Fireburn out of the Oaks
Gary Portelli’s Fireburn (Rebel Dane) was a shock scratching on Thursday afternoon from the G1 Queensland Oaks. A hot pre-post favourite, the Golden Slipper winner was withdrawn on vets’ advice by her trainer.
Portelli took the news well, despite clearly disagreeing with the decision. On a trot up, Fireburn scored 2.5 out of five on a lameness scale, something Portelli described, and with which his own vet concurred, was down to a “weird gait”.
“They wouldn’t accept what we said, even though my vets said this is the way she is,” he told Racenet. “She has never been 2.5 lame. She trots off with this weird gait because she is lopsided in her hindquarter. I understand if I forced them to run her and she broke down, well then that’s on me too. But I do believe that what they are seeing is what we were seeing before she won The Roses.”
Fireburn is likely to spell ahead of potential spring targets like the Caulfield Cup, while also on Thursday, a cloud appeared over the Kris Lees-trained Amokura (Kermadec {NZ}), who has won her last two starts and drew barrier one for the Queensland Oaks. She trotted up mildly lame during a vet inspection and will require a further inspection on Friday.
Fireburn’s scratching turned the betting market for the Oaks on its head on Thursday. The Bjorn Baker filly Renaissance Woman (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) is now favourite ahead of the Maher-Eustace Australasian Oaks winner Affaire A Suivre (Astern).
Successive Oaks on the cards for Affaire A Suivre
First Light Racing’s Affaire A Suivre (Astern) is looking for back-to-back Oaks victories this Saturday when lining up in the G1 Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm. The filly was a last-start winner of the G1 Australasian Oaks on April 29, and her jockey John Allen has every confidence in her.
“She was a good winner in Adelaide,” he told Racing.com. “This looks an even race, but we’re confident she can deliver. I didn’t have a lot to do with her before I got on her at Adelaide (when they won the Listed Port Adelaide Guineas on April 15), but Ciaron (Maher) and David (Eustace) have always had a really high opinion of her.”
Estijaab brother lines up Saturday
Two-year-old Congregation, the Snitzel full brother to Golden Slipper winner Estijaab, will make his first Saturday appearance this weekend at Rosehill Gardens. Trained by Chris Waller, the colt was a smart winner on debut just a week ago at Canterbury with Kerrin McEvoy.
Congregation (purple and white silks) | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“I thought it was a good win,” McEvoy told Ray Hickson. “If he can come on from it, then he should be hard to beat. I think he could be a miler, but that remains to be seen. He probably doesn’t have an abundance of early speed. He’s your typical midfield-type runner.”
Congregation was a $2.25 million yearling last year, sold by Arrowfield to Tom Magnier at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. He carries a nomination for the G1 JJ Atkins S. at Eagle Farm on June 10.
Madame Odette draws well
Tony Gollan’s filly Madame Odette, a daughter of Churchill (Ire), drew well on Thursday for the G1 Queensland Oaks, landing barrier three in the 18-horse field.
“I would have loved to have drawn a barrier like that into one of the lead-ups to see where she sat against those better fillies,” Gollan told Racing.com. “A good barrier is going to help because we can ride her where she’s comfortable, rather than try and force the issue, and I’m confident she’s going to run the trip in that way.”
Madame Odette has won two of her eight races. She was unplaced behind Fireburn (Rebel Dane) last time out in the G2 The Roses. She was Listed-placed in April and is around $17 in the pre-post market for the Queensland Oaks.
Written Tycoon juvenile off the mark
The Team Snowden-trained Mafia (Written Tycoon) is a maiden no longer after the colt broke his maiden at Wyong on Thursday. Mafia was sent off at $1.50 in Race 1 and was guided to victory by Chad Schofield.
Mafia | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Bred by Woodside Park Stud, Mafia is from the Listed winner Hell Or Highwater (Not A Single Doubt) and is closely related to the stakes scorer and imported Champion 2YO Filly in Panama in 2017 Tamborera (Can) (Macleans Music {USA}).
The colt was consigned by his breeder at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale, where Rosemont Stud bought him for $510,000. Later offered by Rosemont at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, he was knocked down to China Horse Club / Newgate Bloodstock / Trilogy Racing for $850,000.
Carbonados sold to Lindsay Park Racing
Two-year-old Carbonados (NZ), an Allan Sharrock-trained son of Belardo (Ire), is heading to Victoria after his sale to Lindsay Park Racing. The gelding has raced only once, winning on debut at home at New Plymouth, but he was a warm favourite for this weekend’s Listed Castletown S. at Wanganui, from which he's been withdrawn.
“Like all the nice horses in New Zealand, they go overseas,” Sharrock said. “He was one I was reluctant to sell. I rate the horse. I hope he does a good job for them. We are a trading nation and that’s just the way it goes.”
Carbonados (NZ) | Image courtesy of Race Images PN (Peter Rubery)
Carbonados is out of the Iffraaj (GB) mare Humoresque (NZ). He was purchased by Sharrock at the New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale in 2022, where he was consigned by Haunui Farm and sold for NZ$30,000. In New Zealand, he was raced for a syndicate managed by Matthew Corban.
