Lickety Split retired, due a date with Anamoe
Following a disappointing run in Saturday’s G1 Tarzino Trophy at Hastings, Group 1-winning mare Lickety Split (NZ) (Turn Me Loose {NZ}) has been retired.
The Andrew Forsman-trained mare has been a flagbearer for her sire, handing him his maiden Group 1 when she bested her rivals in the G1 Sistema S. at just her second start as a juvenile.
She went on to add the G3 Northland Breeders’ S., before crossing the Tasman, where she won the G2 Edward Manifold S. and placed third in the G1 Thousand Guineas (1600 metres).
She had four subsequent unplaced runs before her connections elected it was time to send her to the breeding barn.
Bred by Dean Hawkins and Nick Hewson, Lickety Split was raced by the pair alongside their wives and a group of close friends.
Lickety Split (NZ) | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“She won a Group 1 as a 2-year-old and it was pretty special winning the Edward Manifold and placing in a Group 1 in Melbourne in the spring,” Hewson told loveracing.nz.
“Following Saturday, we decided as a group that she has nothing left to prove and it is that prime time to breed.
“She’s been a massive thrill and we have raced her with some really good people, it has been a fun syndicate, and Andrew and his team have done a wonderful job with her.”
Lickety Split will be covered this spring by Darley’s new pin-up sire Anamoe.
“The group that have raced her all want to breed so she is going to fly to Australia and be bred to Anamoe,” Hewson said.
‘I’d have strangled him’: Williams faces sack from Giga Kick
Champion jockey Craig Williams may lose the plum ride on star sprinter Giga Kick (Scissor Kick), following the gelding’s shock defeat in Saturday’s G2 McEwen S. at The Valley. Williams made a long, wide run on the dual Group 1 hero, and the gut-buster told late, with Giga Kick finishing third, 2.6l behind the winner Imperatriz (I Am Invincible).
Rodney Douglas, the racing manager for Giga Kick’s owner Jonathan Munz, and uncle of the horse’s trainer Clayton Douglas, didn’t mince his words when speaking to TAB Radio on Wednesday.
“I’d have strangled him with my bare hands, I’d have strangled him in the mounting yard. There’s no excuse for what he did,” Douglas said.
“It wasn't all about winning that race, he knows where we’re at with the horse. He knows he’s three weeks until the Premiere (Stakes) and five weeks to The Everest.
“It just doesn't make any sense to what he did. Inexcusable and we’ll see what plays out.”
A stack of high-profile jockeys have put their hand up if Munz does decide to make a change.
“There's been a million jockeys ring for the ride. Obviously, most jockeys would’ve looked at the ride and seen how poor it was; we’ve had a million phone calls," Douglas said.
“Zac Purton has rung from Hong Kong, Nash Rawiller, Mark Zahra, Blake Shinn. They’ve all thrown their hat in the ring.”
Later in the day, Williams responded.
“It’s Jonathan Munz’s horse and he makes the call on who rides the horse,” he said.
“He’s been a really good horse to me and I’m not too sure – maybe we’ll all know in the next 48 hours.
“As far as I’m aware, I’m riding the horse until I hear otherwise from Jonathan.”
Schofield bullish about Lost And Running
Jockey Chad Schofield believes Lost And Running (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) is in for a successful spring campaign, given he no longer has to contend with some star veteran sprinters.
The John O’Shea-trained Lost And Running resumes in Saturday’s G2 The Shorts at Randwick.
“I can’t help but feel that it’s his season really with Eduardo and Nature Strip now out of the picture,” Schofield told Racenet.
Lost And Running (NZ) | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“I trialled him the other day and the horse felt fantastic. It was the first time I had a sit on him and he felt fantastic so I couldn’t be happier with him.
“It was nice to have a feel of him and to get to know him a little bit.
“He is in for a great prep.”
Shamexpress filly an Oaks contender?
Talented 3-year-old Grinzinger Belle (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) shed her maiden tag at Sandown-Hillside, and in doing so, the Danny O’Brien-trained filly thrust herself into contention for some of the fillies’ staying features this spring.
“There is the expectation that we can hopefully get her to some of the nice staying races in the spring, but John (Wheeler) is one of the best owners going around, he’s very patient and he’ll let us get her home and see how she is and go from there,” stable representative Jack O’Brien told Racing.com.
