Cox Plate field vetted
Racing Victoria veterinarians on Thursday morning made inspections of 10 of the 12 horses lining up in this weekend’s G1 Cox Plate. All were passed fit to race. It was advised that both Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {Ire}) and Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), the latter trained by Aidan O’Brien, would be vetted on Friday morning.
Victoria Road ‘in good form’ ahead of Cox Plate
Ballydoyle hope Victoria Road (Ire), a son of Saxon Warrior (Jpn), has settled well at Werribee and is in good form ahead of the Cox Plate, according to Aidan O’Brien’s travelling foreman, TJ Comerford. He told Racing.com that the 4-year-old entire, who was recently purchased by Ozzie Kheir to remain in Australia with Ciaron Maher and Daivd Eustace, had been straightforward.
“He seems in good form, he hasn’t missed a beat since he’s got here,” Comerford said. “We couldn’t ask anything more of him. I suppose Aidan’s plan was always to bring him here, so he had to get a few runs into him before we brought him here and it seems to be working out now. The timing seems to be perfect.”
Victoria Road was a winner last year of the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland and, before that, he’d won his previous three races, including the G3 Prix de Concorde at Chantilly. His last run occurred on September 9 when he was third in the G2 Dullingham Park S.
“Adelaide (the 2014 Cox Plate winner) came here and was very straightforward, and this horse is no different,” Comerford added.
Steparty for the Coolmore Stud Stakes
It was confirmed on Thursday that the talented colt Steparty (Artie Schiller {USA}) will head into the G1 Coolmore Stud S. on Derby Day at Flemington. The 3-year-old was last seen when third in the Caulfield Guineas to Griff (Trapeze Artist) after being undefeated in five runs to that point.
Horsham-based trainer Paul Preusker told Racing.com that the colt came out of the Guineas in good shape and that he had considered the G1 Champions Mile at Flemington as another option.
Paul Preusker | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“We are in a unique spot where he’s two from two at Flemington and it backs a bit of pressure off the horse,” the trainer said. “He gets half a holiday into 1200 metres (of the Coolmore). I think the mile is still alright, but I thought while we are here, we might as well look at the Coolmore. We just get off his back now and shorten the work up. He will only need two pieces of work going into it.”
Cup penalty for Amade
Wednesday’s Geelong Cup winner Amade (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}) has incurred a half-kilo penalty for the Melbourne Cup, it was announced on Thursday, albeit it’s unlikely the 10-year-old gelding will take his place in the field, according to his trainer Phillip Stokes.
Nevertheless, Amade leaped to 29th in the order of running from 41st after the Geelong Cup, and was allocated a Cup weight of 50.5kg. It’s possible he will instead contest the G3 Queen Elizabeth II S. during the carnival.
Ashrun moves into Cup contention
The Ciaron Maher-David Eustace galloper Ashrun (Fr) (Authorized {Ire}), who was a game second to Amade in Wednesday’s G3 Geelong Cup, has moved straight into Melbourne contention by climbing to 23rd in the ballot order from a pre-Geelong Cup place of 42nd. Connections strongly hinted on Wednesday that the 8-year-old gelding will take his place in the Cup. He will be one of two runners for the Australian Bloodstock outfit, alongside defending Cup hero Gold Trip (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}).
Distance concerns for Parisal in The Invitation
Trainer James Cummings has distance questions when it comes to the chances of his good mare Parisal (Astern) in this Saturday’s The Invitation. She has run over 1400 metres only once in her career, on that occasion running seventh and it’s the only time the mare has been unplaced in her nine-start career.
Parisal was a last-start second in the G3 The Nivison on October 7, after winning the G3 Toy Show Quality earlier in the season and running second in the G3 Cockram S. Saturday’s seven furlongs will be only her second attempt at the distance.
“I think you’d have to appreciate she’s a different horse to the horse she was in her first prep,” Cummings told Racing NSW. “Given her pedigree, she’s just as entitled to run seven furlongs as any of my horses, but she has to prove she can do it and in a pretty solid race against some extremely competent opposition.”
First Immortal out for the spring
Mark and Levi Kavanagh’s promising stayer First Immortal (Churchill {Ire}) is out of Melbourne Cup contention after the stable announced on Thursday that the 4-year-old will be spelled for the rest of the spring. It follows his seventh-place effort in Wednesday’s Geelong Cup.
