Daily News Wrap

J-Mac out of Golden Slipper Day

Australia’s leading rider, Sydney jockey James McDonald, has been handed a six-meeting suspension for careless riding following an incident at Randwick on Wednesday that resulted in considerable interference. McDonald was aboard Cholante (Choisir) in the final race when the pair shifted out onto the run of Look Only (Knight Exemplar), who subsequently clipped heels.

Stewards declared the incident “a nasty piece of interference” and the suspension, which will commence this Sunday, wipes McDonald out of the Golden Slipper meeting and valuable Group 1 rides. Though the jockey admitted he would appeal the severity of the suspension, he described Wednesday’s incident as a “brain fade” and apologised.

McDonald’s original suspension of 14 meetings was reduced to six on the basis of his guilty plea, his near-clean suspension record in the last year and the expense of losing valuable rides in both the Golden Slipper and Black Opal S. meetings.

Maher relocates to Sydney

Trainer Ciaron Maher announced on Wednesday that he was personally relocating from Melbourne to Sydney after a further 26 boxes were added to his Warwick Farm yard. Maher said the “unprecedented growth” of Sydney racing was the reason for his move, along with his need to personally oversee the stable’s additional number of horses in training.

“We are very pleased to see that significant increases in prizemoney offered by Racing NSW and the Australian Turf Club (ATC) are bringing more horses, owners and trainers to prepare and race on our tracks,” said Peter McGauran, the ATC chairman.

“The ATC has an ambition in Sydney to continue to be the very best racing jurisdiction in Australia, and this confidence of a major stable such as Maher and Eustace is another example of NSW racing’s growth and strength.”

Record acceptances for The Championships

A record number of first acceptances have been taken for the 2023 The Star Championships at Royal Randwick, which will take place on April 1 and April 8 next month. The G1 Doncaster Mile (80 acceptances), G1 TJ Smith S. (53 acceptances) and G1 Australian Derby (44 acceptances) are among the four Group 1 races on Day 1, along with G1 ATC Sires’ Produce S. (93 acceptances).

Day 2 acceptances include the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. (81), G1 Sydney Cup (81) and G1 Queen of the Turf S. (83), along with the G2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint (78) and G2 Percy Sykes S. (84).

This year's acceptance list includes Anamoe (Street Boss {USA}), Nature Strip (Nicconi) and Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) as headline acts, as well entries from New Zealand (28), the United Kingdom (13) and Japan (one). Ciaron Maher and David Eustace have the highest representation with 81 horses across the two days, followed by Tulloch Lodge with 50.

“The Championships will also showcase world-class trainers and jockeys including international stars alongside Australia's best jockeys and emerging talents in the saddle,” said James Ross, the ATC's executive general manager of racing and wagering.

The 731 total acceptors exceeds the previous record of 698, and it's a 10 per cent increase on last year's first-acceptance figure of 661.

Lane picks up Astrologist

Damian Lane has been confirmed for Troy Corstens’ The Astrologist (Zoustar) ahead of the 6-year-old gelding’s pair of elite targets, which will see him tackle the G1 Newmarket H. this Saturday before heading to Dubai in March for the G1 Al Quoz Sprint. Second in last year’s Newmarket, Corstens is looking forward to another tilt at the $1.5 million feature.

“It's very pleasing,” Corstens told Racing.com. “We've managed to secure Damian Lane, who is a world-renowned jockey, for Dubai as well as Flemington and he really suits the horse.

“... he had a gallop down the straight this morning with Damian Lane on him and he drops to 54kg on Saturday and I'm really looking forward to getting him back up the straight.

“I think we are well on track to run a big race.”

Wide draw for I Wish I Win

I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel) has drawn 14 of 16 for this Saturday’s G1 Newmarket H. at Flemington, ahead of his bid to become the first favourite in 10 years to win the race. One of his main rivals, 3-year-old In Secret (I Am Invincible), has drawn barrier eight and will shoulder 5kgs less.

Roch 'N' Horse (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) has drawn three and looks to become the sixth dual winner of the Newmarket in the race’s 150th running. Meanwhile, Private Eye (Al Maher) has drawn barrier two and Mazu (Maurice {Jpn}) 16 - both resuming.

Imperatriz looks to William Reid

Te Akau’s star sprinter Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) may head to Melbourne later this month after trainer Mark Walker pencilled in the G1 William Reid S. at Moonee Valley for his 4-year-old mare. A winner of four Group 1s in New Zealand, Imperatriz was only narrowly denied by a charging Artorius (Flying Artie) in her Australian debut in last weekend’s G1 Canterbury S.

In what will likely be her final run before she returns across the Tasman, Imperatriz may well face Babylon Berlin (All Too Hard), whom she defeated in both of her most recent two elite-level victories.

Haggas reappears in Sydney

English trainer William Haggas has his first Sydney runners in two years this Saturday, lining up Purpleplay (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) in the G1 Coolmore Classic and Protagonist (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in the G3 Sky High S. Purpleplay is warming up for the G1 Queen of the Turf S. on Day 2 of The Championships on April 8, while Protagonist is eyeing off the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. on the same day.

Haggas is well-versed in the Sydney autumn carnival, bringing Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) across to famous battles with Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}). He has also brought Earl Of Tyrone (Ire) (Australia {GB}) with him this time, who may or may not tackle the G1 Sydney Cup.

“I’ve made a complete mess of the Sydney Cup so far,” Haggas told journalist Ray Hickson this week, speaking about previous runners Young Rascal (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) and Favorite Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}). “Both times they (Young Rascal and Favorite Moon) won the Manion Cup and didn’t go on, so I think I’d like to run him (Earl Of Tyrone) first-up.”

Read our feature with the trainer from the end of February about his quartet of international raiders.

