Toorak tilt for Amelia’s Jewel
Brilliant mare Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) will tackle the G1 Toorak H. at Caufield on Saturday week, but a decision on whether she contests the G1 Cox Plate or the $10 million Golden Eagle is still to be determined.
“We’ll head there (the Toorak) and we’ll get in well at the weights too,” trainer Simon Miller told Tabradio.
“There are some higher-rated horses going there above her, so we won’t be too bad at the weights.
Amelia's Jewel | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“It makes it an easy option for her and the original plan was to go that way anyhow when I did the programming at the start of the prep.
“By hitting the Toorak you still keep your options open, whether you go to a Golden Eagle or switch to a Cox Plate.
“You have time on your side and you can watch your opposition, both Eagle and Cox Plate, we are in a great position to look at everything.
“She is thoroughly enjoying Melbourne and it’s an easy option to stay there again, it sets you up for your grand final in really great order.”
Metropolitan hero handed Cup penalty
Just Fine (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) is one step closer to a Melbourne Cup start after received a 0.5kg penalty for his victory in the G1 Metropolitan H. at Randwick on Saturday.
Just Fine will now carry 53kg in the Melbourne Cup, which places him 30th in the order of entry.
His Metropolitan win meant he passed the first ballot clause for the $8.4 million staying feature.
Just Fine (Ire) | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“Not only did Just Fine break the track record, the first two pulled well clear in the closing stages and there was a considerable margin back to Kalapour in third place,” said Racing Victoria’s Head of Handicapping David Hegan.
“The half-kilo penalty balances the fact that Just Fine carried the minimum weight of 50kg in the G1 Metropolitan and he already had 52.5kg in the Melbourne Cup. So, he was expected to run a big race and duly did so in extending his unbeaten run in Australia.
“When measuring his performance through the horses that finished between third and fifth who are all heading towards the Melbourne Cup, and also factoring in his updated domestic rating with an overall profile as a Group 1 winner over 2400 metres, a slight adjustment to his weight was required.”
Best Seller makes NZ$150,000 on gavelhouse.com
Group 3 winner and Group 1 placegetter Best Seller (NZ) (Wrote {Ire}) topped the latest gavehouse.com auction, which closed on Monday evening.
The 4-year-old fetched NZ$150,000, with the purchaser wishing to remain nameless.
From a half-sister to the Group 3 winner Dances On Stars (NZ) (Snitzel), Challenge Racehorse Syndications paid NZ$12,000 for Best Seller at the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale (Book 2) in 2021. She amassed NZ$192,275 in earnings during her 12-start career.
Adrian Clark, manager of the Challenge Zen Syndicate, told The Thoroughbred Report Best Seller provided a great deal of entertainment and excitement for her owners.
“We’re sad to see her leave, but she owes us nothing. We only paid NZ$12,000 for her and she won close to NZ$200,000,” he said.
“All of the owners have had a great time; she won a Group 3 race and we ran second to Legarto in the G1 NZ 1000 Guineas.
“She will make a wonderful broodmare because she has a lovely temperament. I’m looking forward to seeing her progeny hit the track in years to come.”
Meanwhile, a nomination to Group 1-producing stallion Per Incanto (USA) sold for an undisclosed sum.
Skirt The Law sent to the paddock
Magic Millions 2YO Classic heroine Skirt The Law (Better Than Ready) will miss the remainder of the spring. Her trainer Tony Gollan revealed the filly has been spelled after pulling up sore from her unplaced effort in Friday night’s G3 Scarborough S. at The Valley.
“She jarred up terribly,” Gollan told Racenet.
“When they upgraded to a Good 3 on Friday night I thought, 'This is no good'.
“She was blowing, heaving, just distressed, nothing on the scope, all clean, the next morning we trotted her up and she was stiff as anything, not lame, not sore, just overall (stiff).”
Well-related Written Tycoon filly breaks maiden
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Gumdrops (Written Tycoon) posted the first victory of her fledgling career, making all in Race 2 at Ballarat. The 3-year-old filly won by 0.75l under Damian Lane.
“She’s a lovely filly. She’s always shown good ability. She unfortunately went to the races on a wet track which she didn’t like last prep, so hopefully this is the prep she can put a few together,” Lane told Racing.com.
“She’s very green. She was a little unsure out in front under pressure, so she will learn a lot from the outing.”
Gumdrops has a lovely pedigree, being the first living foal of the Group 3 winner Sugar Bella (Not A Single Doubt), who herself is a half-sister to the Listed victor Willy Jimmy (Dehere {USA}) and Hula Here (Dehere {USA}) - the dam of the Listed scorer Sacred Hustler (Hussonet {USA}). Gumdrops’ grandam is the 13-time victress and Group 3 winner Hula Wonder (Hula Chief {NZ}) and her third dam is the 12-time winner and triple Listed scorer Natural Wonder (Aurilandy).
