Daily News Wrap

Another winner for Written By

Young Widden Stud-based sire Written By celebrated his ninth winner on Tuesday at Quirindi courtesy of the Stephen Jones-trained Not Written Off.

The 3-year-old filly was ridden by Darryl McLellan and won by 0.88l from Miss Adamas (Headwater).

The filly was a $30,000 purchase by Stephen Jones Racing when offered by Widden Stud at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale Highway Session.

Written By will stand the 2023 breeding season at $27,500 (inc GST).

Paddington ruled out of Cox Plate

Aidan O’Brien’s star colt Paddington (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) will not travel to Australia and contest the G1 Cox Plate.

The star 3-year-old will instead be pointed towards the G1 British Champion S. or the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S.

“The lads haven’t decided yet, but it will be either the Champion S. or the Queen Elizabeth II,” O’Brien told Racing Post.

“My guess at the moment would be the Queen Elizabeth (II) over a mile. Paddington is probably a miler at heart.

“I don’t think we (Coolmore/Ballydoyle) have ever given a 3-year-old such a hard campaign. However, America for the Breeders’ Cup Mile could be a possibility.”

Legacies to point towards the Flight

The Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained Legacies (Justify {USA}) is likely to have her grand final in the G1 Flight S. with an eye on the G1 Thousand Guineas.

Co-trainer Moody told Punters, “Legacies probably will run in the McNeil on Saturday, she won a jump-out on Tuesday, if I’m not thinking she’s ready for Saturday she’s got the Atlantic Jewel a week later.

“She’s a Listed-winning 3-year-old filly off season, but we do like her. The Flight S. is probably a realistic aim for Legacies.”

Moody also indicated the untapped Autumn Angel (The Autumn Sun) would target the G1 VRC Oaks.

“She was the one I genuinely pegged for the Oaks. Autumn Angel has got a deep staying pedigree on the dam side. Is she mature enough, is she good enough? The next six or eight weeks will tell us.”

Strip and Ed clash again

The veteran sprinters Nature Strip (Nicconi) and Eduardo (Host {Chi}) will clash for the 13th time in the G3 Concorde S. on Saturday.

The Chris Waller-trained Nature Strip holds an eight-four lead over the Joe Pride-trained Eduardo.

Although Pride is hopeful the 10-year-old can upstage ‘Nature’ over his favoured 1000-metre course.

“Eduardo’s only had 34 starts so he hasn’t been overtaxed,” Pride told Punters.

“He’s basically the fastest horse around, anything that ever leads him early in a race never wins and quite often he is still in front at the finish.”

Gold Trip eyes Feehan

The reigning G1 Melbourne Cup hero Gold Trip (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}) will kick off his spring preparation in the G2 Feehan S. at Moonee Valley on September 9.

The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained entire was given a 1200-metre jump-out at Cranbourne on Monday which pleased Maher.

“He’s getting there, we put the shades on him on Monday just to help him travel through and I think he’s come up pretty well,” Maher told Racing.com.

“But it’s a pretty dry track and he does like a bit of moisture under his feet. The track rating won’t strongly dictate whether he returns in the Feehan though.”

Jigsaw to raise the bar

Cindy Alderson is aware Jigsaw (Manhattan Rain) has to raise the bar to be competitive in the spring carnival.

“Jigsaw is going to have to kick off at a different level from last preparation, which is going to make it a lot more difficult to assess him because I still think he’s a notch below those top-grade sprinters,” Alderson shared with Racing.com.

“Where he fits at this new grade is going to be hard to determine.”

The Group 2 winner jumped out at Cranbourne on Monday morning over 800 metres pleasing Alderson.

“It was his first jump-out back, he was a little bit fresh, but I was really, really pleased with how he jumped out. He will be ready to kick off in late September, early October.”

Exciting colt heads to Sandown

Robbie Griffihs and Mathew de Kock are looking at next Wednesday’s Sandown meeting as the next port of call for Akicita (Grunt {NZ}) after a jump-out over 800 metres at Cranbourne.

The exciting colt was an impressive victor on debut at Pakenham in August and will look to tackle the G1 Caulfield Guineas.

