Daily News Wrap

Walsh leaning to Golden Eagle with his Jewel

Prominent owner-breeder Peter Walsh and trainer Simon Miller have a huge decision to make following Saturday’s G1 Toorak H. They must decide whether to aim star mare Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) towards the G1 Cox Plate at The Valley on October 28 or the $10 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill a week later. Walsh told Racenet the fact the latter is restricted to 4-year-olds is hard to ignore.

“I am swinging to the Golden Eagle and I think we all are swinging that way, even though we are not 100 per cent,” Walsh said. “Originally, I always said I wanted to go to the Golden Eagle, Simon (Miller) knows that.

“When you work it out, Amelia's Jewel is only four years old. The only thing that has changed is we are now one of the top fancies for the Cox Plate, when originally, we thought we might be $15.”

Amelia’s Jewel has drawn barrier 12 for the $1 million Toorak H.

New-look Melbourne Cup celebrations for 2023

This year’s Melbourne Cup carnival celebrations are set for a different look, with the iconic street parade, which has been a feature since 1983, set to be replaced by an alternate event.

Significant road closures and major infrastructure works in the Melbourne CBD will prevent access to key streets, meaning the event, in its traditional format, is not possible this year.

Instead, the Victoria Racing Club will host a Cup Week live site at Petanque Social on Crown Riverwalk, with that announcement set to take place on Thursday.

Contrary to some reports, the amended format does not have anything to do with animal rights activists.

The VRC has vowed to bring back the traditional event next year.

“The traditional Lexus Melbourne Cup parade has been disrupted by Victoria’s Big Build across the city,” said VRC CEO Steve Rosich.

“We are clear that our intent is to bring the parade back to the city when we can again next year.

“And whether that means we end up with this live site and a parade, we will certainly look at that possibility as well.”

King Charles for the 2024 King Charles?

Sydney media reported on Wednesday morning that the reigning monarch, King Charles III, could be lined up for a guest appearance at the 2024 The Everest, which will also feature the race renamed in his honour, the King Charles III S. The Sydney Morning Herald has stated that Peter V’Landys has been lobbying to get The King to the Harbour City, which will coincide with the monarch's visit to the Pacific region at the same time.

“We’ve given him an open invitation and we would welcome him at the races any time he’s able to come,” V’Landys said. “When we met with him (at Royal Ascot in June), he was very chuffed about having the race named after him. He loves Australia and he said, ‘The quicker I can get there, the better’.”

Change of fortune for Mazu?

Co-trainer Peter Snowden is hoping for a change of fortune this Saturday for his The Everest contender Mazu (Maurice {Jpn}), who will take his place in the big feature for the second time in the slot belonging to The Star/Arrowfield. Snowden admitted that Mazu’s spring prep has been less than ideal, compounded by a near-outside draw of barrier 11 on Tuesday night.

“If he drew one to four, I’d say he would be right in the race, but 11 makes the job hard,” the trainer told Racing NSW. “I think we are back on track as far as fitness goes. I won’t be surprised to see him storming home and running great sectionals, running in the first half. I’d be happy with that.”

Mazu was a creditable third in last year’s The Everest, but he was ninth last time out in the G2 The Shorts behind Private Eye (Al Maher) and Overpass (Vancouver), both of whom he will face on Saturday. Snowden admitted that the 5-year-old gelding’s best chance was to be ridden for luck by jockey Tommy Berry.

“Now we have only one option to go back and ride for luck,” the trainer said. “We hope a few others are thinking what we are thinking and put a bit of pressure on. There’s probably only three lengths between them. They are all quality sprinters so pace is a big factor in the race.”

Everest field cleared by vets

All declared runners in The Everest were reported fit and clear to run by Racing NSW on Wednesday morning after official veterinary clearances, with no issues reported to stewards. A final examination of all runners will be conducted by Racing NSW veterinarians on Friday morning.

Australian debut for New Endeavour

The New Bay (GB) gelding New Endeavour (Ire), bought by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott earlier this year at the Goffs London Sale ahead of Royal Ascot, will make his Australian debut this Saturday in the million-dollar Silver Eagle at Randwick. The 4-year-old last raced for Roger Varian when second in the G2 Hungerford S. at Newbury on August 19.

New Endeavour cost his Australian trainers £260,000 (AU$460,000) and he is raced by a hefty syndicate that includes Ballylinch Stud, headed by prominent Johannesburg-based owner Larry Nestadt, in whose colours he will race.

“We put him on the radar to target the Golden Eagle,” Adrian Bott told Racing NSW. “A decision was made to keep him racing in Europe with the Eagle in mind, so he had a further couple of runs in Group company. It allowed him to arrive down here nice and fit and forward, and ready to go. He’s had plenty of racing so he hasn’t had to do too much.”