Bred by Ravenswood Bloodstock, the filly was consigned by Lime Country Thoroughbreds at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. Sheamus Mills Bloodstock Pty Ltd (FBAA) signed for her for $600,000.
Lyre’s sister bolts in at Ballarat
Lonhro 3-year-old Ersa absolutely toyed with her rivals in Race 3 at Ballarat - a 1600-maiden - prevailing by 9l. And if jockey Michael Dee didn’t switch the Lindsay Park-trained filly off over the concluding stages, the margin would have been greater.
“That was pretty dominant. She gave a good kick on the corner, I couldn’t hear anything coming. I had a look at the screen and we were a mile in front, so that’s pretty promising,” Dee told Racing.com.
“It was only a moderate field, but she put them away quite dominantly, so certainly onwards and upwards from here.
“She’s certainly city class, probably Saturday grade.”
Ersa is a sister to the 2019 G1 Blue Diamond S. heroine Lyre.
The filly was offered by her breeder - Yulong - at the 2022 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale. She was purchased by Robert Roulston Bloodstock for $200,000.
Ersa is the fourth living foal from Erato (Street Cry {Ire}) - a sister to the stakes performer Memorial, and a half-sister to the dual Group 1 winner and Group 2-producer Impending, the Group 3 victor Forget and the Listed scorer Epidemic (Lonhro). The filly’s grandam is the two-time Group 1 heroine Mnemosyne (Encosta De Lago).
Steparty thriving
Unbeaten Artie Schiller (USA) colt Steparty has bounced out of his stirring victory in the G3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude. Steparty improved his record to five wins from as many starts when motoring home down the centre of the track on September 23.
“He flew through it with flying colours and I can't fault him,” trainer Paul Preusker told Racing.com.
Steparty’s next assignment is the G1 Caulfield Guineas on Saturday week.
Mazu overcomes minor ailment
Group 1-winning sprinter Mazu (Maurice {Jpn}) has responded well to chiropractic treatment and appears to have overcome the minor injury which saw him miss the G2 Premiere S. at Randwick on September 30, according to co-trainer Paul Snowden.
Mazu | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Mazu will trial at Rosehill on Tuesday, in Heat 1, in preparation for The Everest.
A veterinary clearance has been provided to Racing NSW Stewards which will allow the horse to participate in the trial.
Bosson to ride in Melbourne this weekend
Following his Group 1 triumph aboard star mare Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) at The Valley on Friday night, champion Kiwi jockey Opie Bosson will return to Melbourne this weekend. Bosson will ride at The Valley on Friday night before heading to Flemington on Saturday where he will partner the G1 Tarzino Trophy victress Skew Wiff (NZ) (Savabeel) in the G2 Rose Of Kingston S.
Hayes gives Brightside A+
Star galloper Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) had a quick trip to Benalla from Euroa for a conditioning trial ahead of his Sydney trip to tackle the $5 million King Charles III S. on October 14.
Making the trek was the gelding’s regular rider Craig Williams, and together the combination was a soft victor of the 1000-metre heat.
The performance received an A + from Mr Brightside’s co-trainer Ben Hayes.
Mr Brightside (NZ) | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“That’s very typical of Mr Brightside,” Hayes told Racing.com.
“He’s a little bit on the lazy side, which is what we’ve always said about him, we’ve never been confident with him going into a race because he leaves it for race day.
“But we were very happy with the trial, Craig (Williams) just let him balance and got him to the outside and took him through his paces and on the line, he had his ears pricked and just did what he had to do.
“It was exactly what we wanted, and it will tighten him up nicely.”
Kheir acknowledges quarantine difficulties
Prominent Victorian-based owner Ozzie Kheir acknowledged the difficulty of Victoria’s quarantine protocols when it comes to international participation.
Kheir, respectful and understanding of the rules, added he understood why the connections of Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) cited issues.
“I can understand when the guys with Romantic Warrior are saying they were having issues, because it is difficult,” Kheir told Punters.com.
“The protocols make the logistics of everything much harder, but all have the same rules and we all have to follow them, so it is an even playing field.
“But a big chunk of the internationals have gone to Sydney so they don’t have to do the protocols that we have to in Victoria. Even the ones we are racing in Sydney like Buckaroo and Light Infantry, the process to get them to race in Victoria after that is actually quite difficult.
“They have to race in Sydney, fly down to Melbourne, do their quarantine there, go to Werribee, even if they have raced. Then they have to get a CT scan before they can race in Melbourne.”