“He got fractious in the gates and he whacked his head on the barrier before the race started,” Levi Kavangh told Racing.com. “The fallout from that was he also got a bit stressed out and, in the closing stages, he made a bit of a noise while he flipped his soft palate. With the blinkers, there wasn’t any sign of any skin being taken off. We only found out after the race.”
Levi Kavanagh | Image courtesy of Kavanagh Racing
Up to Wednesday, First Immortal was one of the handful of Australian-bred stayers in the Melbourne Cup. He had been second to Future History (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) in the G3 The Bart Cummings and had been first or second in his last four races before the Geelong Cup.
War Decree mission ahead of NZ 2000 Guineas
Kiwi colt Burn To Shine (NZ) (So You Think {NZ}) will head into this Saturday’s G3 War Decree S. at Riccarton ahead of his ultimate target in the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas later in the spring. The 3-year-old will be a resuming after a last-start third in the G2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas on September 30. In three runs this preparation, Burn To Shine has been a winner, second and third.
Burn To Shine (NZ) winning at Te Rapa on August 26 | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
“All his runs have been terrific,” his trainer, Stephen Marsh, told Loveracing.nz. “Last start he probably wasn’t suited going to the front, but he whacked on well. He has drawn nicely (on Saturday) to sit behind the speed and he’s a big improver. I think the mile on the big track at Riccarton suits him ideally and that’s why I wanted to get him down there.”
Cody Morgan fined $3000
Tamworth trainer Cody Morgan was on Thursday fined by Racing NSW Stewards to the tune of $3000 following stable inspections at his premises on January 18 and October 10 this year. Two charges were laid against the trainer under rules AR 296(2)(d)(i), relating to January, and AR104, relating to October.
Stewards found that 14 of Morgan’s horses had incorrect particulars on their Stable Returns, including horses listed as spelling that were deceased, horses listed as spelling but active, horses listed as active but transferred, and horses listed as spelling but spelling in different locations. The fine on these accounts was $2000.
On the second charge, Morgan was found guilty of not keeping treatment records for four horses in his care after administering treatments. He was fined $1000 in this instance and pleaded guilty to both charges.
Justify colt tops Wednesday at Fasig-Tipton
A US$725,0000 (AU$1.15 million) colt by Justify (USA) topped Wednesday’s session of the Fasig-Tipton October Yearlings Sale, bid by successful buyer Jessie Longoria on behalf of Zane Kiehne and Grier Brunson. The combination had also topped Tuesday’s session with a US$500,000 (AU$800,000) Bernardini (USA) colt.
The Justify colt, Hip 1023, was consigned by Hunter Valley Farm, which also consigned the day’s second-highest selling yearling, a colt by Practical Joke (USA), which went for US$500,000 (AU$800,000). Wednesday’s session proved strong, with 790 yearlings going through the sale through its three sessions to date. The current average sits at 4.5 per cent down on the same point of last year, while the median is also down by six per cent.
Hip 1023 - Justify (USA) x Palace Princess (USA) (colt) was purchased by Jessie Longoria on behalf of Zane Kiehne and Grier Brunson for US$725,0000 (AU$1.15 million) | Image courtesy of Fasig-Tipton
“It was another solid day,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning Jr. “Today the numbers were up over the similar session last year and we are trending very closely to last year's overall numbers, which is pretty remarkable considering how the sale took another huge leap last year.
“It is very encouraging to be in the same neighbourhood. It's a healthy marketplace in terms of people wanting to own horses, but they demand quality.”
Ace Impact to stand at €40,000
This month’s Arc winner, 3-year-old Ace Impact (Fr) (Cracksman {GB}), will stand his first season of stud duties at Haras de Beaumont in France in 2024 with an announced fee of €40,000 (AU$67,000). Unbeaten in six starts, the colt won the Prix du Jockey Club in record time before his win in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe earlier this month.
“Ace Impact proved himself to be an exceptional athlete,” said Haras de Beaumont manager Mathieu Alex. “He has a lot going for him as regards becoming a top-class stallion. We are very grateful to the early support received from European breeders. The fact that he is beginning his stallion career in France at Haras de Beaumont is very positive news for our country.”
