Dettori on Cup mission
It is no secret legendary jockey Frankie Dettori would dearly love to add the G1 Melbourne Cup to his extensive trophy cabinets. He may get his chance when the Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained Spanish Mission (USA) (Noble Mission {GB}) finished well in Saturday’s G1 Turnbull S.
The Melbourne Cup placegetter was second-up after returning from a tendon injury. Spanish Mission races in the YES Bloodstock silks of Brae Sokolski who confirmed Dettori is in the mix for the ride on the gelding.
Frankie Dettori | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“I have a good relationship with Frankie and he would definitely be in the mix,” Sokolski told Racing.com.
“The negative is he wouldn’t be able to ride him in the lead-up, which is a factor in our decision-making, but I wouldn’t count him out.”
Wind pulls up a treat
Connections of Saturday’s G1 Turnbull S. placegetter West Wind Blows (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) are delighted with how the gelding has pulled up.
“He seems to have come out of it really well. He’s full of it this morning, just had a little trot around, and he seems very bright in himself,” Paul Holley, travelling foreman for Simon and Ed Crisford, told Racing.com.
“All systems go for the Caulfield Cup. West Wind Blows will probably start cantering back tomorrow (Tuesday), and he’ll probably just do one piece before, more of a three or four furlong blow out and that will be it really.”
Jewel enters rare territory
The Simon Miller-trained Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) has received 56kg in her quest to win Saturday’s G1 Toorak H.
Amelia's Jewel | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The darling of Western Australia will have to emulate the star More Joyous (NZ) (More Than Ready {USA}) who won with 58kg as the only mares since 1972 to carry 56kg or more to victory.
In total there were 25 nominations for the Toorak H. with the field restricted to 18 runners plus two emergencies.
No penalty for Future
David Hegan, head of handicapping at Racing Victoria, has advised that Saturday’s G3 Bart Cummings victor Future History (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) will not be penalised for his victory in next month’s G1 Melbourne Cup.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained stayer has been allotted 50kg which is the minimum weight for November’s showpiece.
Future History sits alongside Goldman (NZ) (Verdi {NZ}), Lunar Flare (Fiorente {Ire}) and Absurde (Fr) (Fastnet Rock) as golden ticket holders into the 163rd edition of the Melbourne Cup.
“Handicapping is not only about where you finish, but also the relativity to other horses in the weight scale,” Hegan said.
Vale Gem and El
Monday saw the news shared that Danny O’Brien’s G1 AJC Oaks winner El Patroness (Shamus Award) sustained a heart attack walking out of the pool and passed away.
While it was also confirmed by Grahame Begg’s racing manager Rohan Hughes the Group 3 winner Cardinal Gem (Choisir) had also passed away.
Moody wishes for outside barrier
Co-trainer Peter Moody has expressed his desire to see I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel) draw an outside barrier in his tilt at the $20 million The Everest on Saturday.
“Katherine (Coleman) and I are going to The Everest with a horse that is fit and in good order,” Moody told Punters.
“The only thing I hope is I Wish I Win doesn’t draw a low gate.
Katherine Coleman and Peter Moody | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“I understand a lot of the others would want a low gate but a horse like I Wish I Win who tends to get back a bit, he might not get much luck on the inside.”
The Everest draw will take place at a special function on the Sydney Harbour Tuesday night from 8pm AEDT.
Arrogate winner at Pakenham
On Monday at the Pakenham-Synthetic saw some exotic bloodlines come to the fore in Race 4.
The Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock-trained Ariana Blue (USA) proved the best stayer over the 2200 metres to break her maiden at start five.
She is daughter of the late Champion Arrogate (USA) and is from the Roar (USA) mare Forty Doriana (Arg), who was crowned the Champion Sprinter in Argentina in 2003/04.
Ariana Blue is a half-sister to the Group 2 winner Pure Doris (Arg) (Pure Prize {USA}).
Saxon stacks up the winners
Coolmore’s former shuttle sire and second-season sire - Saxon Warrior (Jpn) is enjoying a fine run with his progeny.
The son of Deep Impact (Jpn) sired his seventh Southern Hemisphere winner on Monday courtesy of the Jason Warren-trained Bold Feeling.
Ridden by Zac Spain the 3-year-old gelding was a 1.25l winner over Governor Phillip (Sooboog).
Prowess back on track
Star mare Prowess (NZ) (Proisir) is back on track for the spring after a frustrating few months that saw a hoof abscess rule the mare out of the G1 Memsie S. before further setbacks saw her resume in Saturday’s G3 Taranaki Breeders’ S. where she finished second.
