Daily News Wrap

Amelia’s Jewel back in

Trainer Simon Miller has his star filly Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) back in the stable ahead of her 4-year-old season and likely spring targets in Melbourne and Sydney. The filly returned from Amelia Park on Tuesday night, with Miller telling The Races WA that she is likely to trial twice in Perth before jumping on a plane to the east in mid-September.

“She’s done well spelling and looks good,” he said. “She’s filled out. She’s heavier, a lot heavier than last time. Her first-up run will be the Let’s Elope S. at Flemington on September 16. Then there is the Stock S. two weeks later at Moonee Valley.”

Amelia’s Jewel could contest a Toorak H. into the Golden Eagle or Cox Plate, Miller said. However, the $5 million King Charles III could also be on her radar. Miller said they may “duck up to Sydney or stay down in Melbourne”.

“It’s a hard one,” he said. “A tricky one. What do you set yourself up best for?”

Garry Cuddy joins Safe Industries Australia

Garry Cuddy, the former general manager of Spendthrift Australia, has been appointed the National Sales Manager of Safe Industries Australia, a leading consultancy firm in occupational health and safety (OHS). Cuddy brings to the role valuable experience as a farm leader for seven years, with Spendthrift Australia a former client of Safe Industries Australia (SIA).

David Bowcock, managing director of SIA, said Cuddy’s appointment was priceless perspective for the company, which consults on various aspects of the agricultural and equine industries, within which is one of the highest fatality rates in modern workplaces.

“I am excited to have Garry join the team as he brings a very different view of workplace safety with him, from once being a client of SIA and working in the thoroughbred industry,” Bowcock said. “His knowledge and experience in the industry will ensure we are providing the right advice and assistance to all our clients, and any new clients that come on board with the platform.”

Stellar Olympus off to Hong Kong

The 2-year-old gelding Stellar Olympus, a son of Starspangledbanner, is on his way to Hong Kong, it was confirmed on Tuesday by his breeder, Gilgai Farm. The gelding was an eye-catching winner on debut at Flemington on July 1 for Ben and JD Hayes in the Next Generation Sprinters Series Final.

Stellar Olympus was sold by Gilgai Farm at the 2022 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale for $160,000 to McKeever Bloodstock and Dabernig Racing. He is a son of the O’Reilly (NZ) mare Hera (NZ), who was a dual Group 2 winner. Gilgai has a full brother to Stellar Olympus heading to the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale next year.

Bowman to ride Singapore Derby

Hugh Bowman will head to Singapore this Sunday to pilot Golden Monkey (Star Turn) in the Singapore Derby. The horse is trained by Tim Fitzsimmons.

Bowman relocated to Hong Kong last November and finished that jurisdiction’s season just recently in third place on the jockeys’ premiership, following home Zac Purton and Vincent Ho. Racing.com has reported that Bowman will remain in Hong Kong when the new season commences in September, after a 2023/24 licence was approved by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

Kissonallforcheeks retired

The 5-year-old mare Kissonallforcheeks for Ascot trainer Daniel Morton won’t race again, it was confirmed on Monday. The daughter of Written Tycoon has incurred a throat injury after a 10-time winning career that included the G3 Shaftesbury Avenue S. and the Listed pair of the Lee-Steere S. and WA Breeders’ S. Last year, she won the G2 Let’s Elope S. at Flemington, leading home Lady Of Honour (No Nay Never {USA}) and Yearning (Snitzel).

“She had an op and it went well, but she was going to be compromised coming back to racing,” Morton told Tabradio. “I’m mindful that her coming back to racing is at the elite level, and you are kidding yourselves if you’re not 110 per cent right. We’ve opted to retire her and she is going to be a valuable broodmare for someone.”

Kissonallforcheeks was placed in many good races, including the G1 Railway S., G1 Kingston Town Classic and G1 Winterbottom S.

Live To Tell could join Amelia’s Jewel

Amelia’s Jewel could be joined on her eastern escapade by her stablemate, the rising 3-year-old Live To Tell (Territories {Ire}). A winner of two of her four starts to date, running second in the other two, this smart filly is trained by Simon Miller and could be in line for a Melbourne start with her famous cohort.

Live To Tell won the Listed Supremacy S. in March and the G3 WATC Gimcrack S. She was then second to Super Smink (Super One) in the G2 Karrakatta Plate in April, denied a clean sweep of Perth’s juvenile features.

New look VOBIS unveiled for 2023/24 season

The Victorian Owners and Breeders Incentive Scheme (VOBIS) will offer over $30 million in prizemoney, bonuses and vouchers for the 2023/24 racing season.

From Tuesday, August 1, 2023, the VOBIS program will consist of four schemes, VOBIS Gold, VOBIS Platinum and VOBIS Sires, while the Super VOBIS has been renamed VOBIS Silver.

VOBIS Silver scheme will remain the program's foundation, and connections can upgrade eligible thoroughbreds to VOBIS Gold and VOBIS Platinum.

The program's rebranding will also see the VOBIS Sires Boost vouchers renamed VOBIS Platinum vouchers, of which $7.5 million will be offered throughout the 2023/24 season.

Racing Victoria’s Executive General Manager of Racing, Matt Welsh, said, “The VOBIS program is the nation's richest owners’ and breeders’ incentive scheme, offering more than $30 million in prizemoney and vouchers. There is now a new and simplified look for the 2023/24 season.

