Te Akau stars step out at Te Rapa
The Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained Brando (NZ) (Savabeel) and Trobriand (Kermadec {NZ}) stepped out for exhibition gallops on Saturday at Te Rapa over 1000 metres.
The gelding and colt were followed by their stablemates Skew Wiff (NZ) (Savabeel) and Maven Belle (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}) who also galloped over 1000 metres on the Te Rapa course.
“Both pairings ran home in 35.5s (600 metres) and overall, we were pleased with the way they worked,” Te Akau racing manager Reece Trumper said.
“Brando and Skew Wiff will resume in the G2 Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate over 1200 metres at here (Te Rapa) on August 26, while Maven Belle will be given a bit more time before kicking-off.
“Skew Wiff has come back as an absolute machine and has really strengthened up. She’s not big, but strong. Maven Belle is a bit woolly, she is holding onto her winter coat and not properly thriving yet.
“Trobriand will run on Saturday at Ruakaka in the G3 Cambridge Stud Northland Breeders’ S. we’re really happy with his work.
Amelia’s Jewel crowned WA Racehorse of the Year
The Simon Miller-trained Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) was crowned the 2022/23 3-Year-Old Racehorse of the Year and then took home the main prize of the 2022/23 Western Australian Racehorse of the Year. Her dam Bumbasina (Ire) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) received the 2022/23 Western Australian Broodmare of the Year, and Amelia Jewel’s breeder - Amelia Park Racing and Breeding - received the Western Australian Breeder of the Year.
Other winners included Playing God, the 2022/23 Western Australian Sire of the Year, who will stand the 2023 season for $33,000 (inc GST) at Darling View Thoroughbreds.
William Pike received the Leading Western Australian State and Metropolitan Jockey award, while Adam Durant was awarded the Leading Western Australian State Trainer, and the Leading Western Australian Metropolitan Trainer award went to Neville Parnham.
Rounding out the winners was Brayden Gareth who was the recipient of the Leading Western Australian Apprentice Jockey award, and Holly Watson awarded the Leading Western Australian Metropolitan Apprentice Jockey award.
Mr Brightside to Sydney?
Lindsay Park trainers Ben, Will and JD Hayes have indicated their star galloper Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) would target the $5 million King Charles III S. and the G1 WS Cox Plate this spring. The 6-year-old is set to resume in Saturday’s G2 PB Lawrence S.
“He’s a proven Group 1 horse, so the Lawrence should be his easiest race; he'll tackle this preparation,” Ben Hayes said.
Mr Brightside (NZ) | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“Sydney has a lovely race for him, King Charles III, so he’ll hit that fourth-up and then the Cox Plate two weeks later.
“It’s not confirmed we’re going there but that’s probably the obvious race to go for prizemoney.”
Cylinder ready to rumble
The James Cummings-trained Cylinder (Exceed And Excel) will resume in Saturday’s G3 Vain S. at Caulfield, and potentially be joined by his stablemates Barber (Exceed And Excel) and Amur (Snitzel) in the contest.
“Cylinder is ready to go,” Cummings said.
“He’s come back in terrific order, Blake Shinn will ride him in the Vain, and hopefully he’ll hit the ground running. Cylinder should be very hard to beat.
Cylinder (royal blue cap) winning a trial at Warwick Farm on August 4 | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“I want to kick him off in the Vain and set the rest of his prep up and keep our options open. The Coolmore Stud S. would be a significant race for his stud career, there is a focus around that.
“We’ll see if he’s good enough to get there.”
Godolphin and Cummings have won the Vain S. previously with Bivouac and Ingratiating (Frosted {USA}).
City Of Lights transferred to Pride
The half-sister to Winx (Street Cry {Ire}), City Of Lights (Deep Impact {Jpn}) has been transferred to the Warwick Farm, Sydney, stables of Joseph Pride.
The John Camilleri (Fairway Thoroughbreds)-owned 4-year-old was formerly trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, who trained the blueblood to a Geelong maiden victory on debut.
“City Of Lights only arrived a couple of days ago, there’s no hiding anything these days is there? You have to put in the stable returns these days,” Pride jokes.
Joe Pride | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“She is a good addition to the stable. There is a lot of unnecessary hype around her given where she is at. City Of Lights is a high-profile horse that is lightly raced (one start), we are better off having her in our stable than someone else’s, I will cop the attention and pressure, it doesn’t bother me.”