Lining up for her third start, Grinzinger Belle made all, scoring by 1.5l under Damian Lane.
“I expected her to go well, but it was a handy maiden. She handled herself really well,” Lane commented.
“She has a good, strong galloping speed and she’s going to be able to sustain that over further distances. As she gets out in trip, I think she will appreciate that.”
Offered by her breeder - Windsor Park Stud - at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale (Book 2), the filly was bought by Wheeler for NZ$32,000.
Grinzinger Belle is the first foal of the winless Rip Van Winkle (Ire) mare Ripsomemore (NZ) and she herself is a half-sister to the Group 3 scorer Golden Parachute (NZ) (Montjeu {Ire}) and the stakes performer Faxed (NZ) (Falkirk {NZ}).
Pierro colt puts hand up for Caulfield Guineas
The Phillip Stokes-trained Prinzerro will be aimed towards the G1 Caulfield Guineas, after the Pierro colt broke his duck at Sandown-Hillside.
Prinzerro won at the fourth time of asking, scoring over 1300 metres by 1.5l under Jamie Kah.
“He’s still an entire, so we’ll live the dream,” Stokes told Racing.com.
“He’s a lovely horse, he’s got a great temperament, and I don't think 1400 metres, or a mile, will be a problem.
“He’s very versatile.”
The colt was consigned by his breeder, Yulong, at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. He was purchased by Bennett Racing for $160,000. Prinzerro is from the winning Exceed And Excel mare Dongxing Princess, a half-sister to the stakes winners Samara Dancer (NZ) (Hinchinbrook), Eclair Big Bang (NZ) (Savabeel) and Black Sail (NZ) (Savabeel).
Small but select field for Flemington Group 1
Just seven runners accepted for Saturday’s G1 Makybe Diva S. at Flemington.
The $750,000 race certainly isn’t lacking for quality, though, with two top-company winners - Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) and Alligator Blood (All Too Hard).
Chris Waller is the only trainer with multiple runners; he will be represented by Osipenko (NZ) (Pierro), Princess Grace (USA) (Karakontie {Jpn}) and Francesco Guardi (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).
“She’s running very well,” Waller said of Princess Grace.
“Blake (Shinn) said if a couple of things could have gone her way, she would have made it really close for Mr Brightside (in the G1 Memsie S.).”
The Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained Spanish Mission (USA) (Noble Mission {GB}) returns for his first run in more than a year.
Group 1 winners aplenty in inaugural 7 Stakes
Seven elite-level scorers will contest the first running of the $1 million 7 S. at Randwick on Saturday. The race has attracted a field of 12, including top weight-for-age performers Think It Over (So You Think {NZ}), Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}), Fangirl (Sebring) and Hinged (Worthy Cause).
“It would be amazing. I think we won the first Bondi (Stakes), the first Golden Eagle and they’re big deals,” Chris Waller, who trains Fangirl and Hinged, said.
Outside draw for Amelia’s Jewel
Star mare Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) will jump from the widest gate (15) in Saturday’s G2 Let’s Elope S. at Flemington.
The Group 1-winning Western Australian mare kicks off her campaign in the hands of Damian Lane.
Amelia's Jewel | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
“I’m a Victorian and they have given me the visitors draw,” Miller quipped to The Races WA.
“I was hoping they may have refreshed the computer or restarted the draw again.
“In all seriousness she has copped wide barrier draws throughout most of her career and still won.
“It is what it is and the long Flemington straight will give her time to wind up.
“She’ll drift back and then Frosty (Damian Lane) can let her rip.”
Amelia’s Jewel’s main rivals include See You In Heaven (Divine Prophet), Caste (Sir Prancealot {Ire}), Wrote To Arataki (NZ) (Wrote {Ire}) and Foxy Frida (Foxwedge).
Amelia’s Jewel’s connections are keeping their options open, with potential tilts at the G1 Cox Plate or the $10 million Golden Eagle both on the table.
Neasham with a handful in Newcastle Gold Cup
Group 1-winning trainer Annabel Neasham will gang-tackle Friday’s G3 Newcastle Gold Cup. Neasham will send out five runners - King Frankel (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Bois D’Argent (GB) (Toronado {Ire}), Gear Up (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), Spirit Ridge (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and Fancy Man (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai) - in the $300,000 staying feature.
