Shinn called up for Unstoppable
Blake Shinn is set to partner Lloyd Kennewell and Lucy Yeomans' classy colt I Am Unstoppable (I Am Invincible) in Saturday’s G1 Coolmore Stud S.
Shinn recently partnered the 3-year-old colt in a jump-out at Flemington.
“Blake (Shinn) was very upbeat after the trial and he is very happy,” Kennewell told Racing.com.
“The horse (I Am Unstoppable) just sat out the back and rounded the trial off really well and was very strong through the line as expected.
“There was a gap between runs last start being the Danehill all the way through to the Coolmore and we needed the gallop for fitness more than anything, so that just tuned him up beautifully.”
Vale Conlon
On Monday Racing New South Wales reported that Eric Conlon had passed away, aged 93. Colon was a former rails bookmaker and first started fielding on the Sydney rails in 1951. He had retired in November 2016, aged 86 and was given guard of honour at Canterbury Park Racecourse.
New South Wales Chief Executive Peter V’landys said, “Eric Conlon was one of the last old-fashioned bookmakers and for a long time was a welcome and familiar sight on Sydney racecourses until his retirement.
“It was bookmakers like Eric that added much colour and charisma to the racecourse. We pass on our condolences to Mr Conlon’s family and friends.”
Solutionist breaks through
Monday at Beaumont Newcastle proved a happy hunting ground for Widden Stud’s second-season sires. Trapeze Artist sired a winner later on the program but not before Written By’s 3-year-old daughter Solutionist broke her maiden for Kris Lees in Race 3.
The filly, ridden by Dylan Gibbons, was a 2l victor over Inquisitive Legend (Zoustar), while Exceed The Sky (Deep Field) was further away in third.
Solutionist is from the six-time winner Positive Problems, a daughter of Sebring who was also placed in the G3 Belle of the Turf.
The filly was a $340,000 purchase by Australian Bloodstock from the draft of Widden Stud at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
No stopping Trapeze
Widden Stud’s second-season sire Trapeze Artist has arguably had a breakout season, siring his maiden Group 1 winner with Griff in the Caulfield Guineas. The winners have come fast and thick for the sire. On Monday at Beaumont Newcastle, the David Pfieffer-trained Trapeze Pleasure broke his maiden from the Mr Showman (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) over 1150 metres.
The 3-year-old colt was bred and retained by Vieira Group after being passed in at the 2022 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale.
Trapeze Pleasure is from the unraced Pierro mare Perfect Pleasure, a half-sister to Torio’s Quest (Oratorio {Ire}), a G2 Queensland Guineas victor, and the Listed winner Bippo No Bungus (Dubawi {Ire}).
Winner for Mendelssohn
The royally-bred second-season sire Mendelssohn (USA) sired his third Southern Hemisphere winner when the Archie Alexander-trained By Any Other Name saluted at Benalla on Monday. The 3-year-old filly was bred by Team Valor and is from the Caesour (USA) mare Alexandra Rose (SAf), a victress of the G2 Golden Slipper at Greyville and the G3 Monrovia H. at Santa Anita.
By Any Other Name is a half-sister to the G1 Jaipur S. winner Oleksandra (USA) (Animal Kingdom {USA}).
Moonee Valley Gold Cup winner given penalty
Racing Victoria’s chief handicapper David Hegan has advised that Friday’s G2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup victor Cleveland (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) has been handed a 0.5kg penalty for the Melbourne Cup.
The Kris Lees-trained galloper is assured of a spot in the Cup and will now carry 52kg with Michael Dee booked to ride.
“Aided by a perfectly positioned and timed ride by James Mcdonald, Cleveland was produced late to overhaul Vow And Declare and Future History, who were gallant in defeat after both making sustained runs,” Hegan said.
“Under the set-weights-and-penalty conditions of the Moonee Valley Gold Cup, Cleveland was allocated the base weight on Friday night. Thus, he came in well at the weights against some of his opposition on the night (Friday) and compared to where they are in the Melbourne Cup weights. The second and third-placed horses will now meet Cleveland 0.5kg and 3kg better respectively in the Melbourne Cup.”
Maher happy with Gold Trip
Co-trainer Ciaron Maher has indicated that the reigning Melbourne Cup hero Gold Trip (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}) will have an easy week ahead of his defence for the race on the first Tuesday in November.
“I’m very happy with his run in the Cox Plate. They just eased up a fraction in the middle there and with the firm deck, but he hit the line super,” Maher told Punters.
