Daily News Wrap

Moreira keen to reunite with Militarize

Champion jockey Joao Moreira is looking forward to getting back aboard Militarize (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}) in Saturday’s G1 Golden Rose at Rosehill. The Brazilian piloted the Chris Waller-trained colt to two Group 1 victories in the autumn - the Sires’ Produce S. and the Champagne S.

“He’s pretty much the reason why I’m back,” Moreira said. “He was such a nice horse for me earlier this year. He’s been working well, he’s been trialling well. Chris (Waller) seems to be very confident about him performing again as he did at the end of his last campaign.”

Militarize will jump from barrier two in the 1400-metre race, which is worth $1 million.

Josh Parr out of Golden Rose meeting

Jockey Josh Parr has been ruled out of riding at this Saturday’s Golden Rose race card. The jockey sustained injuries on Wednesday when falling from his mount, Ithadtobezou (Zoustar), on the way to the start of Race 6 at Warwick Farm.

Parr was transported to hospital after his fall, with a Racing NSW update on Thursday morning stating the jockey had concussion but clear x-rays. He is likely to remain in hospital for a few days.

Encap a dark horse in Golden Rose

Gary Portelli’s Golden Rose chance Encap, the 3-year-old son of Capitalist, has surprised even his trainer with his chances in this Saturday’s Group 1 feature. The gelding has won or placed in his last four races, capped by a strong victory in the G3 Ming Dynasty S. at Rosehill last time out on September 9.

“The improvement from this horse from that barrier trial (at Hawkesbury in June) until now, you couldn’t write the script,” Portelli said. “It’s unbelievable. It just doesn’t happen. The fact he ran time the other day (in the Ming Dynasty) would suggest that if he reproduces that run, he’s a top three of four chance for sure (in the Golden Rose).”

Encap has raced five times in his career for a win and four placings. He will have apprentice Dylan Gibbons aboard from barrier three.

All-round confidence in Cylinder

James Cummings has said that if Cylinder (Exceed And Excel) isn’t successful in this Saturday’s G1 Golden Rose, there won’t be any excuses. The 3-year-old colt has won his two starts this campaign, including the G2 Run to the Rose a fortnight ago and, before that, the G3 Vain S. on August 19.

“Cylinder was our standout 2-year-old last season and we’re just delighted that he’s trained on,” Cummings told Sky Racing Radio. “He’s a different-looking animal than when he was racing in March and his form is now just reflecting it. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him yet this prep. I think there’s every chance it’s going to work out in Cylinder’s favour this time.”

Keys welcomes Prelude test for Scheelite

Veteran trainer Ken Keys is keen to see if Scheelite (Real Steel {Jpn}) can measure up to the top colts. Ahead of his tilt at Group 1 glory in the Caulfield Guineas on October 14, the colt will tackle Veight (Grunt {NZ}), Little Brose (Per Incanto {USA}) and Steparty (Artie Schiller {USA}) in Saturday’s G3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude.

“It’s good for you (us) because you know where you sit in the pecking order,” Keys, who trains alongside daughter Kasey, told News Corp.

“The obvious ones are going to be hard to beat, they're good horses.

“I guess this will be the guide, this is now the best of the best, I don't think the (Caulfield Guineas) field will change much.”

Daniel Stackhouse has partnered Scheelite in his four starts to date, but with rising star Benedetta (Hellbent) potentially racing in Sydney on Caulfield Guineas Day, Keys elected to book Mark Zahra for Saturday’s assignment.

Miracle Of Love to commence Oaks campaign

The well-related Miracle Of Love (Dundeel {NZ}) will on Saturday begin her quest to emulate her dam, Miss Finland (Redoute’s Choice), by winning the G1 VRC Oaks. The homebred filly for Arrowfield Stud will resume in the Listed Jim Moloney S. at Caulfield.

Miss Finland, who won eight Group 1s and has produced the elite-level victress Stay With Me (Street Cry {Ire}), has been retired from broodmare duties.