Ace Impact's barnmate, the German-bred Intello (Ger), will remain at a fee of €8000 (AU$13,500) in 2024. The son of Galileo (Ire) covered 125 mares in his first year at Haras de Beaumont. The farm is also home to the dual Group 1 winner Sealiway (Fr), who was the busiest stallion in France this year covering 166 mares in his first book. He will remain at the same fee of €12,000 (AU$20,000) in 2024.
Prowess ready to shine in the Crystal Mile
It’s a small field of just six for Saturday’s G2 Crystal Mile at The Valley, but among them is the Kiwi mare Prowess (NZ) (Proisir) who is looking to debut her Australian season strongly. The 4-year-old mare, trained by Roger James and Robert Wellwood at Cambridge, was second on her Group 3 spring debut in New Zealand earlier this month, with her trainers hoping she will go one better.
“It might be a small field but it’s a good one,” Robert Wellwood told Loveracing.nz. “She got into Melbourne late on Wednesday night and reports have been good. She has eaten and drunk well and had a quiet little trot and canter on Thursday morning. She seems well and happy.”
Prowess (NZ) | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
Prowess’ main target will be the G1 Champion S. on November 11. This weekend she will be ridden by Mark Zahra, who rode her to victory in the G1 Vinery Stud S. in Sydney during the autumn.
Glamour filly looking good to McEvoy
The 3-year-old filly Arctic Glamour (Frosted {USA}) will line up this Saturday in the million-dollar G2 Presnell-Callander (formerly the Stan Fox S.) and her jockey, Kerrin McEvoy, is excited about her chances. The filly, trained by Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou, has won her last two races on the bounce, included the Listed Reginald Allen Quality on October 14, in both races with McEvoy aboard.
“I saw her under saddle on Tuesday morning and she looked fantastic,” the jockey told Racing NSW. “I was trotting back on one and I’m looking forward to riding her. She’s definitely come back a lot better. She’s strengthened and got herself in better shape physically for what lies ahead.”
A possible start in the G1 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield on November 18 could be in store for Arctic Glamour if she wins on Saturday.
“She has to tick the mile box, but that should be a formality with the feel she’s given me,” McEvoy said.
Barrier injury for Jett Stanley
Apprentice jockey Jett Stanley was injured on Thursday morning when a horse reared over on him in the barrier stalls at Warwick Farm. He sustained a shoulder injury. Further updates on Stanley’s condition are expected from Racing NSW.
Rich back-up for Opal Ridge?
Scone trainer Luke Pepper is considering backing-up his smart 4-year-old mare Opal Ridge (Rubick) in the $10 million Golden Eagle after her effort in this Saturday’s $2 million The Invitation at Royal Randwick. Opal Ridge was a vital second to Front Page (Magnus) in The Kosciuszko last time out and has netted over $1.1 million in earnings.
Luke Pepper | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“It’s (the Golden Eagle) a tough race,” Pepper told Racing NSW. “She’s stepping back into a race pretty much top-level mares (in The Invitation) proven at Group 1 level. She’s got to perform. If she’s highly competitive and if she’s right in the finish, then we’re crazy not to have a crack at it. If there’s any doubt, we won’t head to it but if she puts her hand up, then we will back up.”
Brent Thomson recognised
New Zealand Bloodstock (NZB) representative Brent Thomson has received recognition this week for his services to racing, receiving the Victorian Club Service to Racing Award. Thomson, known as ‘BT’ or ‘The Babe’ during his career, rode Dulcify (NZ) to victory in the 1979 Cox Plate.
The Victorian Club is a members-only club that has deep affiliations with racing, and the associated award has been presented in the past to such recipients as Colin Hayes.
“I was a bit blown away as they got me there under false pretences,” Thomson said. “I got invited to it thinking Family Of Man was being acknowledged and that I was there because I rode him, but after I got up and spoke about how good he was, they said there’s another award to be presented and they brought up my name. I was surprised and honoured to be acknowledged by the Victorian Club.”
Brent Thomson and Dulcify (NZ) | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Thomson was a Champion Apprentice in New Zealand at the age of 16 before moving to Australia as a teenager, hence the nickname. He retired from riding in 2000 but has been a vital part of New Zealand Bloodstock since 2001.
“I could not think of a more worth recipient for this award,” said NZB’s Mike Kneebone. “Brent is not only a racing legend in Australasia but around the world, and he is one of the most loved by young and old. The whole NZB team is thrilled to see this great man recognised.”
