Impressive winner for Grunt
The Yulong-based Grunt (NZ) sired an impressive new winner on Tuesday at Kyneton. The 3-year-old filly named Miraval Rose was having her second start for Grahame Begg and, ridden by Damian Lane, she ran out an impressive 2.75l winner over Extremely Rowdy (Extreme Choice).
The filly is from the Zabeel (NZ) mare Gypsy Tucker, who is the dam of the Group 2 victress Gypsy Diamond (Not A Single Doubt).
Miraval Rose was a $250,000 purchase by Rohan Hughes and Grahame Begg Racing from the draft of Yulong at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Trial winner for Zousain
Widden Stud’s promising first-season sire Zousain posted an impressive trial winner at Eagle Farm on Tuesday. The Lawrie Mayfield-Smith-trained Zouna was sent out in Heat 15 over 800 metres and showed plenty of toe to put 2.75l between him and the Lonhro filly Ending Sweet, while the third-place galloper was only 7l away.
Zouna is from unraced Camelot (GB) mare Campagna, who is from the family of the G2 Yorkshire Cup winner and G1 Melbourne Cup runner-up Spanish Mission (USA) (Noble Mission {GB}).
Alcohol Free to show best?
The star imported mare Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) will line up in Saturday’s $2 million The Invitation and her co-trainer Gai Waterhouse expects the mare to improve after running last in The Everest.
Alcohol Free (Ire) | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“She’s come through it really well. I think that was just a bit fast and furious the other day and didn’t really suit. I think when she gets over further distance, it’ll suit her even more,” Waterhouse told RSN.
“I think once she can get to the mile it’ll suit her much better. I’d love to see her in the Empire Rose or even the Matriarch, she’ll run 2000 metres with her eyes shut.”
Emissary out of Cup contention
On Tuesday the field for the G1 Melbourne Cup took further shape with three contenders being ruled out.
The Mike Moroney-trained Emissary (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who placed second in the 2022 edition of the Cup was ruled out after being beaten 26l in last Saturday’s G1 Caulfield Cup. The stable of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott also took a blow when they advised Goldman (NZ) (Verdi {NZ}) and Hoo Yal Mal (GB) (Territories {Ire}) will not take their place in the Melbourne Cup.
No Cox Plate Carnival for Allen
John Allen’s quest for a second Cox Plate will have to wait until next year after he was suspended on Monday at Warrnambool for careless riding in Race 5.
Allen was booked to partner the Annabel Neasham-trained My Oberon (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) but has relinquished the ride to Jamie Mott.
John Allen | Image courtesy of Racing SA
Allen is suspended for 10 meetings, starting on Thursday, October 26 and ending on Friday, November 3.
My Oberon drew Barrier four on Tuesday morning for the G1 Cox Plate.
Gator to give Waterhouse first Cox Plate success?
Gai Waterhouse is well-acquainted with the G1 Cox Plate, her father, TJ Smith, a Champion Trainer, trained seven winners of the great race. However, Waterhouse incredibly has yet to taste her own success in the Cox Plate but that could change on Saturday when her outstanding galloper Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) lines up.
“He’s absolutely come of age, he’s so big - when you see Alligator Blood, his rump is like a dining room table,” Waterhouse said.
“He’s got terrific lung capacity as well, he’s just a wonderful horse.”
Alligator Blood will jump from Barrier three.
Waller’s pair on point
Chris Waller has made a big call ahead of Saturday’s G1 Cox Plate. The Champion Trainer is looking for his fifth success in the great race will have two runners - Militarize (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}) and Fangirl (Sebring). However, it is the latter that Waller declared, “If Fangirl gets the 2040 metres, she will be very hard to beat.”
Chris Waller | Image courtesy of Sportpix
He added, “It was hard to split their work. But Fangirl, she’s in great form, the best form of her career.
“She looks as fit as we can get her. Fangirl is arguably the best miler in Australia at the moment. She just needs to tick the 2000-metre box.”
Fangirl will jump from Barrier nine, while Militarize drew Barrier three.
McEvoy to partner Espiona in The Invitation
Kerrin McEvoy's prospects of winning the third edition of The Invitation took a considerable boost when he was confirmed to partner the Chris Waller-trained Espiona (Extreme Choice) in the $2 million feature.
McEvoy has won the first two editions of The Invitation on Icebath (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) and Promise Of Success (GB) (Dansili {GB}).
Espiona is the early favourite for the race after winning the G2 Golden Pendant and finishing seventh in the $20 million The Everest.
‘He’s ready’ McDonald bullish on Warrior
James McDonald was brimming ear to ear after riding the Hong Kong superstar Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) in his final gallop ahead of Saturday’s G1 Cox Plate.
The connections of Romantic Warrior elected to work around The Valley on Monday rather than the traditional Tuesday. The multiple Group 1 winner worked alongside his travelling companion Romantic Charm (NZ) (Savabeel), who is set to run on Wednesday at Geelong.
James McDonald | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
After the eye-catching piece of work McDonald offered a simple, “He’s ready.”
Romantic Warrior will jump from Barrier seven in Saturday’s great race.
“I feel it’s a reasonable draw. I’m happy with it,” trainer Danny Shum said.
“We will ride him simple, do our best and try our best.”
'Everything was done to try to save him': Derby Hero Desert Crown euthanised
Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), the brilliant winner of the 2022 Derby, has been euthanised at Newmarket Equine Hospital after failing to recover from an injury sustained on the gallops in August.
