Charm Stone sidelined until next year
Dual Group 3 winner Charm Stone (I Am Invincible) will miss the remainder of the spring after having a bone chip removed from a knee.
Charm Stone | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Sheamus Mills of Sheamus Mills Bloodstock (FBAA), who paid $1.55 million for the filly from the Emirates Park draft at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and is a part-owner, is looking forward to Charm Stone returning next autumn, with the G1 Robert Sangster S. an early target.
“She was operated on yesterday (Wednesday), so she’ll be off for a few months,” Mills told Racing.com.
“She came out of the Golden Rose run (when fifth) really well and when she came home we did our regulation look-over on her and unfortunately on x-ray we found a chip there.”
Lindsay Park maintains faith in Slipper hero
Ben Hayes admits reigning Blue Diamond S. winner Little Brose (Per Incanto {USA}) needs to “show improvement to win a Caulfield Guineas”, but the stable will give the colt his chance to become a two-time Group 1 scorer in the 1600-metre feature on Saturday week.
Little Brose has failed to win in three runs this time in and was beaten 2.85l when sixth in the G3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude last time out.
“He’s just had bad luck,” co-trainer Hayes told Racing.com. “He has drawn wide gates and got disconnected the other day and had to do a lot of work to get into the race and held his ground and didn’t lose ground or weaken.
“I think he is improving and he is being punished for being a Group 1 winner carrying more weight than the other horses and now he gets to meet them on level weights. He does need to show improvement to win a Caulfield Guineas, it’s a very strong race this year but we haven’t lost faith in him.”
Cox Plate aim for Kovalica
This year’s G1 Queensland Derby winner Kovalica (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) will be aimed towards the G1 Cox Plate in late October, the gelding trainer Chris Waller has revealed.
Kovalica (NZ) (blue cap) | Image courtesy of Michael McInally
Waller believes the 2000-metre trip of the Cox Plate is perfect for the 4-year-old, who will next be seen in the G1 King Charles III S. on Saturday week.
“We’ve been thinking Cox Plate with him all along and that’s the way he’ll go as long as he runs as we expect in the King Charles,” Waller told Racing.com. “We always intended on running him in the Epsom (Handicap) and he ran terrific to be just beaten. He’s a sharp horse. I know he won a Queensland Derby (2400 metres) but I think he’ll peak at 2000 metres.”
Ozzmosis out to cement stud credentials
Talented Zoustar colt Ozzmosis will be looking to extend his unbeaten record to four when he contests Saturday’s G2 Roman Consul S. at Rosehill. And if he can get the job done, trainer Bjorn Baker believes it will do his future a world of good.
“It’s very important for him, he’s a Zoustar colt and it’s a Group 2 race and if he can be in the finish it will cement a good home at stud for him,’’ Baker told Racing NSW.
Ozzmosis is part-owned by Newgate Farm and its colts syndicate partners.
Purton booked for Mullins-trained Cup runner
Champion jockey Zac Purton has picked up the Melbourne Cup ride on Willie Mullins’ stayer Absurde (Fr) (Fastnet Rock) - a stablemate of the pre-race favourite Vauban (Fr) (Galiway {GB}).
“The Melbourne Cup is the race that Zac wants the most,” Purton’s manager, Paul Webster, told Racenet. “Earlier this year we discussed targeting Willie Mullins. Whatever he brings over, let’s do everything we can to get on it and it's come to fruition. We’ve picked up the ride on Absurde.”
Absurde won the G1 Ebor H. at his latest outing in August.
“The Melbourne Cup is the dream, it's the pinnacle for any Australian jockey,” Purton said. “Willie Mullins is a training genius, as good as anyone I've come across anywhere in the world. There's none better at travelling horses and he’s had a couple of near misses already in the race. He knows the right type of horse to bring and I’m honoured to be riding one for him.”
New stakes winners for Harry Angel, Justify
The Mauricio Delcher Sanchez-trained Vicious Harry (Fr) handed his sire Harry Angel (Ire) his ninth stakes victory when winning the Listed Prix de Bonneval at Chantilly. Harry Angel shuttles to Darley Kelvinside and stands at a fee of $33,000 (inc GST).
Vicious Harry is from the Australian mare Umneeyatee (Encosta De Lago), who was a winner at two in South Africa, and is from the Group 3-winning mare Moon Is Up (USA) (Woodman {USA}), herself a daughter of great race mare and blue hen Miesque (USA) (Nureyev {USA}).
Meanwhile, Justify (USA) 2-year-old Hard To Justify (USA) claimed the G2 Miss Grillo S. at Belmont’s Big A meet. She becomes the 19th stakes winner for the son of Scat Daddy (USA), who shuttles to Coolmore Australia.
