Cranbourne jump-outs on Monday
It is the time of year when jump-outs fields are getting pretty strong and there are some nice types heading to Cranbourne on Monday morning.
Such as last spring's G2 Wakeful S. winner Zennzella (Snitzel), the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace trained 4-year-old who has been sparingly raced since her feature success - last seen finishing unplaced in Listed company in Adelaide in early April.
Also going around is the dual Group 2 winner Just Folk (Magnus) who last raced in May and the dual Group 3 winner Ayrton (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) who we have not seen in action since late April.
This year's G2 Peter Young S. winner Steinem (GB) (Frankel {GB}) dual Group winner is having a hitout after resuming with an unplaced G1 Memsie S. run whilst Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock are sending out their two stakes winning Magnus geldings Halvorsen and King Magnus.
In good form over the winter, the Listed winner Unfair Dismissal (All Too Hard) is also in the acceptances as is the last start Listed Centaurea S. winner Thought Provoking (NZ) (So You Think {NZ}) who won a Cranbourne jump-out last Monday.
The stakes winning stayer Royal Crown (Helmet) Listed is having his first jump-out for the campaign as is Legionnaire (Stratum) who was a stakes winner this time four years ago!
Others of interest include Te Akau's promising stakes placed filly Rubicon Crossing (Rubick) over from New Zealand and the Japanese bred Fine Future (Jpn) (Fine Needle {Jpn}), a member of the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young stable.
Cranbourne Juveniles
There are also a couple of heats for the 2-year-olds at Cranbourne on Monday morning. The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jn stable are saddling up a couple of runners - the $475,000 Magic Millions graduate Bombard (Spirit Of Boom), a full sister to the stakes winner Miami Fleiss and half to Cifrado (Encryption) - and Somax (Trapeze Artist), a $100,000 Magic Millions purchase whose dam has produced the stakes placed nine times winner Music Addition (Your Song).
Also well represented - by three horses - are Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young. Each of them yet to be named... a NZ$155,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale Pride Of Dubai colt out of a half-sister to the South African Group 2 winner Fursa (Hard Spun {USA}), an $80,000 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale purchase and Staphanos (Jpn) half-brother to the dual Group 1 winner Lion Tamer (NZ) (Storming Home {GB}) and an $140,000 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale Castelvecchio half-brother to the Listed winning sprinter Express Pass (Wandjina).
Also of interest is Bella Russian (Russian Revolution) from the prolific Jesmond Lass (Lunchtime {GB}) family, the $500,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale graduate Wolfgang (Exceed And Excel) out of the Group 3 placed Serenade (Star Witness) and a $150,000 Capitalist filly out of the stakes winner Stella Victoria (Foxwedge).
Away day for I Wish I Win
I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel) certainly has the form lines for spring success - running so well when third first-up in the G1 Memsie S. in which the G1 Makybe Diva S. quinella of Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) and Alligator Blood (Casino Prince) were first and fourth.
I Wish I Win (NZ) | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
The second favourite for The Everest has not raced since, with co-trainer Peter Moody looking to take him on a trip away from home without racing to aide his preparation.
There are several options for the classy 5-year-old including a gallop between races at Caulfield on Saturday or Flemington on Sunday - or a jump-out at Cranbourne on Monday week.
Not happy with any of the lead-up options, Moody told Racing and Sports that “I'd probably favour Caulfield on Saturday - a little spin around with a mate from home.”
Moody was pleased with having decided to not accept to run I Wish I win in the G2 McEwen S. in which Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) was a high profile beaten favourite.
“It was always going to be a fast run race and I've got no doubt all those horses would have pulled up feeling the race more than my bloke did,” Moody said. “They went 1000 metres in 56.5 (seconds) and they just went the whole way.
“The mare looked super impressive in winning it, but it's a bit like Black Caviar (Bel Esprit) - when you're running those times, I don't care how easy it looks, it takes it out of them.
“That's what happened to him (I Wish I Win) in the G1 Lightning Stakes and that's why I didn't run in a 1000-metre race this time.”
Sunshine in the Everest
Annabel Neasham admitted to have felt a degree of pressure leading into the resumption of Sunshine In Paris (Invader), the summer G1 Surround S. winner changing hands in between campaigns for a hefty $3.9 million.