The performance pleased her trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood who shared that Prowess' next target would be the G2 Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley on October 28.
“The run was good and looking back on it, probably better than initially thought,” Wellwood told Racing Desk NZ.
Prowess (NZ) | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“She was wide most of the way and didn’t handle the Soft 7 track.
“She came up to them like she was going to win and probably peaked on her run. It has been a long time since she has had a run, or trial, and I think she is really going to come on from the day out.
“She trotted up nicely on Sunday and has eaten most of her tucker, so we are happy with how she has come through the run.”
Sydney on the cards for La Crique
The Simon and Katrina Alexander-trained La Crique (NZ) (Vadamos {Fr}) has Sydney on the cards after placing beyond star filly Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) in Saturday’s Listed Matamata Cup.
“I think we had to go forward Saturday carrying that weight (60kg), it would have just made it harder for her to chase, I don’t think we would have ended up in the placings,” Alexander told Racing Desk NZ.
“I thought it was a nice, brave run. We achieved what we wanted to and it was as good as we could have expected from the day.”
La Crique will now set her sights on the G3 Craven Plate and the $2 million The Five Diamonds.
Freedman has belief in Attrition
Mitch Freedman has no doubt Attrition (Churchill {Ire}) is up to Group 1 level, and feels Saturday’s G1 Toorak H. is his best chance to score an elite-level victory.
“It wasn’t his best performance in the Underwood, let’s be honest,” Freedman told Racing.com.
Attrition | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“I think just a colt in the spring, sometimes they can let you down.
“Definitely he’s up to the Group 1 level, hopefully he gets around Caulfield better and if he doesn’t we’ve got options at Moonee Valley and Flemington going forward.”
Uncommon James to tackle Schillaci
While some of the best sprinters in the land will battle out the $20 million The Everest the Steve O’Dea and Matt Hoysted-trained Uncommon James (Cable Bay {Ire}) will be a surprise starter in the G2 Schillaci S. at Caulfield.
“He has come out of the Moir too well,” Hoysted told Punters.
“We made the call during the week, he came past me pigrooting and canterting away, he is feeling too well.
“I had a good chat with Damian (Lane) after that first run, we had always wanted to put some head gear on him but never thought he’d take it the right way.
“We probably feel it’s the right time now and he worked on Friday morning with the blinkers on and was perfect.”
Caulfield still on the cards for Gold
Gold Trip’s (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}) co-trainer David Eustace revealed on Monday to RSN that he and Ciaron Maher spoke with Cup winners owners Australian Bloodstock on Sunday about the prospect of tackling the G1 Caulfield Cup.
“We had a chat, Ciaron and I, with the owners and it’s not set in stone, but the Caulfield Cup is very much still on the agenda,” Eustace told RSN.
Gold Trip (Fr) | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He’s capable of running in all three majors, but does he need to.
“Do we think we could skip the Caulfield Cup, go to the Cox Plate and have him right for the Melbourne Cup? Yes, we do.”
Classic winner Cachet retired
Cachet (Ire) (Aclaim {Ire}), the winner of last season's 1000 Guineas, has been retired and will be seen next in the Tattersalls December Mares Sale.
The filly, owned by Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, gave Newmarket trainer George Boughey his first Classic success at the Rowley Mile.
Cachet picked up an injury when fifth in the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot the following month and was off the track for 457 days before resuming at Doncaster this September. Her comeback run in the G3 Sceptre Fillies' S. saw her take fourth place, before finishing down the field in the G1 Prix de la Foret on Arc Day.
Cachet (Ire) | Image courtesy of Racingfotos
“It didn't go to plan as she's a filly who likes to run on the front end, was drawn a bit wide and never really got into a position,” said Boughey of Cachet's final start.
“She will head to the mares' sale at Tattersalls later this year and I have no doubt she will become a super mum. If she could produce something half as good as her then we will all be very proud.”
He added, “She's a filly who has been an absolute star for us. She's my first Group 1 winner and first Classic winner.”
International bloodlines on offer at Northern Farm Mixed Sale
Sales action returns to Hokkaido's Northern Horse Park on Tuesday, October 24 with the second edition of the Northern Farm Mixed Sale. The auction features a selection of 44 weanlings which is followed by 76 broodmares and fillies out of training.
The country's most recent Triple Crown winner Contrail (Jpn) was the star of the foal section of the JRHA Select Sale in July, and the Shadai stallion is represented by two of his first-crop weanlings in the Mixed Sale. An international array of bloodlines can be found in the filly and broodmare section. Three daughters of Deep Impact (Jpn) are included, with two of them being the offspring of Argentinean Grade 1 winners.