“There’s also a much clearer pathway from VOBIS Silver into VOBIS Gold and VOBIS Platinum with greater rewards on offer.”

New winner for Sea Siren

Breman (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) became the latest winner for the former Australian star Sea Siren (Fastnet Rock). The 2-year-old son of Galileo (Ire) trained by Donnacha O’Brien won at Killarney on debut on Tuesday.

Breman is a full brother to Warm Heart (Ire) who scored the G3 Ribblesdale S. at Royal Ascot last month.

The multiple Australian Group 1 winner Sea Siren is currently back in Australia at Coolmore Stud in foal to Home Affairs.

Derby winner on the comeback trail

The Bill Thurlow-trained Sherwood Forest (Fastnet Rock) has come through his first public appearance back from injury well according to Thurlow.

“Sherwood Forest has had a couple of injuries, and everything is not 100 per cent with him, but we are working through it. I thought he went really well today (Tuesday).”

The G1 New Zealand Derby winner was formerly trained by Tony Pike, and also claimed the G3 War Decree S. for him. However, he has subsequently been plagued by injury issues and has yet to recapture that form, but Thurlow is hoping conditioning on his Waverley farmland has helped.

“We will just play it by ear,” he said. “He will probably have another trial and we will try and get him really fit and then probably kick him off over a distance that he enjoys.

“Last year we put him over a couple of miles in some pretty hot races and that wasn’t his go. They were going a bit quick for him, so he will probably start over 2000 metres somewhere.

“They are not easy to place when they are so high up in the handicap.”

One more start for Mnementh this prep

Albury trainer Mitchell Beer has said that his stable star, the 6-year-old Mnementh (Eurozone), is likely to have one more start before his current campaign ends. The horse will tackle the G3 Bletchingly S. this weekend at Caulfield before a spell ahead of spring targets.

Co-owner Andrew Harrison has credited Beer with reinventing the horse after Mnementh bled from his nostrils post-running in a Country Championships race at Wagga in February 2022. Beer rethought the horse’s entire routine, which resulted in a last-start win in the Listed Santa Ana Lane Sprint Series Final.

“It was a really brave decision to completely the change the horse’s routine, but he asked all the owners to stick with him and it’s obviously paid off,” Harrison told RV News. “Hopefully Mnementh has got a few preps left in him yet, but when his time on the track is up, I’ll definitely have another horse with Mitch.”

Kayla Crowther booked for Outback Miss

Leading South Australian jockey Kayla Crowther has been booked to pilot the 2-year-old Victorian filly Outback Miss (Rubick) for Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr in Saturday week’s Listed Lightning S. at Morphettville. The filly is undefeated in two lifetime starts at Bendigo and Caulfield to date.

The Cranbourne stable previously won this race in 2020 with the I Am Invincible filly Parlophone. Crowther, who is on-song with 86 winners this season, is leading the South Australian Jockeys’ Premiership and is likely to take out the Dux award of the SA Apprentice Academy for the second year running.

Connie Greig heads picnic series in NSW

Dubbo trainer Connie Greig has a chokehold on the 2023 NSW Picnic Champion Series, training eight of the top 10 horses in the point score. Her 10-year-old gelding Billy Bent Ear (Bon Hoffa), a veteran of 137 starts, sits at the head of affairs with 41 point, 10 points clear of stablemate Valadyium (Shamus Award) in the same colours. Belle O’Ballee (Star Witness), who has won or run second in her last five outings, is joint third on 30 points with Gossip (Written Tycoon), also trained by Greig and a last-start winner of the Wean Picnic Cup.

The next meeting of the NSW Picnic Champion Series will be at Trangie (Macquarie picnics) on Saturday, July 29.

Lane set for August return

Damian Lane is set to make his Victorian return in August. Lane’s manager Dean Hawkes confirmed to Racing.com that the G3 Aurie’s Star H. meeting would likely be Lane’s first day back in the saddle.

Lane has spent the majority of the year in Japan, where he rode 35 winners including a victory in the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) aboard Tastiera (Jpn) (Satono Crown {Jpn}). However, in April, Lane did return to Australia to ride Pennyweka (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}) in the G1 Australian Oaks.

Cause For Concern on the improve

Cranbourne-based trainer Shawn Mathrick is adamant that Cause For Concern (Worthy Cause) is still a ‘work in progress’ and expects the galloper to improve with age and further racing. The 3-year-old gelding was last seen winning the 1400-metre VRC Member Shane Murray H. on Saturday at Flemington after placing in the Listed AR Creswick S.

“Cause For Concern is not attacking the line 100 per cent yet, he still hasn’t learnt how to do it,” Mathrick said. “Once he taps into it, he’s going to be something special. I really think he could win a Group 3 now, if he takes that next step, it’s scary to think about. Like I say, he’s got another gear, it’s just when he finds it.”

Waller eyes Cup with Francesco

The Chris Waller-trained Francesco Guardi (Ire) will target the Melbourne Cup this November. The imported son of Frankel (GB) was last seen winning the G2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup in impressive fashion last spring. He is co-owned by Noel Greenhalgh, who confirmed the import’s plan.

“Francesco Guardi had the slightest little issue and just had a small procedure, but he is ready to go, and 100 per cent, all roads lead to the Melbourne Cup,” Greenhalgh told Punters. “He is a very exciting horse and now he has had virtually a year to prepare for the Cup. And you know how good Chris (Waller) is at getting his horses ready for grand finals.”