Williams sticks with Soulcombe

Star jockey Craig Williams will partner promising stayer Soulcombe (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in Saturday week’s G1 Caulfield Cup. Williams, who was aboard the Chris Waller-trained Soulcombe in the G1 Turnbull S. last start, will ride the 5-year-old at 53kg.

Stablemate Montefilia (Kermadec {NZ}) is a likely starter in the Caulfield Cup, with Nash Rawiller keen to maintain the ride. He will have to get down to 54.5kg to ride the gun mare.

Meanwhile, Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Jye McNeil will jump aboard last year’s Melbourne Cup runner-up Emissary (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in the Caulfield Cup. Emissary was ridden by Jamie Kah when the gelding finished 12th in the G1 Turnbull S. at Flemington. The Michael Moroney-trained Emissary has 52kg in the Caulfield Cup.

Partnership endures into The Everest

Jockey Dylan Gibbons has been aboard the 4-year-old The Everest contender Buenos Noches (Supido) for each of the horse’s two starts so far this spring, and he has told Racing NSW that he is excited to continue that journey into the $20 million feature this weekend. Gibbons won his first Group 1 earlier this year in the Sydney Cup and is honoured to even be in the field, let alone aboard a horse that sits within the top five in betting.

“Matt (Smith, trainer) pulled me aside one day at Randwick and wanted to have a chat,” Gibbons said. “He and the owners wanted someone who would stick with him for the prep. Looking at the horse’s form before I had anything to do with him, you could tell he was a high-quality animal but probably still underrated.”

Buenos Noches was second to Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) last season in the G2 Danehill S. and third to In Secret (I Am Invincible) in the G1 Coolmore Stud S. This spring, he won the G3 Show County Quality before running third to Private Eye and Overpass in the G2 The Shorts. He has drawn barrier eight for The Everest.

Chautauqua’s half-brother breaks the ice

Rubick colt Need Some Luck - a half-brother to sprinting great Chautauqua (Encosta De Lago) - is a maiden no longer after scoring at Warwick Farm. The 3-year-old prevailed in Race 3 - a 1200-metre maiden - by 0.21l.

A homebred for Throsby Racing, the colt is the 12th and final foal of the two-time Group 1 winner Lovely Jubly (Lion Hunter), who has also thrown the Group 3 scorer London Lolly (Charge Forward).

Need Some Luck is trained by Peter and Paul Snowden and was handled by Ryan Maloney.

“There is a bit of improvement to come, but he will need to. I thought he may have gone a bit better than that, but a win’s a win. I am sure there is more to come,” Peter Snowden told Sky Thoroughbred Central.

“I hope we don’t have to geld him. He is a lovely colt and it would be good to keep him that way.”

Maloney added: “He’s got a bit of X-factor about him. Hopefully he can go and get a bit of black type for connections.”

Chautauqua won five Group 1s, banking more than $8.8 million in prizemoney.

Ipswich double for Saxon Warrior

The former Coolmore shuttler Saxon Warrior (Jpn) posted a raceday double at Ipswich on Wednesday, with the 3-year-old pair of Weigall Tiger and Shy Guy winning the opening two races respectively.

Weigall Tiger is trained by Kelly Schweida at Eagle Farm. The gelding has won his last two races on the trot, including Wednesday’s win, and he was an $80,000 purchase for the trainer at the 2022 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale when consigned by Lyndhurst Stud.

Shy Guy proved a good result for Chris Waller’s Gold Coast yard, breaking his maiden with this victory at the fifth time of asking. Raced in the Magic Bloodstock colours, this gelding was an $85,000 purchase for Waller and Mulcaster Bloodstock at last year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

Meanwhile, second-season sire Eminent (Ire), who stands at Brighthill Farm, had a new winner, with the Chris Waller-trained Dulcet (NZ) shedding his maiden status at Sale.

Dundeel colt too good on debut

The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Big Swan (Dundeel {NZ}) looks to have a promising future, judging by his first start. The 3-year-old colt made the perfect start to his career, scoring narrowly in Race 2 at Sale, a 1423-metre maiden.

The colt made $250,000 at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, with Ciaron Maher Bloodstock buying him from the Three Bridges Thoroughbreds draft. Big Swan is from the Danehill Dancer (Ire) mare (Ire) Swan River, making him a brother to the Group 2-winning Victoria Quay.

Name change for King Charles runner

Imported galloper Light Infantry (Fr) (Fast Company {Ire}) has been renamed Light Infantry Man ahead of his assault on Saturday’s G1 King Charles III S. at Randwick. Authorities ordered the name change because Bjorn Baker has an unraced Snitzel 3-year-old called Light Infantry.

