Shades Of Rose into The Quokka
Talented 4-year-old Shades Of Rose (Rubick) has secured a slot in the inaugural running of The Quokka at Ascot on April 15. Trainer Bjorn Baker announced that the mare will represent Magic Bloodstock Racing and its partners.
“I’m very excited to head to The Quokka with Magic Bloodstock and Team Gillard,” Baker said. “Shades Of Rose is going better than ever and I believe she can acquit herself very well.”
Magic Bloodstock representative Prior Management stated: “We commenced our selection process with over 80 horses from across Australia, and it was important to secure a horse with credentials to win the race and, more importantly, return for the autumn in excellent form. Following her barrier trial at Randwick last week, we initiated swift negotiations and were able to secure a deal to suit both interests.”
Shades Of Rose is the latest addition to the $4 million race, joining Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}), Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) and Kissonallforcheeks (Written Tycoon).
Australian Cup on the agenda for Turnbull winner
Last year’s G1 Turnbull S. hero, Smokin’ Romans (NZ) (Ghibellines), will continue to press his claims for a second elite-level triumph in this year’s G1 Australian Cup. Smokin’ Romans will step out in the G2 Blamey S. at Flemington on Saturday, and co-trainer David Eustace believes the race will suit the gelding better than the G3 Carlyon Cup, in which he was eighth, 3.75l off the winner.
Smokin' Romans (NZ) | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“They went very quick and he never got a chance to travel, and I don’t think that is making any excuses for him,” Eustace said. “He wasn’t able to get into a rhythm, but he should be able to do that on Saturday. Having said that, he needs to improve and to have come on, which we think he has, and then he’ll head to the Australian Cup after that.”
Smokin’ Romans has been nominated for the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. and G1 Sydney Cup, and Eustace said track conditions will determine if the gelding heads north after the Australian Cup.
Legarto chasing history at Flemington
Star 3-year-old Kiwi filly Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) is looking to etch her name into the history books in Saturday’s G1 Australian Guineas at Flemington. No New Zealand-trained horse has won the race in its 37-year history, but Ken Kelso, who co-trains with his wife Bev, feels Legarto could be the horse to break the drought.
“She handled the travel very well, she hasn’t turned a hair,” Ken Kelso told Racing.com. “It’d be fantastic to win. It’d be fantastic for our career and I think we’ve had three seconds in Aussie Group 1s, so it’d be a huge thing. If she can get some Australian black type it’s just a massive thing for her broodmare career.”
The in-form Mick Dee will partner the filly, the pair drawing barrier nine.
Kent Jnr bullish about Jacquinot
Star colt Jacquinot (Rubick) will win Saturday’s G1 Australian Guineas at Flemington if he runs the mile and has even luck, according to Mick Kent Jnr. The co-trainer believes the horse's class will prove the telling factor.
“There's no doubt he’s the best horse in the race, he’s already proven that,” Kent Jnr, who trains in partnership with Mick Price, told Racing.com. “It’s just a matter of whether he gets a strong mile and my personal opinion is that he will. We’re really looking forward to getting him to the big, flat track at Flemington. He should have plenty of room to use his big finish like we saw in the Golden Rose.”
Grunt colt on target for Sires’ assault
Dominant debut winner Veight (Grunt {NZ}), who was his sire’s first-ever winner, will tackle the 1400-metre G2 Sires’ Produce S. at Flemington on Saturday week. The colt was kept up to the mark with a Terang jump-out earlier this week.
Grunt (NZ) | Standing at Yulong
“He was okay at Terang, he was just there to have a medium trial and he ended up in a trial with older horses, which was not ideal but he cruised around well,” co-trainer Tony McEvoy told Racing.com. “He'll go to the Sires’ provided he’s come through that trial-run well. There’s only one race for him and that’s the Sires’, because when you have a horse that’s not a maiden and you don’t run in the Blue Diamond, there’s no races.”
Desert Lightning out to strike in NZ Derby
South Auckland trainers Peter and Dawn Williams head to Te Rapa on Saturday with their last-start G2 Avondale Guineas winner Desert Lighting (NZ) (Pride Of Dubai), who is looking to upset hot favourite Sharp ‘N’ Smart (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) in the G1 New Zealand Derby. Six-time New Zealand Derby-winning rider Vinnie Colgan will partner the gelding, who will jump from barrier four.
“You couldn’t have a better man on board, and let’s hope it turns out to be a good draw,” Peter Williams said. “He should hopefully get a good run from there.”
A good performance on Saturday could see Desert Lighting cross the Tasman for the G1 Australian Derby at Randwick on April 1.
“I have got a nomination for the Australian Derby but we will just get through Saturday before we make any further plans,” Williams added.
Manzoice fit for Guineas tilt
Chris Waller believes his Victoria Derby hero Manzoice (Almanzor {Fr}) is forward enough to be in the finish of Saturday’s G1 Randwick Guineas, despite going into the race first-up. Manzoice missed his scheduled return in the Hobartville S. on February 18, a race won by stablemate Osipenko (NZ) (Pierro), but Waller is satisfied the colt has a strong foundation for the mile journey.
Manzoice | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“He missed the Hobartville so I just wanted to do a bit of extra work with him. He showed his fitness levels are where they need to be to go first-up to the Randwick Guineas, Rosehill Guineas second-up and into the Australian Derby,” Waller said. “He has bulked up and he’ll be sharper than just a Derby horse this prep.”
Jockey Tim Clark has been engaged to ride Manzoice, and the pair will start from barrier 12.
Marble Arch wins $300,000 Future Stars Final
Fresh off their G1 Blue Diamond S. success, Lindsay Park led in the winner of Thursday night’s $300,000 Future Stars Final at Pakenham.
