Star internationals head WS Cox Plate nominations
Nominations for the G1 WS Cox Plate have been released with 178 gallopers nominated for the 103rd running of the Moonee Valley feature to be held on Saturday, October 28.
Among the nominations is the Coolmore-owned and Aidan O’Brien-trained Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) who recently won the G1 Sussex S. and Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}).
Paddington (GB) | Image courtesy of Racingfotos
There are 48 individual Group 1 winners, 35 3-year-olds (24 Southern Hemisphere, 11 Northern Hemisphere) and 17 international runners, with 65 stables represented in the $5 million feature.
A strong contingent of international runners also made up the nominations of the G1 Caulfield Cup, among the 175 nominations was Paddington’s stablemate Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and the James Ferguson-trained Deauville Legend (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) who ran fourth in last year’s G1 Melbourne Cup.
Juvenile trial winner for Sun City
Telemon Thoroughbreds’ sire Sun City was represented by three 2-year-old runners at the Deagon trials on Tuesday.
Among them was the Les Ross-trained Mishani Suspect, who took Heat 15 over 650 metres from his stablemate Mishani Style and Mishani Opal, both by The Mission.
Sun City was a precocious juvenile winning the G3 BJ McLachlan, the son of Zoustar will stand the 2023 breeding season for $7700 (inc GST).
Brown to return on Wednesday
Ethan Brown, 24, is set to make his return to race riding on Wednesday at Sandown-Hillside. Brown has been on the sidelines since a horror fall in the G1 Australian Guineas in March this year, that saw Brown suffer injuries that included a grade 5 lacerated liver and severed artery, a damaged right kidney, a major internal bleed and hairline fractures to three lower back vertebrae.
“I’m really looking forward to returning to race riding,” Brown said.
Ethan Brown | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“It’s definitely been a long five months, but I’ve been back at trackwork now for five weeks and hitting the gym pretty solidly, so my body is feeling well and I’m ready to go.
“My body has recovered well. I was fortunate enough to have really good surgeons operate on me and I haven’t had a problem since.”
Brown has been booked for three rides.
Brave Smash winner at Pakenham
The Ben, Will and JD Hayes-trained Goketsu, a filly by Brave Smash (Jpn) broke her maiden at Pakenham on the synthetic on Tuesday.
The 3-year-old filly was ridden by Patrick Moloney and won by 0.20l from Master Of Mischief (Magnus) and Voriah (Pariah).
Goketsu is from the Poet’s Voice (GB) mare Bolly. She hails from the family of Listed Woodland S. winner Shigeru Sendan (Denman).
The filly was bred and is raced by Mr L Lee.
Brave Smash will stand the 2023 breeding season at Yarraman Park for $33,000 (inc GST).
New season Justify winner
Michael Freedman’s Just Gisella provided the returning Coolmore Stud shuttler Justify (USA) with a new winner on Tuesday at Hawkesbury.
The 3-year-old filly was ridden by Brett Prebble and won by 0.95l from Alvina’s Luck (Zoustar) and Struff (Winning Rupert).
Just Gisella is from the Fastnet Rock mare Halle Rocks. She was a six-time winner and placed at the Listed level.
The filly was a $200,000 yearling purchase for James Bester Bloodstock from the draft of Coolmore Stud at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Second winner for Grunt
The Yulong-based Grunt (NZ) sired his second winner on Tuesday at Pakenham on the synthetic, Akicita. The Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock-trained 3-year-old colt looked to have a future when he bolted away from Sensical (Zoustar) by 3.50l and Socially Red (Russian Revolution) running into third in the 1100-metre event.
Akicita is the third foal from the Not A Single Doubt mare Little Indian. She is the dam of the Group 2-placed Typhoon Titmus (Headwater) also trained by Griffiths and de Kock.
Akicita also hails from another Griffiths/de Kock trainee Fidelia (Not A Single Doubt) who was placed multiple times at the Group 2 level.
Akicita is a $300,000 purchase by Griffiths de Kock Racing and Peter Ford Thoroughbreds (FBAA) from the draft of Blue Gum Farm at the 2022 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Grunt will stand the 2023 breeding season for $22,000 (inc GST).