Maher also confirmed that James McDonald has replaced Mark Zahra aboard Gold Trip, as Zahra elected to stick with the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Without A Fight (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) who he won the Caulfield Cup on.
Kovalica heads Waller’s Eagle charge
The Champion Trainer Chris Waller will be represented by five runners in Saturday’s $10 million Golden Eagle. Leading the assault is the G1 Queensland Derby winner Kovalica (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}), who will be ridden by Tommy Berry.
Kathy O’Hara will stick with the G1 Epsom H. victor Rediener (Redoute’s Choice), Age Of Kings (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) and Craig Williams will combine, while Jason Collett will ride Osipenko (NZ) (Pierro) and Kerrin McEvoy is aboard Vienna Princess (Snitzel).
“We’ve got a very strong hand,” Charlie Duckworth, assistant trainer to Chris Waller told News Corp.
Charlie Duckworth
“Obviously we won the first edition with Kolding but haven’t been able to be victorious in the race since then with some nice runners.
“Kovalica looks like he is going to be incredibly hard to beat and he just needs to draw that better barrier after he was a victim of circumstances his past two runs but the last 600 metres of both races have been unbelievable.
“Osipenko is going well, Jason Collett was buzzing when he got off the colt on Friday after an unbelievable trial.
“While Age Of Kings is a Royal Ascot winner so it’s hard to knock that form, it’s just whether he adapts to the way races are run down here at his first time of asking. It’s a big ask but he has the engine and talent to do it.”
No Derby for Tom
James Cummings reported that Saturday’s impressive G1 Spring Champion S. victor Tom Kitten (Harry Angel {Ire}) will not progress to the G1 VRC Derby and has instead been sent to the paddock. However, the Cummings-trained 3-year-olds will still be in action with the star colt Cylinder (Exceed And Excel) set to chase glory in the G1 Coolmore Stud S.
Cylinder | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Godolphin’s Managing Director, Vin Cox, told Racing.com on Monday, “Cylinder will make his presence felt after that great run in The Everest.
“It was exciting to have him in The Everest, and now we’re looking forward to having him in the Coolmore, which is shaping as one of the strongest editions ever to be run.”
The Godolphin-owned and Cummings-trained Zardozi (Kingman {GB}) will also tackle the G2 Wakeful S. on Saturday.
Scorse in an induced coma
Following the fall on Sunday at Taree during the running of Race 6, that saw three jockeys transported to hospital - Courtney Van Der Werf, Jeff Penza and Lachlan Scorse.
It has been confirmed by Racing NSW that Scorse is in an induced coma after being airlifted to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle.
“Lachlan Scorse is in an induced coma currently undergoing scans in hospital. Courtney (Van Der Werf) is waiting to have x-rays on a suspected fractured left clavicle but no other injuries,” Racing NSW confirmed.
“Jeff Penza has fractured ribs, an injury to his lung, and concussion. He was admitted to the ICU overnight.”
Scorse, 19, only began race riding four months ago.
Hawaii Five Oh to soar in Eagle?
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Hawaii Five Oh (I Am Invincible) will tackle the 1500-metre $10 Golden Eagle on Saturday after finishing sixth in The Everest over 1200 metres.
Hawaii Five Oh
Despite the increase in distance, Waterhouse harbours no fears, “That won’t be a problem because that’s what he needs (increase in distance),” she told RSN.
“He’s a very smart horse, Hawaii Five Oh, he’s very lightly-raced and very good.”
Veight raring to go
Exciting 3-year-old Veight (Grunt {NZ}) is set to tackle the G1 Coolmore Stud S. for Tony and Calvin McEvoy. The son of Grunt (NZ) was last seen running second to Griff (Trapeze Artist) in the G1 Caulfield Guineas, the performance prompted his trainers to freshen Veight up for the 1200-metre sprint on Saturday.
In preparation for the sprint Veight had a 800-metre jump-out at Flemington last Friday and was ridden by Jamie Kah.
“Veight went down the straight and was really good,” Calvin McEvoy told RSN.
“We wanted to see him go straight, and he did. He went beautifully straight. We weren’t there to do much. No-one in that jump-out really was and hence the slower time than the other heats.
“The horse is in fantastic order, and we feel he has freshened up beautifully and Jamie (Kah) got a lot of confidence out of the jump-out and she thinks he’s going beautifully.”