Uncommon James a Schillaci live chance

The star Queenslander Uncommon James (Cable Bay {Ire}) could be the fourth galloper from the sunshine state to win the G2 Schillaci S. should he be successful this Saturday at Caulfield. He could join Falvelon in 2000, Gold Edition (Lion Hunter) in 2007 and Buffering (Mossman) in 2012 as previous winners.

“Fingers crossed he can do the job and put his name alongside those great sprinters,” said co-trainer Matthew Hoysted, who prepares the gelding alongside Steven O’Dea at Eagle Farm. “The Schillaci wasn’t in his original program, but he’s done so well in Melbourne he needs another run before the Manikato.”

Uncommon James was crowned Queensland Horse of the Year on Sunday night off the back of his winning the G1 Oakleigh Plate in February. He was seen when third to Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) in the G1 Moir S.

Bustler will start early

The Group 3-winning Western Australia star Bustler (Playing God) will return to racing in next week’s G3 Eurythmic S. at Ascot, instead of next month’s G2 Lee Steere S. as originally planned. Bustler was very smart with two wins and a third through late April and May last season, twice in Group company, and has trialled well this month leading into his reappearance.

“I didn’t really feel like we needed to give him another hard hitout after he trialled last week,” said trainer Neville Parnham. “It was just to brighten him up a little bit. I didn’t want to wait until next week to trial him and potentially want to run him in the Eurythmic. It’s still five or six weeks away, the Lee Steere.”

John Allen charged by RV Stewards

Pakenham trainer John Allen has been charged by Racing Victoria Stewards under rule AR 240(2) after the 4-year-old Supido gelding Suppose I Do returned a positive swab after winning a race at Pakenham on June 20 with jockey Ben Allen. The gelding’s post-race sample was positive to the banned substance Metformin, which is commonly used in the human treatment of diabetes as it is an anti-hyperglcaemic agent (lowers blood glucose).

The charge against Allen will be heard before the Victorian Racing Tribunal on a date to be fixed.

Onesto to stand at Haras d’Etreham

The European Group 1 winner Onesto (Ire), a son of Frankel (GB) from a Sea The Stars (Ire) mare, will stand at Haras d’Etreham in France in 2024. The horse is bound for the Breeders’ Cup meeting next month and was a winner of the G1 Grand Prix de Paris in July, before running second in the G1 Irish Champion S. last month. Onesto was third recently in the Arc.

“He possesses a most remarkable pedigree, which is why we acquired him as a 2-year-old,” said Nicolas de Chambure of Haras d’Etreham. “He was a magnificent colt and has become a very handsome horse with the confirmation of a miler and a strong physique. Our hopes of seeing him become a stallion prospect have been realised thanks to his high-class performances at the top level.”

High-class siblings headline Tattersalls December Foal Sale

A Showcasing (GB) half-brother to this year's 2000 Guineas winner Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is among 1084 weanlings to be consigned to the Tattersalls December Foal Sale. The sale begins on Tuesday, November 28 and runs until Saturday, December 2.

Bred by Whitsbury Manor Stud, Chaldean is himself a graduate of the foal sale. Another well-related individual to be offered for sale is the Starspangledbanner half-brother to the dual Group 1 winner Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}).

Announcing the release of the catalogue online, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony said; “The Tattersalls December Foal Sale is the premier fixture of its kind in Europe, consistently attracting the cream of the British and Irish foal crop, and this has been reflected in an outstanding year on the racecourse with a Classic winner and the highest rated 2-year-old colt in Britain.

“As well as consistent racecourse success, the Tattersalls December Foal Sale has consistently been the source of some spectacular pinhooking triumphs. We have some outstanding foals entered this year, and the catalogue has the quality and diversity to appeal to buyers from throughout the world at all levels of the market.”

Bolt D’Oro filly tops Day 1 of OBS October Yearling Sale

Coming late in proceedings, Hip 353, a daughter of Bolt D'Oro (USA), realised the top price of US$135,000 (AU$210,000) during the opening session of the OBS October Yearling Sale in Ocala on Tuesday. Offered by agent Richard Kent's Kaizen Sales, she is a half-sister to the recently stakes-placed Yatta (USA) (Yoshida {Jpn}). The filly was purchased by de Meric Sales, who also led the session as its leading buyer.

Heading the colts on Tuesday were a pair of yearlings who realised a session-leading US$100,000 (AU$155,000) final bids. First through the ring was Hip 193, by Omaha Beach (USA), and later in the session, Hip 279, who is by Gormley (USA). The top three yearlings of the session were by Spendthrift stallions.

For the session, 175 horses sold for a total of US$3,308,500 (AU$5.2 million). The average price was US$18,906 (AU$30,000) while the clearance was 41.5 per cent. The sale continues on Wednesday.