Hard to Justify won under Flavien Prat for trainer Chad Brown and the filly earns a fees-paid berth into next month’s G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita.
Autridge fillies 1000 Guineas-bound
Matamata trainer Steve Autridge has just 15 in work but of those, a third are 3-year-old fillies on their way to the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas next month at Riccarton. They are Livid Sky (NZ) (Proisir), Midnight Monarch (Snitzel), Tears Of Victory (NZ) (U S Navy Flag {USA}), Loch Katrine (NZ) (Ardrossan) and Still Bangon (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}).
Trainer Steve Autridge | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“They are all pretty good hopes,” Autridge told loveracing.nz. “Livid Sky has done the least (amount of racing of the five), with one trial and two races, so she is catching up in a hurry.”
Legarto softly into the Matamata Cup
The 4-year-old Group 1 winner Legarto (NZ), a daughter of Proisir for co-trainers Ken and Bev Kelso, will carry on this Saturday in the Listed Matamata Cup over a mile. The mare was last seen when third last month to Skew Wiff (NZ) (Savabeel) in the G1 Tarzino Trophy.
Legarto, a winner of the G1 Australian Guineas in the autumn, was scratched from last weekend’s G1 Arrowfield Stud Plate owing to a Heavy track. She is billed as the horse to beat on Saturday but she will come up against La Crique (NZ) (Vadamos {Fr}) ahead of her tilt at the $10 million Golden Eagle.
Legarto (NZ) winning the G1 Australian Guineas | Image courtesy of Bruno Cannatelli
“From this race, it’s four weeks to the Golden Eagle,” Kelso said. “She’ll be at home in the paddock an hour after the race and she won’t have had that gutbuster like she would have if we’d run on Saturday. We’re very happy with her.”
Lor registers milestone
Hong Kong-based trainer Frankie Lor logged his 400th winner in the Asian jurisdiction on Wednesday night. Lor’s milestone was brought up when Heroic Master (Not A Single Doubt) claimed the Class 3 Nam Fung H. at Happy Valley.
Lor, 57, took 3227 runners to reach 400 wins with a career winning strike rate of 12.4 per cent.
“It’s not easy. I need to say thank you for the stable team – at Conghua and also Sha Tin – they work really hard. Owners also, without their support, I don’t win 400 races,” Lor told the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
Invitation berth awaits Magic Time
Cranbourne trainer Grahame Begg is hoping his talented mare Magic Time (Hellbent) will this weekend earn her spot in the $2 million The Invitation. The 4-year-old will line up in the G3 The Nivison at Rosehill Gardens.
“When I was looking at a lot of these other mares, Atishu and those other horses, they’re not hanging around and running in 1400-metres,” Begg told Racing NSW news. “They’re going up in distance. There’s only a certain pool of mares around, so there was a good opportunity. Hopefully she might get an invitation to run in The Invitation. That’s why she’s up there.”
Magic Time is lightly raced with only five starts to her name, of which she has won three and been third. She was a winner in the autumn of the G3 PJ Bell S. and she won the Listed Amanda Elliott H. last year.
High-priced Zoustar colt makes perfect start
The John O’Shea-trained Schwarz was backed as if unbeatable in Race 5 at Gosford and the punters were on the mark, with the Zoustar colt breaking through at the first time of asking.
In the hands of Tommy Berry, Schwarz pushed forward after jumping from gate six and soon found the front. He gave nothing else a chance, dashing away soon after turning for home with the final margin 3.37l.
The colt made $1.25 million at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, with a consortium of Rosemont-Victorian Alliance, Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) and David Redvers Bloodstock buying him from the Widden Stud draft.
Schwarz the second foal from the Not A Single Doubt mare Summer Sham - the winner of the 2018 G2 Angus Armanasco S.
Neasham puts two in the Queensland Cup
Annabel Neasham will have two horses in the field this Saturday at Eagle Farm for the Listed Queensland Cup. They are the imported stayers King Frankel (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Fancy Man (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai).
King Frankel started his Australian career with Mark Newnham before transferring to Neasham when Newnham departed for Hong Kong. He has been a promising stayer, winning the Listed Paramatta Cup and million-dollar The Beauford before running third in the G1 Tancred S. in the autumn. He has been unplaced in two runs for Neasham since August.
“He’s had a couple of tough runs in his two starts back this preparation for us,” said Todd Pollard, assistant trainer to Neasham. “He’s ready to go third-up and will be very competitive along with Fancy Man. Fancy Man has been racing well in Sydney and only got beaten just over 3l last start. Annabel is very happy with both and this looks a nice race for them.”