“She’s (Miss Finland) thrown a Group 1 winner and hopefully this is the next one,” Miracle Of Love’s co-trainer Paul Messara told Racing.com. “She is going to spend the rest of her days out chewing grass and relaxing. I picked this filly when she was about three months old and said, ‘I’ll take this one', which I don’t do often.

“She grabbed my eye very early. We have kept all the daughters out of Miss Finland. There has been a couple of nice ones out of the family. I just loved the make-up of her. She’s not a big filly. Miss Finland was an absolute brut, but she’s a much more refined and more Dundeel-style physique and lends herself to getting out in trip.”

Blueblood filly fires on debut

The Julius Sandhu-trained Excess (Snitzel) made the perfect start to her career, winning at the first time of asking. Piloted by Beau Mertens, Excess rode the speed and was strong to the line, prevailing in Race 2 - a 1000-metre 3YO+ maiden.

A homebred for Corumbene Stud, the filly is from the 2013 G1 Golden Slipper S. heroine Overreach (Exceed And Excel), making Excess a sister to Sandhu’s Group 2-winning sprinter Lofty Strike. Overreach herself is a sister to the Group 2 scorer Standout and the stakes performer Outreach, and a three-quarter sister to the Group 1 winner and Group 3-producing sire Reward For Effort.

“She is still a bit green. Obviously, on race day, there is a fair bit of improvement to come,” Sandhu told Racing.com. “Very pleasing to see the way she handled herself. I think that was the question mark right along. First day at the races, how she was going to go about it.

“She seemed to do a lot right prior to the race. A little bit green obviously when Beau (Mertens) got her off the fence, she wanted to run about and do a few bits and pieces but that will come with experience.”

New stable for The Inevitable

Racing NSW Stewards on Thursday approved the transfer of Tasmanian cult hero The Inevitable (Dundeel {NZ}) from licensed trainer Tegan Keys to fellow licensed trainer John Keys of Seven Mile Beach. The horse had previously been in the care of embattled trainer Scott Brunton, who was recently stripped of his trainer’s licence in the wake of a Federal Court order.

The Inevitable is nominated to contest the G1 Epsom H. later this month, with John Keys permitted a Visiting Trainers Permit to train and race the popular gelding while in New South Wales. It follows a decision by Racing NSW on Wednesday to revoke the same license previously issued to Tegan Keys.

An investigation by Stewards will commence next Monday into the conduct of Tegan Keys and Brunton since they arrived in New South Wales on September 7.

Weight rules Shinn out of Soulcombe ride

Blake Shinn would love to stick with Soulcombe (GB) (Frankel {GB}) during his Cups campaign, but the Reigning Scobie Breasley medal winner has conceded he won’t be able to make the weight in order to ride the highly rated import

The Chris Waller-trained Soulcombe was this week allocated 53.5kg for both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.

“It’s too light, I would have said to the connections that I would ride him at 54.5kg, so he’s a kilo off that unfortunately, but he’s going to be a real force to be reckoned with that’s for sure," Shinn told Racing.com. “I’m sure there will be plenty of jockeys speaking to the stable to get the ride.”

A first-up winner of the Listed Heatherlie H., Soulcombe will contest the G1 Underwood S. at Caulfield on Saturday, with Shinn to ride.

Ladies Man building up to Group 1 targets

The 6-year-old gelding Ladies Man (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) will contest the G3 Metric Mile at Awapuni this Saturday as a lead-up to significant spring targets, namely the G1 Livamol Classic at Hawke’s Bay on October 14 and, all being well, the G1 Melbourne Cup on November 7. Ladies Man has been nominated for the Cup with, at the last release of weights, an assignment of 50kg.

“That isn’t much weight for a big horse like him,” Sharrock told Loveracing.nz. “That’s still a very long-range target, but the connections are keen to have a crack at it. He hasn’t put a foot wrong so far, and that’s all you can ask at this stage of a preparation.”

Ladies Man is a winner of six races in 20 starts, including the G3 Trentham S. and New Plymouth Cup last season. He’s been second and third in two starts this preparation so far and is a race favourite for Saturday’s Metric Mile.