Teetan wants Cup ride
Star Hong Kong-based rider Karis Teetan has urged Australian trainers to consider him for a lightweight Melbourne Cup ride.
Teetan, who has never ridden in Victoria, but can comfortably ride at 50kg admitted he has been caught by the allure of the race that stops the nation after a recent visit by VRC representatives with the Melbourne Cup trophy in Hong Kong.
Karis Teetan | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
“I would love to ride in the Melbourne Cup,” Teetan told Racing.com.
“I’m a natural lightweight and I know this race has a lot of lightweight horses, so if I could ever get an offer to go to Australia to ride in a Melbourne (Cup), I would not wait one second to say yes.
“Since I was in South Africa, I’ve always heard about the Melbourne Cup, but when I came to Hong Kong I learned a lot more about the race and how big and important it is for the Australian people.”
Tokyo heading for a spell
Co-trainer Sam Bergerson confirmed on Monday that the Te Akau Racing-owned Tokyo Tycoon (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}) would head for a spell after a tough run in Saturday’s G2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas.
Bergerson shared that he was met by a very tired horse following the race and the decision was made to pull up stumps and shift their focus towards the R. Listed NZ$1.5 millIon R. Listed Karaka Million 3YO Classic in January.
“The track didn’t suit and Opie (Bosson) said he never felt comfortable,” Begerson said.
“The track was quite loose, and he couldn’t accelerate on that heavy ground. I looked at him in the tie-ups after the race and he was pretty knackered.
“He left feed over the weekend. We chucked him on the scales and he was pretty light for him.
“He is going to go out for a spell. We are going to give him three weeks out in the grass and let him recover, and then just aim him for the Karaka Million at the end of January.”
I Wish I Win ready for takeoff
A routine Tuesday morning at Pakenham will have some gloss when the Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel) has his final gallop before tackling The Everest.
I Wish I Win (NZ) | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
The G1 TJ Smith S. hero hasn’t raced since his first-up third in the G1 Memsie S. on September 2, meaning it will be six weeks between runs when he contests the $20 million The Everest.
“He’s in really good order and he’ll just have a nice piece of work there tomorrow (Tuesday) and that should have him ready for Saturday week,” Moody told Racing.com.
Casey delighted with Vauban
Melbourne Cup favourite Vauban (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) touched down in Melbourne over the weekend and is currently taking well to post-arrival quarantine at Werribee.
“Touch wood, he seems fine,” Willie Mullins' travelling foreman David Casey told Racing.com.
“He travelled well, it seems Vauban has been eating and drinking since he arrived and he didn’t lose a lot of weight and he’s actually put it all back on since he came.
“Delighted with him.”
Warrior’s Unowho breaks maiden
Second-season sire Saxon Warrior (Jpn) sired his sixth winner on Monday courtesy of the Chris Waller-trained Unowho.
Jason Collett took the ride on the 3-year-old stepping out to the mile for the first time at Warwick Farm. Unowho ran out a 0.74l winner from Sekani (Dundeel {NZ}) and Jurisprudence (Justify {USA}).
A $100,000 weanling purchase by James Bester Bloodstock from the draft of Hopetoun Farm at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale, Unowho was reoffered by Coolmore Stud at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale making $260,000 to Magic Bloodstock and Associates.
Bad luck continues for team Forte
Forte’s (USA) (Violence {USA}) trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Mike Repole, believe there is time to prepare the exciting colt for a tilt at the G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic on November 4, despite sustaining a quarter crack.
Per the Daily Racing Form, farrier Ian McKinlay patched the quarter crack on Forte's left front foot and the horse has been training at Churchill Downs, where he galloped Sunday morning.
“Just trying to get everything right before we start breezing,” Pletcher said Sunday. “I think we're still in position to get a couple of good breezes into him, but we got to get this in proper shape before we start doing that.
“We need things to go smoothly from now on but I think we still have time to get there the right way,” Pletcher said.
Charlton Snr to relinquish joint license
Trainer Roger Charlton, who currently holds a joint license with his son Harry, will give full control of the licence to his son, Charlton announced on Sunday. Harry was added to the elder Charlton's license last year.
He told Racing TV's Luck On Sunday, “We had a joint-license and I discussed with Harry whether that was the right approach and we thought it was, you have a sort of seamless transition and the owners get to know him better. I think it's right now, as he's an extremely experienced, very able and bright person, I think it's right for him to hold the license.
“I think it's right for Beckhampton's image to have a slightly younger image going forward, so we thought at the end of this season it was a sensible thing to do. It was just a case of when it was going to be announced and I have managed to ring all the owners already.”