Promising filly Marble Arch (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}), who was sent out favourite in the 1400-metre event, proved too good, despite being posted wide for most of the trip.
Bred by Goodwood Stud, the 3-year-old filly is from the Sakhee’s Secret (GB) mare Jonquil (NZ), making her a close relation to former star Daffodil (NZ) (No Excuse Needed {GB}).
Marble Arch, who nets her connections $165,000 for the win, was guided to victory by Daniel Stackhouse.
Babylon Berlin looks to break run of outs
Group 3-winning mare Bablyon Berlin (All Too Hard), who hasn’t won in more than a year, will look to return to the winner’s circle in Saturday’s G3 King’s Plate at Te Rapa. A last-start placegetter behind the flying Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) in the G1 BCD Group Sprint, the 5-year-old’s trainer, Ben Foote, is keen to see how his charge performs on Saturday ahead of a tilt at Group 1 glory in Melbourne.
“After the BCD Group Sprint, she went to her normal spelling place and had a few days in the paddock with her head down. She has come back in and worked up super,” Foote said. “It (the King's Plate) is a hard race to go past. We were going to go straight to Melbourne but at set weights and penalties we had to have a go.
“It (the King's Plate) is a hard race to go past. We were going to go straight to Melbourne but at set weights and penalties we had to have a go." - Ben Foote
“At this stage, she is booked to fly (to Melbourne) on the 15th. I would like to see her quite dominant, to be honest, to have my confidence levels up going over there. She seems to always set the race up for something else, but I’d like to see her put them away for sure.”
Untapped 3-year-old to activate Beast Mode
Promising gelding Beast Mode (Better Than Ready) returns to racing in Saturday’s 3-Year-Old QTIS Jewel Prelude at Eagle Farm and trainer David Vandyke is hopeful the unbeaten galloper can vindicate his owner’s decision to reject an offer from Hong Kong. Beast Mode is owned by Best Bloodstock, who paid $80,000 for the son of Better Than Ready at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Beast Mode as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Best Bloodstock rejected a substantial offer from Hong Kong interests following Beast Mode’s impressive last-start win in a 1000-metre BM68 at Eagle Farm on January 4.
“He makes his own luck up front but he showed he can sit off the speed like he did when he won at Eagle Farm,” Vandyke said. “There was a bit of speed in the race that day and he proved he doesn’t have to lead. There looks to be a hell of a lot of speed in Saturday’s race.”
After the Hong Kong offer was knocked back, Vandyke decided to target the $500,000 QTIS Jewel over 1200 metres at Doomben on March 18 with Beast Mode.
Cambridge Stud’s annual reduction
Cambridge Stud’s annual reduction process has started with a quality lineup in the latest 74-lot Gavelhouse.com auction.
“Every year we reduce our broodmare numbers to make way for the fillies coming in from our racing team,” the farm’s Sales and Nominations Manager, Scott Calder, said. “This year we are offering several mares with foals at foot, including two with colts by our headline sire Almanzor.
“The mare and foal packages are a great opportunity to not only buy a well-credentialled mare, but also seek a quick return with the foals if people wish. The foals have all been handled by FoalNZ, so a lot of hard work has already been done.”
The auction also features stallion nominations and charity items as part of Kingsclere Stables’ fundraising efforts for Cyclone Gabrielle victims. Bidding will end from 7pm (NZT) on March 6.
Cubitt & Kelso join the HQ ranks
Well-respected industry participants Wendy Cubitt and Megan Kelso have joined HQ Insurance as account executives. Cubitt, a former Magic Millions Adelaide Manager, and Kelso, who worked at Gow Gates Insurance and Equine International Air Freight, bring a wealth of knowledge and existing relationships to the firm, according to HQ Insurance.
Both Cubitt and Kelso are now operational and can be contacted on +61 408 468 410 (Wendy) and +61 467 025 049 (Megan).
Seasonal century for Zac Purton
Zac Purton posted his 100th seasonal winner in Hong Kong on Wednesday night, riding the 4-year-old A Americ Te Specso (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) to victory at Happy Valley. It was the eighth time the Australian ex-pat has achieved a seasonal century, and he confirmed that Joao Moreira’s all-time record of 170 was in his sights.
Purton is currently leading the Hong Kong Jockeys’ Premiership by 51 wins from nearest rival Vincent Po, and his seasonal record since arriving in Hong Kong occurred in 2018/19 when he rode 168 winners.
“At the start of every season, the goal is to get to 100 winners,” Purton said. “Only three jockeys in history (Douglas Whyte, Moreira and Purton) have ridden 100 winners in a season in Hong Kong, so if you can get to there, you should be competitive enough in the Championship. If I can get the record, I’ll go for it.”
‘Deficiencies’ with Aquanita investigation
After analysing 500 documents, including 30 interview transcripts and 120 spreadsheets of wagering data, Racing Integrity Commissioner Sean Carroll found ‘deficiencies’ in Racing Victoria’s investigation and handling of the Aquanita doping scandal, which resulted in seven licensed persons receiving substantial disqualifications from thoroughbred racing, including three life bans.
Carroll said the deficiencies related to the seizure and management of telecommunications devices, which led to evidence either not being obtained, being destroyed or permanently lost.
“Whilst the investigation was ultimately successful, certain deficiencies in the Racing Victoria Ltd investigation processes and systems in place at the time meant that evidence was either not obtained, destroyed, or permanently lost,” he said. Racing Victoria responded to Carroll's report.
“We note that the RIC has stated that possible improvements to our integrity processes and systems have been implemented or commissioned since this investigation concluded in 2017,” it said in a statement. “We are dedicated to maintaining the highest levels of integrity in Victorian racing and that commitment means we are continually striving to build upon our processes, systems and knowledge.”