Pereille continues upward trajectory
The Godolphin-owned Pereille (Fastnet Rock) continues to please his trainer James Cummings with his improvement after a convincing win at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
The 4-year-old who was recently gelded has won two of his 10 starts but is starting to put together the ability he has always shown.
“It’s important for him, there’s a bit of pressure on the horse (Pereille) this preparation to get up and mobile with his win record,” Cummings said.
“He’s been very consistently running well, but this preparation, since being gelded, he’s gone to another level.”
The team is yet to lock in any targets, but some it is believed consideration will be given to running Pereille in stakes races.
Attrition firing-up for the spring
The Mitch Freedman-trained Attrition (Churchill {Ire}) is preparing for a spring kick-off, the lightly raced 4-year-old entire showed ability in the autumn, culminating with a placing in the G1 Australian Guineas.
“At this stage, we’re thinking that we’ll be running in the PB Lawrence, Memsie, Makybe Diva and then we’ll assess how we’re going when we get to that second and third run and then map the rest of the spring out,” Freedman said.
“He’s going great. I can’t fault Attrition; he seems to be prepping up well. He’s a little bit of a bigger, stronger version of himself, which is good to see.”
Shinn bags second Breasley win
Last season’s leading jockey in Melbourne Blake Shinn received his second coveted Scobie Breasley Medal on Saturday night at the 2023 Victorian Racing Awards.
The 35-year-old was a clear-cut winner of the medal with 61 votes.
“To win it again, I’m really proud and it’s quite humbling,” Shinn said.
“I couldn’t have done it without a lot of people, it’s a great feeling right now.”
The now retired Anamoe, added another award to his illustrious CV when he was voted the 2023 Victorian Racehorse of the Year.
Communist to kick-off in Winx S.
Randwick-based trainer Michael Freedman will saddle-up his G1 Randwick Guineas winner Communist (Russian Revolution) in the G1 Winx S. on Saturday at Randwick.
“Communist is coming up great, I’m really happy with him after two soft trials,” Freedman said.
“He looks great, he’s certainly a bit bigger and stronger this time around and the 1400 metres next Saturday looks perfect for him. Communist has only had one go at weight for age and he was beaten a length by Anamoe so that’s encouraging but we are going to learn more on Saturday as to where he potentially should head.”
Paddington and Auguste Rodin “good” ahead of next engagements
Four-time Group 1 winner Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) continues to thrive ahead of the August 23, G1 Juddmonte International at York, Aidan O'Brien confirmed on Saturday.
The consistent Coolmore runner is six-for-seven and has won the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas, G1 St James's Palace S., the G1 Eclipse and the G1 Sussex S. in succession.
“He's good and everything is good so far with him. The Juddmonte is still the plan,” said O'Brien.
Aidan O'Brien | Image courtesy of Emma Berry
Ballydoyle's master trainer also had an update on G1 Derby and G1 Irish Derby hero Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who ran too poorly to be true in the G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot last out. The G1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown during Irish Champions weekend in September is next for the 2022 G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy S. victor.
He added, “He's good and he's on the Leopardstown program at the moment. He's done two or three pieces, and everything has been lovely so far.”
Dettori to ride Mostahdaf in the Juddmonte International
Jockey Frankie Dettori will be aboard the John and Thady Gosden-trained G1 Prince Of Wales' S. winner Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) for the G1 Juddmonte International at York over the Knavesmire on August 23, Shadwell racing manager Angus Gold announced on Saturday. The veteran rider deputises for the 5-year-old's regular jockey, Jim Crowley, who was suspended for his winning ride aboard Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot on July 29.
“John put Frankie on him this morning and said, 'I think Frankie's the man', so he will ride him at York,” Gold said. “He had a sit on him this morning and seemed very happy with the horse. We'll try and keep him in one piece and then they'll both be reunited at York.”
Frankie Dettori | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Though Dettori has not regularly ridden for the late Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum's Shadwell recently, he has worn the distinctive blue and white silks to victory on the international stage a number of times. Dettori is set to hang up his tack at the end of this year.
“He obviously won on Sakhee (Bahri) back in the day and more recently I remember him winning the (G3) Greenham at Newbury on Muhaarar,” Gold said. “He's ridden plenty for us over the years and it will be very nice to hopefully give him a decent ride in his final year.”