“It was a very expensive price-tag and I didn’t want to stuff it up for (new owner) John (Camilleri),” she told Racenet after the valuable mare won the G2 Sheraco S. first-up.
“I think relief was the feeling," she continued - “I was shaking after she won!”
And a nice win it was too, Neasham describing it as “a pretty awesome performance.”
And one from which she has come on, Neasham adding that “I think she probably has improved and we've had such a smooth preparation with her. I think she can win The Everest.”
Sunshine In Paris heads to that race without another run and from there she may press onto another rich feature, the Golden Eagle.
Bred by Aquis Farm, Sunshine In Paris is the first Group 1 winner for their young G1 ATC Sires' Produce S. winning resident Invader, a son of Snitzel who sired Redzel, winner of the first two runnings of The Everest.
Romantic Warrior arrives in Australia
Hong Kong's star galloper Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) arrived in Melbourne late on Saturday night - the 6-year-old in town for a crack at the G1 W.S Cox Plate in which he is the current favourite.
The Danny Shum trained gelding, who is settling in at the Werribee International Horse Centre, is joined by his stablemate Romantic Charm (NZ) (Savabeel) who Victorians have already seen in action - as Blue Army that horse winning the 2021 G2 Sandown Guineas.
The winner of ten of his 14 starts (out of the first two only once), Romantic Warrior has been successful at Group 1 level on three occasions and he was last seen running second to Russian Emperor (Ire) (Galileo {ire}) - son of Atlantic Jewel (Fastnet Rock) - in the G1 Chater Cup in late May.
Also in town is the Simon and Ed Crisford trained West Wind Blows (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) who holds nominations for the G1 W.S Cox Plate, the G1 Caulfield Cup and the G1 Melbourne Cup.
Little Eagle remains undefeated
Popular trainer Patrick Payne looks to have a smart one in the shape of Little Eagle (Starcraft {NZ}) who remains undefeated after three starts having easily won a BM64 1425-metre contest at Seymour on Sunday.
Debuting with a tough win off a wide run in a Wangaratta maiden late last year, the promising chestnut was given time - resuming with a BM58 win at Donald before easily coping with today's rise in class and distance.
“I honestly think she is still improving,” jockey Billy Egan reported, noting that “she was still a bit wobbly then when I first went for her - I think she is still getting better.”
“She got to the front quite easily and had to find on her own without anything to use as a bunny. This year in town might be getting a bit strong but I think eventually we will see her there.”
Little Eagle is a daughter of the dual city winner Vicario (Hard Spun {USA}) whose metropolitan winning dam Sheedy's Sheila (Keltrice) is a half-sister to the Listed Keith Mackay H. winner Law Of Logic (Zeditave).
Bowman heads back to Hong Kong
An improver when a second-up fourth in the G2 Chelmsford S. two weeks ago, last season's G1 Rosehill Guineas winner Lindermann (Lonhro) will be partnered by a fly-in jockey when he contests next weekend's G1 Underwood S. at Caulfield.
Hugh Bowman heads back from Hong Kong to ride the 4-year-old who was bred and is raced by Debbie Kepitis who of course was in the ownership of Winx (Street Cry {Ire}), the horse for which Bowman is most well known.
It's the same stable too, Lindermann trained by Chris Waller who won the 2014 Underwood with Foreteller (GB) (Dansili {GB}) - a race which Bowman has also won - on Bonneval (NZ) (Makfi {GB}) in 2017.
“Chris rang and asked would I make myself available for him and obviously I've had a great association with him and the stable and of course Debbie and Paul Kepitis,” Bowman told Racing.com.
“It's got as much to do with supporting those who've supported me as it has coming to ride Lindermann.”
Next weekend is the set plan Bowman has for the spring to date though he is hopeful to make other trips.
“Obviously, The Everest would be high on the agenda for me if I was to get a ride and of course the G1 Melbourne Cup, the G1 Cox Plate but I haven't got anything set in stone and I will be selective,” he said.
“Hong Kong is my focus, but I was happy to help Chris and Debbie in this situation and I'm really fond of the horse too, I'm sure he'll make his presence felt next weekend.
“I just think he profiles really well for the 1800 metres; I think Caulfield will suit him, he's a Group 1 winner already, I just think he's in good form, in good shape for this race.”
Bowman has been in great form in Hong Kong, riding a double at the first meeting for the season, another win on Wednesday night and another two at Sha Tin on Sunday.