“He was a little fresh and above himself on Monday but that’s what was the purpose of coming here, it’s to knock the cobwebs off him,” de Kock told Racing.com.

“Akicita had a little freshen up between runs, we probably will head to Sandown next Wednesday, but I liked the way he worked in the trial, he worked well, and he seems in good order.”

Boann makes it 30 for Blue Point

Darley’s Blue Point (Ire) sired his 30th first-crop winner in the Northern Hemisphere courtesy of the Ollie Sangster-trained Boann (Ire) at Southwell, United Kingdom.

The 2-year-old filly was having her third start and improved to win the all-weather track event by over 2l.

Boann is a daughter of the Exceed And Excel mare Paradwys (Ire), who hails from the family of multiple Group 1 winner Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}).

Blue Point is currently at Darley Australia, Northwood Park, and will stand the 2023 breeding season for $44,000 (inc GST).

Caulfield Cup goal for Jack Darcy?

The Paul and Oliver Cole-trained Jack Darcy (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) could find himself in Australia tackling the G1 Caulfield Cup this spring.

The gelding, co-owned by several Australians, was successful in the G2 Grand Prix de Deauville last start.

Edward Gascoigne, a co-owner of Jack Darcy, spoke with Jour de Galop, “He was very patient, he bought a half-share more than a year ago, before the G3 Gordon Stakes at Goodwood, with the idea of having a Melbourne Cup horse. The horse was then injured and it took a little while to get him back to the top. We are going to think about the Caulfield Cup, but we will have to discuss it all together.”

Fastnet’s Sistina to tackle Prix de l’Opera

The George Boughey-trained Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) will head to ‘Arc’ weekend at Paris Longchamp to tackle the G1 Prix de l’Opera on October 1.

“We were obviously delighted to see her produce what was arguably another career-best really,” said Boughey.

“The Fabre filly looks progressive and I think we were arguably unlucky in defeat. She was in front a long time as we just wanted to have a clear run at it.

“I think we'll go straight to the Opera on Arc Day and I think we'll probably ride her with a little bit more patience. We're always learning in this game and I think just holding on to her a bit longer and using that wicked turn of foot over that trip will suit.

“The Opera has been a long-term target for a long time. The Romanet was the immediate target and is possibly the one that got away, but we're very proud of her.

“She's finished first, second and third in three Group 1s this year, having won a Group 2 beforehand, so she's been a real star for us.”

The daughter of Fastnet Rock could then head to the G1 British Champions Fillies and Mares S. at Ascot on October 21.

Belmont winner Sarava dies at Old Friends

2002 GI Belmont S. winner Sarava (USA) has died at Old Friends. According to the preliminary report from Dr Colton Thacker at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, he was euthanised due to complications from a leg fracture at the age of 24.

The dark bay was the first Classic winner to be retired to the farm on September 29, 2012, thanks to his owners, Gary Drake, and Paul and Susan Roy of Great Britain.

He upset the field of the 2002 GI Belmont S. at odds of 70-1, defeating Medaglia D'Oro (USA) and the Triple Crown contender War Emblem (USA).

Sarava began his stud career in 2005 at Florida's division of Cloverleaf Farms before moving to the Kentucky division in 2007. In 2008, he returned to Florida to Bridlewood Farm where he remained for the rest of his stud career.

“It's a sad day for our family and friends,” said owner Gary Drake when he heard the news. “We've all been Sarava fans since we met him in 2001. When you get into horse racing, you hope to have the opportunity to be involved with a horse like this. I mean it's cliche, but people say it all the time, they (the horses) take you places you would never go otherwise, and certainly Sarava did that for us.”

“Sarava attracted so many fans to Old Friends,” added Michael Blowen, President and founder of Old Friends. “Most recently, a horse player said he bought a condo in Ft. Myers with his winnings from that race. But, to us, he was a lot more than the longest shot in the history of the Belmont Stakes who defeated fellow Old Friends retiree, War Emblem. He was proud, independent and, in his way, very lovable. We thank owner Gary Drake and friend Tom Bozarth for allowing us to care for Sarava for more than a decade.”

