won by outsider Jaja Chaboogie (Your Song) for Tasmanian trainer Julie Richards.
Roch ‘N’ Horse back on track
The defending Newmarket heroine Roch ‘N’ Horse (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}), who was scratched last Saturday from the G1 Lightning S. with hind-leg cellulitis, is back on track, according to her trainer Mike Moroney. The 6-year-old mare will line up in the G1 Oakleigh Plate at Sandown this weekend with her obvious goal being the G1 Newmarket H. on March 11.
“It was a hard watch for us on Saturday to see all of the horses that we have beaten run so close to the winner,” Moroney told NZ Racing Desk this week. “That is now behind us and I still think we did the right thing, erring on the side of caution. Saturday should still be a nice lead-in to the Newmarket.”
Ten rivals for Melbourne Cup hero
Saturday’s G2 Peter Young S. (1800 metres), to be run on the Hillside course at Sandown, has attracted an 11-horse field, including Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}). The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained galloper will break from barrier five under Mark Zahra.
Gold Trip (Fr), winner of the 2022 G1 Melbourne Cup | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Gold Trip has had one trial ahead of his autumn campaign, finishing second over 1550 metres at Cranbourne on February 6. Melbourne Cup runner-up Emissary (GB) (Kingman {GB}) also resumes in the Peter Young.
Gear change for I’m Thunderstruck
Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, co-trainers of two-time Group 1 victor I’m Thunderstruck (NZ) (Shocking), have listened to the advice of jockey Jamie Kah and will remove the crossover noseband for the 5-year-old for Saturday’s G1 Futurity S. at Sandown.
“Jamie asked me to take the crossover noseband off,” Price told News Corp. “It’s only a little subtle gear chance in my opinion, and he’s an older horse now so he doesn’t have a great need for it. She thought he may resent it a little bit so that’s going to come off. Jamie's got the hands so there’s no argument there.”
Streets Of Avalon retired
Dual Group 1 winner Streets Of Avalon (Magnus) has run his last race, with trainer Shane Nichols revealing on Wednesday the 8-year-old has been retired.
Dual Group 1 winner Streets Of Avalon | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
After being withdrawn from the 2016 Inglis Ready2Race Sale, the gelding raced 71 times, winning 10 races and placing in 22 for earnings of $2,436,750. Streets Of Avalon won the 2020 G1 Futurity S., 2021 G1 Orr S. and was third in last year’s The All-Star Mile.
Wide gates for Sweet Embrace favourites
Skirt The Law (Better Than Ready) and Blanc De Blanc (I Am Invincible) will both jump from outside barriers in Saturday’s G2 Sweet Embrace S. (1200 metres) at Randwick. Tony Gollan’s R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic heroine, Skirt The Law, will begin from nine, while Michael Freedman’s R. Listed Inglis Millennium runner-up, Blanc De Blanc, has gate 11 to contend with.
Sweet draw for Anamoe
Australia’s best racehorse, the 4-year-old Anamoe (Street Boss {USA}), looks set to get a lovely run in Saturday’s G1 Chipping Norton S. (1600 metres) after drawing stall three. A last-start winner of the G2 Apollo S. (1400 metres), Anamoe will meet 11 rivals in the $600,000 feature, including Chris Waller stablemates Hinged (Worthy Cause) and Fangirl (Sebring), who finished second and third respectively in that race.
Icebath out of Guy Walter
Trainer Brad Widdup has advised Racing NSW stewards that his talented mare Icebath (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) has shown little improvement from a foot issue that arose on Monday. The 6-year-old was found with sensitivity to her near-fore hoof.
Widdup advised Racing NSW that the mare would not accept for the G2 Guy Walter S. at Randwick this Saturday.
First Australian win for Kiwi apprentice
The 21-year-old New Zealand apprentice Jaylah Kennedy, daughter of Wingatui trainer Terry Kennedy, landed her first Australian win on the Stawell card on Tuesday, booting home the Henry Dwyer-trained Friday At Five (Zoustar) in the sixth race. Kennedy is apprenticed to Dan O’Sullivan at Ballarat and it was her seventh raceday ride.
Jaylah Kennedy and Friday At Five | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“It was a really proud moment, especially the fact that she did it in Victoria,” her father told NZ Racing Desk. “It’s pretty hard to get in over there. She has done well.”
Praise for Tattersalls charity auction
Bloodstock agent Oliver St Lawrence has heaped praise on this week’s Tattersalls online sale of stallion nominations, which occurred in aid of the Giving To Ukraine charity and the Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal. The auction has raised an official figure of over £250,000 (AU$440,000), but that figure is expected to rise to £300,000 (AU$530,000) by the end of this week.
A nomination to the Whitsbury Manor Stud resident Showcasing (GB) topped the session when selling to Turquoise Bloodstock for 35,000gns (AU$65,000), with the La Australiana Partnership went to 30,000gns (AU$56,000) for a nomination to the popular Kodiac (GB).
“Given the charity nature of the sale, quite a few people bought anonymously,” St Lawrence said on Tuesay. “I’m really grateful to them (bidders and underbidders) for their support, and obviously to the stallion rights holders as well for being so generous.”
Secretariat saddle on display
The saddle used by American jockey Ron Turcotte when riding the legendary Secretariat (USA) to victory in the 1973 Triple Crown has been acquired by renowned collector Jim Irsay, owner of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, and will be on display next month at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Centre.
Secretariat's (USA) saddle | Image courtesy of The Jim Isray Collection
The saddle will be part of the one-night-only March 4 performance of the The Jim Irsay Band and exhibition of The Jim Irsay Collection, whose unique items include sporting memorabilia and historical artefacts. The saddle was acquired directly from 81-year-old Turcotte.
“I’ve had the privilege of keeping it safe and secure for nearly 50 years, and now it’s time to let others enjoy the treasures in my collection as well,” the Hall of Fame jockey said this week.