“Everything was done to try to save him, we thought he was making progress but then he just started going backwards,” said Philip Robinson, assistant racing manager to owner Saeed Suhail.
Trained by Sir Michael Stoute, Desert Crown was bred by Gary Robinson of Strawberry Fields Stud.
Desert Crown (GB) | Image courtesy of Racingfotos
Desert Crown was beaten for the first time in what transpired to be his final start of only a four-race career when second to Hukum (GB) in the G3 Brigadier Gerard S. this spring. In preparation for an intended start in the G1 Juddmonte International he fractured his off-fore fetlock on Sunday, August 20 and was transported immediately to Newmarket Equine Hospital for surgery. He has remained there until the decision was taken for him to be humanely put down on Monday afternoon.
Robinson added, “With a severe injury like that there is a lot of pressure with the weight of the animal standing on it, but we really thought he was going to get there and it's very sad he didn't make it.
“You can try and help them with supports for the leg but at the end of the day they've got to be able to stand on their own. He had the best available treatment anywhere in the world, if he couldn't be saved here then he couldn't be saved anywhere.”
James Savage, assistant trainer to Sir Michael Stoute, said, “He was a brilliant racehorse with an exceptional mind, and we never really got to the bottom of him.. It's very sad. He could have reached the moon.”
Havana Grey to stand at £55,000 in 2024
Havana Grey (GB), one of the most in-demand young stallions in Europe, will stand at an increased fee of £55,000 (AU106,300) at Whitsbury Manor Stud in 2024. The Group 1-winning son of Havana Gold (Ire) started his career at a fee of £8000 (AU$15,500) and was advertised as low as £6000 (AU$11,600) in his third and fourth seasons. Havana Grey covered 164 mares this season.
Joe Callan, Whitsbury Manor Stud's head of Bloodstock and Sales, said, “After another phenomenal year, including dual Group 1 winner Vandeek and nine other stakes winners in Europe, it is clear he is an elite stallion. We will continue to strictly limit his book to look after both the horse and our clients, so I hope people can understand if his book fills very quickly.”
The fee for Havana Grey's stud-mate Showcasing (GB) will remain at £45,000 (AU$86,900) after a year in which he has been represented by the G2 Temple S. winner Dramatised (GB) and Group 1 performers Get Ahead (GB) and Swingalong (GB).
Big Rock and Blue Rose Cen to race on next season
Christopher Head's two star 3-year-olds of 2023, dual Classic winner Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) and Saturday's sensational Queen Elizabeth II S. winner Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), will both remain in training for next season.
Timeform has awarded Big Rock a rating of 129 for his 6l romp on QIPCO British Champions Day, which is the highest figure recorded by a miler in Europe this season.
Head told TDN on Monday, “He's come out of the race perfectly well. It's crazy, a horse coming back from that kind of race and looking like he hasn't even raced.”
Christopher Head | Image courtesy of Scoop Dyga
Both Big Rock and Blue Rose Cen race for their breeder Leopoldo Fernandez Pujals of Yeguada Centurion, who is also the breeder of their stable-mate Ramatuelle (USA) (Justify {USA}). The winner of the G2 Prix Robert Papin and G3 Prix du Bois.
“It's the end of the season now for Big Rock, and for Blue Rose Cen and Ramatuelle, and they are all coming back next season,” Head confirmed. “It's wonderful. Leopoldo loves his racing and he loves his horses and he doesn't want the public to get bored, so he wants them to be running next season and for everyone to be able to follow them.”
He added of Big Rock, “He was from Rock Of Gibraltar's last crop so it is wonderful to have him doing what he is in the same year that his sire has disappeared. And now he will be able to carry on the genes because he already has value as a stallion.”
Frankel covers 196 mares
Crystal Ocean (GB), the top-rated horse in the world in 2019, now has a new accolade as the busiest stallion at stud in Britain and Ireland, according to the Return of Mares, which has been published by Weatherbys. The son of Sea The Stars (Ire), who stands for Coolmore's National Hunt division at The Beeches Stud in Co Waterford, covered 335 mares. Leading the Flat sires was Coolmore's Sioux Nation (USA) on 289.
Frankel (GB), who is on his way to regaining his champion sire title in 2023, covered 196 mares at Banstead Manor Stud, including the dual Arc winner Treve (Fr) and Breeders' Cup heroines Audarya (Fr), Glass Slippers (GB) and Newspaperofrecord (GB). The dams of his Classic winners Adayar (Ire), Chaldean (GB), Nashwa (GB) and Homeless Songs (Ire) all paid return visits.
The reigning champion sire Dubawi (Ire), now 21, covered 137 mares at Dalham Hall Stud. These included the Arc winner Alpinista (GB), Cabaret (Ire), the dam of St Mark's Basilica (Fr) and Magna Grecia (Ire), and Group 1-winning sisters Magical (Ire) and Rhododendron (Ire).
The returns to September 30, 2023 show that the number of foals born in Britain and Ireland this year rose slightly to 13,438 (from 13,275).
Justify colt sells for US$500,000
The Fasig-Tipton October Yearlings Sale, which produced record-setting renewals in 2021 and 2022, opened on Monday with solid, if less spectacular figures, than a year ago.
The session was topped by a son of Justify (USA) who sold for US$500,000 ($785,867) to the bid of John Stewart. The Triple Crown-winning sire was also responsible for the day's second highest offering with De Meric Sales purchasing a colt for US$300,000 ($471,520).