Luxembourg, Auguste Rodin Irish Champion-bound

Trainer Aidan O'Brien indicated Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) would return in Leopardstown's G1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion S. on September 9. The stablemates were last seen in the G1 King George and Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot on July 29, where Luxembourg was a hard-fought fourth while the dual Derby winner came home a distant 10th.

Their conditioner could find no obvious reason for the poor showing but remained hopeful the son of the late Deep Impact (Jpn) could bounce back at Leopardstown.

“We're very happy with Luxembourg, everything has gone very well,” said the Ballydoyle handler of the 4-year-old, who took the 2022 renewal of Leopardstown's 10-furlong test. “The King George is a tough race and he was on the pace. The plan is at the moment both he and Auguste Rodin are going to Leopardstown.”

He continued, “Really, we don't know what happened to Auguste in the King George. He was drawn very wide and trapped very wide and he came off the bridle a lot earlier than Ryan (Moore) would have thought. It's probably a blessing in disguise, as if he came off the bridle at the stage, he was probably going to get a very tough race. For a 3-year-old baby, he was probably lucky he didn't get into a brawl and he came home very well.”

Regardless of what happens the rest of the season, O'Brien hinted that the Classic-winning sophomore was unlikely to return for a 4-year-old season.

“He's such a unique horse pedigree-wise he's kind of irreplaceable really,” he said.

Also on tap to resurface on Irish Champions Festival weekend is Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), 20l winner of the G1 Qatar Prix du Cadran in his final appearance in 2022 which saw him go unbeaten for that season. Injury ruling out a return in the first half of 2023, the colt is looking to defend his G1 Comer Group International Irish St. Leger crown at the Curragh on September 10.

“Four months ago, you'd have said he'll never race again. He got an infection in his joint and then the ligament down the outside of his pastern shifted, so it became unstable,” said O'Brien. “Everyone has done a wonderful job with him. If we got a run into him, we'll look towards Arc weekend again, either the Arc or the Cadran, but I would imagine the Arc would be too much too quick for him.”

Arc favorite Ace Impact straight to Paris Longchamp

The G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club conqueror Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}) will head straight to the October 1 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe following his recent victory in Deauville's G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano. Conditioned by Jean-Claude Rouget, the undefeated colt gave Rouget back-to-back Group 1 wins this season and will aim to become the trainer's second victor in Europe's richest middle-distance contest behind multiple Group 1-winner Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}).

A long-circled date on the calendar for the connections, the team is reportedly happy with Ace Impact's form going into the Arc as the general 7-2 favorite.

“We are very pleased with him since his run in the Prix Guillaume d'Ornano,” said Pauline Chehboub, racing manager for her family's Gousserie Racing operation.

“He is a very unique horse and every time he comes to the races it feels like he loves it. We are very fortunate to be a part of this champion. His target since the French Derby, like Jean-Claude Rouget announced, is the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, so we follow the plan. He is the Arc favourite, unbeaten and his limits are unknown. The dream continues.”

Frankel's Task Force goes two for two in Listed contest

Earning TDN Rising Star status on debut at Salisbury last month, Juddmonte's Task Force (GB) (Frankel {GB}) passed his second career test in Monday's Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Ripon Champion 2YO Trophy to suggest he can take higher rank among the season's juveniles.

“The idea of going to Ripon was to teach him a bit, as he didn't learn much the first day; he hit the gates well and sat handy and was left in front a furlong and a half down, so he probably didn't learn a lot about racing,” Juddmonte's racing manager Barry Mahon said. “He'll have learned plenty there today. You saw how green he was in the early part there and when Rossa asked him to go he was green, but when the penny dropped away he went. It was a nice performance and he could a nice horse.”

Mahon floated the idea of Task Force moving up in trip. “I haven't spoken to Ralph yet and we need to let the dust settle, but I've no doubt seven is going to be right up his street,” he added. “He's bred to be a miler in time, so seven furlongs won't be a problem but whether Ralph decides to go that way now or later on we'll wait and see. Part of the reason we went back over six furlongs today was because when you look up his mother's record she never raced beyond six at two and ended up being a dual Guineas winner at three, so there's no shortage of speed in the pedigree and he showed that today against some hardened 2-year-olds.”