Collarenebri abandoned
The Collarenebri race meeting has been abandoned this Saturday, with Racing NSW Stewards deeming it unsuitable after an inspection on Thursday morning. A subsequent replacement meeting will occur at Gilgrandra Racecourse on Saturday, with all horses nominated for Collarenebri remaining nominated for Gilgrandra.
Cepheus preps for the Big Dance
Matthew Dunn’s 7-year-old gelding Cepheus (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) has booked his place in next month’s $3 million Big Dance on Melbourne Cup day, but his trainer is hoping that the $1.5 million Alan Brown S. at Rosehill this weekend could be a windfall lead-in race. There will be a two-week buffer between the two races, with Cepheus’ last effort a victory in the G2 Shannon S. on September 25.
“The beauty is there’s so many races and you can pick and choose your way along,” Dunn told Racing NSW news. “We could have backed up last last week but chose not to because we had this race (the Alan Brown S.). His goal has always been the Big Dance but these races along the way, he’s so competitive in them.”
Cepheus won the G2 Ajax S. earlier this year and has placings in a handful of stakes races. He has drawn barrier two on Saturday with Nash Rawiller.
Jai Williams ready for metro ranks
Queensland apprentice Jai Williams, who is interned to Gold Coast trainer Jay Bellamy, is readying himself for a move to the city riding ranks after prolific form of late. The emerging rider will begin riding trackwork in Brisbane one day a week to foster connections as he aims for a 2024/25 metropolitan riding agenda.
“Hopefully with the new season I can go bang if I get the right stables behind me,” Williams told Racing Queensland. “I am going to start riding in Brisbane once a week soon so I can hopefully show my face to these trainers and let them know who I am, and I’m keen to put the hard yards in.”
Constitution tops WinStar roster
The Tapit (USA) stallion Constitution will stand at the head of the 2024 stallion roster at WinStar with a US$110,000 (AU$170,000) service fee. The 12-year-old has had 18 juvenile winners this US season, led by Aspenite (USA), an impressive winner of the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile last month. Constitution has also done well in the sale ring, with one of his yearlings sold at the recent Keeneland September Sale for US$1.3 million (AU$2.04 million) and another for US$1.25 million ($1.96 million).
Joining Constitution on the WinStar roster, Life Is Good (USA), a son of Into Mischief (USA), will stand his second year at WinStar for US$85,000 (AU$135,000), while Speightstown (USA) by Gone West (USA) will command US$80,000 (AU$125,500) and Outwork (USA), a son of Uncle Mo (USA), US$10,000 (AU$15,500).
New additions to the farm include the G1 Dubai World Cup hero Country Grammer (USA), a son of Tonalist (USA), also at US$10,000 (AU$15,500), and the Kentucky Derby runner-up Two Phil’s (USA), a son of Hard Spun (USA), at US$12,500 (AU$20,000). Both Audible (USA) and Always Dreaming (USA) are yet to have their fees set.
Fasig-Tipton November offers Champions, Breeders’ Cup winners, and more
Fasig-Tipton has catalogued 246 main-catalogue entries for The November Sale, the company’s selected mixed sale, to be held in Lexington, Kentucky on November 7, following the Breeders’ Cup.
“The Fasig-Tipton November Sale annually offers a collection of the world’s finest bloodstock,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “This year’s catalogue is once again outstanding, offering 55 graded stakes winners or producers, 26 of which are Grade 1.”
Browning continued: “We have Eclipse Champions, international champions, multiple Breeders’ Cup winners, and a Kentucky Oaks winner. On the producer side, buyers will find the dams of Eclipse Award winners, Breeders’ Cup winners, and a Royal Ascot winner. This sale is one-stop shopping for those seeking the very best.”
The sale begins with weanlings selected on pedigree and conformation before transitioning into racing/broodmare prospects and broodmares as afternoon turns to evening.
Hall of Fame inductions
American jockey Steve Cauthen and the outstanding 1980s mare Pebbles (GB) (Sharpen Up {GB}) will be inducted into the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame. They will be recognised in a ceremony on British Champions Day at Ascot, October 21.
Cauthen will make an especial trip trip to Ascot for the occasion. He is the only jockey to have won both the Epsom Derby and the Kentucky Derby, and is the youngest to have ever won the US Triple Crown, which occurred aboard Affirmed (USA) in 1978. Cauthen was British champion jockey on three occasions and rode the winners of 10 English classics, all bar one for the late Sir Henry Cecil.
Pebbles, meanwhile, will be inducted off her 1985 feats when she became the first British-trained winner of a Breeders’ Cup race, winning the Breeders’ Cup that year at Aqueduct. She had previously won the G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Champion S. at Newmarket.