Santic’s Secret Amour chasing stakes maiden
Tony Santic’s Group 3 performer Secret Amour (NZ) (Niagara) is chasing an elusive stakes victory this Saturday in the Listed AGC Training S. at Wanganui. The 6-year-old mare has been three-times stakes placed, and trainer Robbie Patterson told SENZ Racing that she’s gone on with things this season.
“She is working really well,” he said. “Hopefully she can get in front of the good horses in there and beat them home. She will get back and probably sit on the outside of Justaskme, I would say. She is a natural back runner.”
Secret Amour (NZ) | Image courtesy of Race Images (Grant Matthew)
Santic purchased Secret Amour on Gavelhouse earlier this year with a view to her broodmare credentials. She is likely to face wet weather and a Heavy 10 this Saturday at Wanganui.
New jockeys’ rooms unveiled at Longreach
The Longreach Jockey Club will this weekend unveil its refurbished jockeys’ rooms, which were part of a wider plan from the central-west club to continue its facelift of facilities. The new rooms, which cater for both male and female riders, were co-funded by Racing Queensland and the club.
“They’re the best in the west,” said Longreach Jockey Club President, Andrew Watts. “They were designed while being mindful there is an increasing number of female participants, making the mens and ladies’ room equal in size.”
The new jockeys' rooms at the Longreach Jockey Club | Image courtesy of Racing Queensland
The club also has a new secretary’s office and disabled toilet facilities. Watt said with most of its racing assets up to date and compliant, the club will be starting its three-stage development, which will include a new bar and other facilities across the next five to 10 years.
Peter Morgan fined $4000
Licensed trainer Peter Morgan was fined $4000 on Thursday at the conclusion of an investigation by Racing NSW stewards into a positive sample posted by his 4-year-old gelding Burradana (Duporth) after a race at Wagga on Australia Day. Burradana won the event and was subsequently disqualified after he returned a positive for lignocaine in a post-race blood sample.
On Thursday, stewards issued a $4000 penalty to Morgan, which was reduced from $6000, taking into consideration his guilty plea and cooperation during the investigation and inquiry. Morgan also has a good disciplinary record stretching 50 years, and his personal and professional circumstances were taken into account.
He pleaded guilty to a charge under AR240(2) of the rules of racing regarding prohibited substances.
Niagara returns to Hawke’s Bay
Proven stallion Niagara, an Australian-bred, Group 2-winning son of Encosta De Lago, is relocating to the Hawke’s Bay property of Vicki Wilson, Hau Ora Farm south of Hastings. The move is a homecoming of sorts for the 13-year-old sire, who initially retired to the region under Greg and Jo Griffin’s Lime Country Thoroughbreds, before then heading to the Oaks Stud in 2017. Niagara is the sire of nine stakes winners in total and he will stand this spring at NZ$3000 (plus GST).
“We have Mongolian Falcon here and we love his young stock, so when we were approached to stand Niagara, we thought why not give it a go?” Wilson said. “Niagara is a super type and he consistently leaves a nice horse. He is arriving next week and we are really excited.”
Niagara relocated to Hawke's Bay for 2023 | Standing at Hau Ora Farm, image courtesy of Trish Dunell
Hau Ora Farm was significantly damaged earlier this year by Cyclone Gabrille’s subsequent flooding. However, the property is back on its feet ahead of the spring and hosting some 180 racing and non-racing horses.
Miller happy with Raconteur hope Bonjoy
Karnup trainer Jason Miller is optimistic about the chances of his 3-year-old filly Bonjoy (Maschino) in this Saturday’s Listed Raconteur S. in Western Australia. The filly was a last-start winner at Belmont on May 17, bringing her total career haul to three wins from five starts.
“I’ve always thought she was a Saturday filly,” Miller told The Races WA. “From what she does at home, she is impressive. We’ve always had a big opinion of her.”
Trainer Jason Miller | Image courtesy of Racing & Wagering Western Australia (RWWA)
Steve Parnham will pilot Bonjoy in the Racontuer. The filly was unplaced when stepping out last November in the G3 Champion Fillies S., which was won by her stablemate Admiration Express (My Admiration). It was the only occasion in which Bonjoy missed a place.
O’Brien fields three for Epsom Oaks
Ballydoyle will send out three runners in this Friday’s G1 Epsom Oaks, namely the race favourite Savethelastdance (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who will head the 11-horse field with Ryan Moore as a winner of the Listed Cheshire Oaks.
The Frankel (GB) filly Soul Sister (Ire) is also among the fancies with Frankie Dettori, the latter aboard for his final Oaks effort. The John and Thady Gosden-trained Running Lion (GB) (Roaring Lion {USA}) will also be among them.
All to play for in the Derby
Irish trainer John Murphy said it’s all to play for in this Saturday’s Epsom Derby as he sends out the 14-1 shot White Birch (GB), a son of Ulysses {Ire}), in the blue riband Classic. White Birch was a winner of the G3 Ballysax S. at Leopardstown earlier in the season, and he was since second to fellow Derby fancy The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) in the G2 Dante S. at York.
“It’s hugely exciting,” said 62-year-old Murphy. “It gives you a pep in the step and we’re really looking forward to it. We’re very thankful to everyone who has made it possible, especially all of our staff who have done a great job with White Birch.”
Murphy had pinhooked Papal Bull (GB) in his early career, a horse that went on to start in the Epsom Derby in 2006, so while White Birch is Murphy's first horse in a Derby field, it is not the trainer’s first association with the race.