Warsaw sold to Hong Kong

The 4-year-old Vadamos (Fr) gelding Warsaw (NZ), trained by the Ruakaka-based Chris Gibbs, has been sold to Hong Kong. Fifth in the G1 New Zealand Derby, he is a winner of two of his six starts, including last time out over 1300 metres on August 5. It was this win, partnered by Opie Bosson, that caught Hong Kong attention.

“He has been sold and is just about to go into quarantine to go over to Hong Kong,” Gibbs told Loveracing.nz. “I think he will be a serious Hong Kong Derby horse.”

Warsaw was bred by Pencarrow Thoroughbreds and is a NZ$25,000 graduate for Lansdowne Park Stud’s 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale draft. He is a half-brother to the G3 winner Rhythm To Spare (NZ) (Pins).

Tasmania Horse of the Year winner to be named

Launceston will next month host the annual Tasmanian Thoroughbred Awards, where the standout performers of the 2022/23 season, as well as the Hall of Fame inductions, will be revealed.

The Inevitable (Dundeel {NZ}) won the Horse of the Year gong last season and he looks certain to retain his title next month.

Yellow Brick on the road to Golden Eagle

The Queensland sprinter Yellow Brick (The Mission), trained by Tony and Maddysen Sears at Toowoomba, will line up this Saturday in the Listed Weetwood H. at home. However, the training pair has warned that the gelding isn’t at his peak ahead of his mission in the $10 million Golden Eagle in November.

Yellow Brick was last seen when second in the G3 Gunsynd Classic in June. Before that, he won the G3 Gold Coast Guineas and was second in the G3 Fred Best Classic behind Hawaii Five Oh (I Am Invincible).

“He’ll be hard to beat but there’s still some fitness to come from him in the Weetwood,” said Maddysen Sears. “Jimmy (James Orman) is riding him in the Weetwood, but no rider has been booked for the Golden Eagle. After the Golden Eagle, he’ll come home for a break and get ready for the King of the Mountain and then the Magic Millions carnival.”

Quicker prizemoney payments from Racing Victoria

Racing Victoria on Thursday announced it will increase the threshold at which prizemoney payments are withheld pending swab results. From October 1, the threshold at which prizemoney is paid ahead of swab results will be $174,999, up from $135,001. It means that prizemoney for all standard Saturday metropolitan races will now be paid on the following Wednesday.

“This is a deliberate decision to pay prizemoney more quickly and assist trainers, jockeys and owners with their cashflow,” said Andrew Jones, RV chief executive. “Racing Victoria believes in prompt payment, and the increased threshold means that prizemoney for over 94 per cent of Victorian races will now be paid without delay.”

As per the current practice, Racing Victoria will seek recovery of any prizemoney already paid ahead of a positive swab result that results in a disqualification.

ATC Foundation delivers again

The ATC Foundation has delivered its latest round of assistance to NSW racing clubs. A $10,000 donation has gone to the Lismore Turf Club, which will use the funds to purchase a new tractor, replacing one that was significantly damaged during the 2022 floods.

“The funds for the tractor will be a great boost for our club and they really appreciate it,” said Mark Oaten, chairman of the Lismore Turf Club. “We can’t wait to put it to work.”

Further funding has gone the way of the Cowra district, with amounts of $5000 going towards hay delivery for local trainers, while $10,800 went towards a hay drop in Orange and surrounding regions. It brings the Foundation’s charitable distributions to over $1 million since 2018.

The ATC Foundation on Thursday called for a seventh round of grant applications to be directed to registered charities and racing industry bodies. Applications close on Friday, November 3, at 5pm AEDT.

Expressions of Interest for Randwick Racecourse Trust

Expressions of Interest (EOI) have been invited by the NSW Government for two appointed positions as trustees of the Randwick Racecourse Trust. The Trust is established under Part 2A of the Australian Jockey and Sydney Turf Clubs Merger Act 2010, with its primary function being to exercise functions under the Act or the Randwick Racecourse Lease as the lessor of Randwick Racecourse.