OTI pair for Australian Derby

The OTI Racing pair of Full Of Sincerity (NZ) (Puccini {NZ}) and Mark Twain (NZ) (Shocking) have their eyes on the G1 Australian Derby at Randwick on April 1. Both 3-year-olds are trained by Andrew Forsman in New Zealand and were third and fourth respectively in the recent G1 New Zealand Derby last Saturday.

OTI’s Terry Henderson said Full Of Sincerity would likely head into the G2 Tulloch S. first, while no path had yet been declared for Mark Twain.

“Generally, the horses that come over from New Zealand are excelling when they get here,” Henderson said. “It is terrific to have good horses and good horsemen coming across with them. Full Of Sincerity will make the Derby field without another run, and we hope to have a good idea on Mark Twain in the next few days.”

Murphy a possible for ASM

A three-time Champion Jockey in Britain, Irish-born talent Oisin Murphy is awaiting Visa clearance which would allow him to partner the Annabel Neasham-trained Laws Of Indices (Ire) (Power {GB}) in the $5 million The All-Star Mile next Saturday.

Although he’s clocked up 13 winners in the country, Murphy hasn’t ridden in Australia since 2018, though two of those winners came at The Valley, the same stage as next weekend’s big race.

“At this stage we are hoping to get Oisin Murphy out to ride him,” Neasham told Racing.com. “He is obviously a super star jockey and has won races all over the world and he is very keen to come out and ride him. It will be a quick visit and with some of the original Irish owners still in the horse I think they were pretty excited at the thought of him coming up to ride him.”

Neasham will have two chances in the race after another import, My Oberon (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), gained a wildcard entry on Tuesday morning, as she looks to back up on Zaaki’s (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) victory in last year’s edition.

Heaven out for a spell

Promising 3-year-old filly See You In Heaven (Divine Prophet) has been sent to the paddock following lameness from a hoof issue. Trained by Richard and Chantelle Jolly, the filly won the G2 Sandown Guineas in the spring and finished runner-up in two stakes races in her latest preparation. However, she won’t line up in this Saturday’s G2 Kewney S. at Flemington, and has been withdrawn from the G1 Australian Guineas.

“She's out in the paddock, we just weren't happy with her and we thought we'd just tip her out and give her a proper spell," Chantelle Jolly confirmed to Racing.com. “It is what it is, there's not much we can do, she was lame, it's nothing that's going to affect her, she just probably needed a bit more time. It's nothing serious but we'll just give her some more time and get her ready for the spring.”

Jolly also tipped that the $10 million Golden Eagle is in consideration for the filly’s spring campaign later this year.

Bosson picks again

Champion Kiwi rider Opie Bosson has twice elected to ride Trobriand (Kermadec {NZ}) over stablemate Tokyo Tycoon (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}) only to finish behind him in the placings in both the G3 Matamata Slipper and the R. Listed Karaka Million 2YO. However, Bosson will reunite with Tokyo Tycoon in this Saturday’s G1 Sistema S. at Pukekohe, as he looks to set the record straight.

“I've thought about it a fair bit since and I just should have gone with my gut-instinct,” Bosson said. “I don't normally worry about draws. It was a bad mistake on my part.”

“He (Tokyo Tycoon) should be extremely hard to beat. It's not a big field and he's beaten most of those horses before so I can't see why he can't do it again.”

Tokyo Tycoon has drawn barrier three for the Sistema, and victory would make Bosson the first jockey in history to win the Kiwi Group 1 on 10 occasions.

Pike keeps faith in Sheeza Belter

Western Australian jockey William Pike hasn’t lost confidence in the former WA star Sheeza Belter (Gold Standard), who lines up in this Saturday’s G1 Coolmore Classic at Rosehill. Pike will partner the 3-year-old filly for the Snowdens.

Sheeza Belter was unplaced in both her February starts last month, but Pike said he wasn’t going to overthink things this weekend. He has ridden the filly in her last four races, which included her win in the G2 Hot Danish S. in November.

“Instead of trying to ride the race where I think I need to be, I think I just need to ride her where she wants to be,” he told The Races WA this week. “I haven’t won a Group 1 in Sydney. It would be nice to tick that box.”

Roch ‘N’ Horse even better?

Trainer Mike Moroney told Racing.com on Wednesday that he couldn’t fault his 6-year-old sprinting star Roch ‘N’ Horse (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}), who will try to defend her title in this Saturday’s G1 Newmarket H. The mare was unplaced in the G1 Oakleigh Plate on February 25, but her trainer said she had furnished yet again and Royal Ascot was still on the table, albeit with more of a retirement agenda.

“It’s still there,” Moroney said. “Do you take her over there, get her in foal to a Kingman or something like that? It’s a lot of money to be spending. That would be the only reason she’d be going over, that she’d find a stallion over there they think they could get her in foal to.”

The Archer to make history

Rockhampton’s The Archer meeting, which will take place on Sunday, April 30 at Rocky Amateurs (formerly known as the Central Queensland Amateur Race Club), will offer over $1.1 million in prizemoney, bonuses and trophies next month. It’s a record giveaway for the club, which dates back 155 years.

The meeting’s showpiece is the $775,000, 1300-metre The Archer, a slot-concept race like The Everest and The Quokka. Slotholders include the likes of Sydney businessman Max Whitby, who has already confirmed for his spot the Queensland sprinter and nine-time winner Weona Smartone (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}), trained by David Vandyke.

Cambridge Stud open this Sunday

Cambridge Stud will this Sunday swing open its doors to the public, with visitors getting the chance to see one of New Zealand’s most successful and historic breeding operations. The iconic Heritage Centre, which was opened by studmasters Brendan and Jo Lindsay, will give visitors a rare insight into the achievements of the farm under its original owners, Sir Patrick and Justine Lady Hogan.