Refreshed Nature Strip to hit the track
Chris Waller’s Champion sprinter Nature Strip (Nicconi) is set to trial at Rosehill on Friday. The 900-metre heat is set to include stablemate Militarize (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}) and the Group 1 winner Sunshine In Paris (Invader) and will be a defining point to the rest of Nature Strip’s spring preparation, with a record fifth appearance in the $20 million The Everest a possibility.
“We will take it one race at a time with Nature Strip,” Waller said.
“If he is anywhere near his best at his first couple of runs in the spring he can certainly get to another Everest.”
I Am Unstoppable excites trainers
I Am Unstoppable (I Am Invincible) is showing every sign he is set for a profitable 3-year-old preparation for trainers Lloyd Kennewell and Lucy Yeomans.
“He (I Am Unstoppable) trialled really, really well at Cranbourne on Monday and he went to the line in hand and ran a solid second in one of the faster 800-metre heats of the day,” co-trainer Kennewell said.
“I Am Unstoppable has a good action, that’s probably his best attribute. He’s really smooth in the run and he quickens up well, so we’re happy with him.”
I Am Unstoppable as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The son of I Am Invincible is set to resume in the G3 Vain S. at Caulfield on August 19.
“He’s probably gone from a boy to a man, he’s bigger and stronger,” Kennewell said.
“He has always been a great horse to deal with at home and you can see his real imposing strength. He steps out at the trials, he pumps himself up and pumps his chest out.”
Pennyweka back bigger and better
The dual Oaks heroine Pennyweka (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}) has returned a bigger and stronger animal according to her trainer Jim Wallace
“She had a quiet 1000-metre jump-out at Foxton, Pennyweka went well and did everything we wanted her to do,” Wallace said.
“It might be silly to say but I think she has improved. Time will tell.”
Pennyweka (NZ) | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Pennyweka claimed the G1 New Zealand Oaks and the G1 Australian Oaks double and is eyeing the G1 Tarzino Trophy first-up, with a dream to run in the G1 Caulfield Cup.
“We are certainly not averse to going back to Australia, the prizemoney is pretty good. I have nominated Pennyweka for the Caulfield Cup but that is pie in the sky at the moment.”
Outstanding Book 1 Tattersalls October Sale catalogue released
An array of outstanding yearlings have been catalogued for Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. The sale takes place from Tuesday, October 3 to Thursday, October 5 and features yearlings by some of the world's best stallions, including Dubawi (Ire), Frankel (GB), Sea The Stars (Ire), Kingman (GB), Lope De Vega (Ire), Siyouni (Fr) and Wootton Bassett (GB).
The sale numbers 532 lots, all of which are eligible for the lucrative Tattersalls October Book 1 Bonus scheme.
The final yearling by the late Galileo (Ire) also features in the lineup in the shape of Lot 310, the Glenvale Stud-drafted half-sister to Rose Bowl S. winner Method (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}).
Commenting on the catalogue, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony said, “Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale annually showcases so many of the finest yearlings to be found anywhere in the world and this year's catalogue has all the quality that buyers have come to expect from Europe's premier yearling sale.
“Europe's leading yearling consignors consistently send their elite yearlings to Book 1 of the October Yearling Sale confident that so many of the world's leading owners hold the sale in the highest esteem and the 532 yearlings catalogued for this year's sale are the cream of the European crop.”
He added, “Not only does the sale feature an extraordinary number of yearlings by all of the very best stallions currently standing in Europe, it also continues to reward owners with the hugely popular Book 1 Bonuses which have been increased to £25,000 (AU$48,900) this year.”
Among the “cream of the crop” are 59 siblings to Classic and Group 1 winners, including Aunt Pearl (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Blue Point (Ire), Cachet (Ire) (Aclaim {Ire}), Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Lezoo (GB) (Zoustar), Mishriff (Ire), Persian King (Ire), Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), Sea The Moon (Ger), Snow Lantern (GB) (Frankel {GB}), The Platinum Queen (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}), Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) and Uni (GB) (More Than Ready {USA}).