The Minister for Gaming and Racing in New South Wales, the Hon. David Harris MP, has established a selection process to appoint two trustees. The selection panel will consider EOIs based on merit, taking into account a candidate’s abilities, qualifications and experience, as well as personal attributes relevant to the appointment. The closing date for EOIs is this Monday, September 25.

Dean Yendall cleared

Jockey Dean Yendall has been cleared to return to race riding, it was reported by Racing.com on Thursday. The leading jockey has been recovering from a collarbone injury, with surgery on the injury just a fortnight ago. On September 1, Yendall took a fall at Colac jump-outs.

The 49-year-old veteran said he was hopeful of making this weekend’s meeting at Flemington, or at Warrnambool or Horsham later in the week.

New winner for The Autumn Sun

Arrowfield Stud’s second-season sire The Autumn Sun logged a new winner on Thursday, with Matusalem shedding his maiden tag at Hawkesbury in Race 1. Matusalem becomes The Autumn Sun’s fifth individual winner in 2023/24.

Meanwhile, fellow second-season sires Saxon Warrior (Jpn), Staphanos (Jpn) and Written By also had a winner on Thursday.

Frankel mare notches stakes triumph

The Charlie Appleby-trained Sapphire Seas (GB) (Frankel {GB}) registered the first black-type victory of her career, prevailing in the Listed John Musker Fillies’ S. at Sandown on Wednesday. Sapphire Seas won by 2.5l in the hands of William Buick.

“It was a very smart performance. She won nicely last time at Haydock in a fillies’ handicap and she’s certainly stepped up on that. She's going to keep improving, hopefully. I would say the team will be delighted with what they saw there and hopefully she’ll be around for next year. This is a nice race, a lovely race for fillies. Let’s hope she can go on to better things.”

The 3-year-old is from the Listed Meydan Classic-winner Pure Diamond (GB) (Street Cry {Ire}).

Zoustar’s Lezoo to be offered at Tattersalls

Zoustar’s European Group 1 winner Lezoo (GB) will be offered at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale on December 4-7. She is being offered for co-owners Marc Chan and Andrew Rosen, who will also present the Zoffany (Ire) Group 1 winner, Prosperous Voyage (Ire).

Lezoo was Cartier European Champion 2-Year-Old Filly in 2022, winning the G1 Cheveley Park S. She was originally a 77,000gns (AU$155,000) Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 3 graduate, subsequently making €110,000 (AU$180,000) at the Arqana May Breeze-Up Sale as a juvenile.

“Lezoo and Prosperous Voyage were both outstanding Group 1 winners, with their Group 1 wins made even more impressive by the calibre of the fields they defeated,” said Tattersalls Chairman, Edmond Mahony. “There is no doubt that they will be among the highlights of this year's Sceptre Sessions, which received international acclaim in their inaugural year.”

Practical Joke colt heads Keeneland’s Book 5 opener

A colt by Practical Joke (USA) made US$250,000 (AU$390,000) to lead the way in Book 5 of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in Lexington. Consigned by Bluewater Sales, Hip 2980 is out of Jetbird (USA) (Wildcat Heir {USA}), a half-sister to Group 1 winner X Y Jet (USA) (Kantharos {USA}).

“We were prepared (for the US$250,000 price) because of the entire package,” said CJ Thoroughbreds’ Corey Johnson. “We felt between US$200,000-US$250,000 was what it was going to take to purchase him. We were expecting somewhere around that number.”

Strong demand at Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale

The busy trade seen on Day 1 of the two-day Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale, which produced a record-breaking session median of €30,000 (AU$50,000) and an average of €32,357 (AU$54,000), continued into Day 2.

The consistent and lively bidding across the two days saw this year’s September Yearling Sale create a new median record of €28,000 (AU$47,000). The average of €30,995 (AU$52,000) and the turnover of €12,522,000 (AU$20,811,000) are the sale’s second-best, and the three statistics are increases of eight per cent, three per cent and one per cent on 2022’s returns.

Day 2’s top lot (347) was Ballyvolane Stud’s pinhooked son of first-crop sire Wooded (Ire), purchased online by Robson Aguiar for €88,000 (AU$146,000).