A full field of 16, plus four emergencies, accepted for Friday’s Cup.
Ironclad bounces back to claim Balaklava Cup
Imported gelding Ironclad (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) returned to form to win the Listed Balaklava Cup for trainers Will Clarken and Nikki O’Shea.
Prior to Wednesday, the 8-year-old hadn’t saluted since taking out the Listed Matrice S. at Morphettville in March 2022, however, he did run some very good races during last year’s Perth summer carnival, most notably finishing third behind Amelia’s Jewel in the G1 Northerly S.
With visiting jockey Brad Rawiller in the saddle, Ironclad made all. He won by 0.2l, with Jack The Lad (I Am Invincible) second and Wild Chap (Toronado {Ire}) third.
“As much as he wasn’t expected to win on his current form, on his couple of runs for me in Perth, if be brought any of that form here, he’d be winning,” Rawiller told Racing.com post-race.
“It’s great to get the job done and, with the big weight, it was well deserved.”
Sydney spring targets for Pennyweka
A trip to Sydney is on the cards for the dual Oaks heroine Pennyweka (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}).
The winner of last season’s G1 New Zealand Oaks and G1 Australian Oaks was unplaced in Saturday’s G1 Tarzino Trophy. That was over 1400 metres - a distance well short of her best.
Trainer Jim Wallace was pleased with his mare’s effort and has decided to bypass the G1 Arrowfield Stud Plate and G1 Livamol Classic in favour of chasing the spring riches on offer in Sydney next month.
“She has come through Saturday’s run very well, we are very happy with her,” Wallace, who co-bred and co-owns the mare, told loveracing.nz.
Pennyweka (NZ) | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“She was very strong through the line and that is what I expected. It was going to be too sharp for her at 1400 metres and I just wanted to see her go through the line. She was three-quarters up the back straight before Kate (Hercock, jockey) was able to pull her up, so I was very happy with it.
“She will go to Sydney early next month so she won’t be at Hastings for the next two legs (of the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival).
“There are a couple of races there. The (G2) Hill Stakes at Rosehill on October 7 will be her next run. It is a $2 million weight-for-age race, it’s a nice race for her so we will have a crack at that.”
While Australian targets beckon for Pennyweka, the G1 Caulfield Cup won’t be one of them.
“We didn’t make the second payment for the Caulfield Cup. If we go to Melbourne, we might go to the (G2) Moonee Valley Cup (2500 metres) or something like that,” Wallace said.
Four-timer for McNab
New Zealand’s reigning premiership-winning jockey Michael McNab had a day to remember at Cambridge, leading home the first four winners. He won Race 1 on Johnnie Kastle (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}), Race 2 aboard La Dolce Vita (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}), Race 3 with Lerado (NZ) (Belardo {Ire}) and Race 4 on Hoard The Bourbon (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}).
McNab, who has won the past two New Zealand jockeys’ titles, also logged three seconds on the eight-race card.
Memorable day for Kiwi apprentice jockey
Denby-Rose Tait registered the first victory of her fledgling career on Wednesday, saluting aboard Steve Austin (NZ) (Complacent) in Race 1 on the polytrack at Riccarton.
Tait repeated the dose later in the afternoon, winning Race 6 on Gemma Flitz (NZ) (Telperion).
“The best way to describe how I feel is very thankful. I’m very happy,” Tait said.
“I’ve been chasing the win for a long time. I really believe actions speak louder than words so kicking home a couple of winners is a thank you to everyone that has supported me so far.
“I don’t even really have the words which is quite ironic because anyone who knows me knows I never stop talking.”
Velocitor takes Prince Of Wales
The Kevin Attard-trained Velocitor (Can) (Mor Spirit {USA}) revelled in the sloppy conditions to win the Prince Of Wales S. - the second leg of Canada’s Triple Crown - at Fort Eerie.
The 3-year-old scored by 1l under Justin Stein.
Velocitor is from the multiple Listed-winning mare Polar Plunge (USA) (Successful Appeal {USA}). She is a sister to another multiple stakes winner Chill Factor (USA) and the Group 3 scorer Shakopee Town (USA) (Jersey Town {USA}).
