‘Ollie’ sweats on Alenquer’s fitness
Outgoing jockey Damien Oliver may be forced to watch Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup from the sidelines, with his mount, Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}), still not cleared to take part in the great race.
The Michael Moroney-trained Alenquer was inspected on Monday morning as part of the mandatory pre-race veterinary inspections for the Melbourne Cup. The horse continued to show signs of soreness in the near fore foot as a result of the stone bruise which was reported on Sunday.
Damien Oliver | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Alenquer will be re-examined by Racing Victoria veterinarians on Tuesday morning prior to final scratching time (7.30am AEDT) to determine his suitability to race.
The remaining 22 horses have been passed as suitable to race.
Cleveland withdrawn from Cup
The Kris Lees-trained Cleveland (GB) (Camelot {GB}) was on Monday afternoon scratched from Tuesday’s G1 Melbourne Cup after the 6-year-old presented with an elevated temperature.
The G2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup winner’s withdrawal leaves Lloyd Williams with one runner - Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), as he looks to win the race for an eighth time.
Lees will be represented by Saturday’s G3 Archer S. victor Kalapour (Ire) (War Command {USA}).
Freedman confident with Caulfield Cup hero
Sam Freedman, who trains in partnership with father Anthony, believes Without A Fight (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) is well-placed to tackle this year’s Melbourne Cup.
The 7-year-old finished 13th in the race last year on unsuitable ground.
Without A Fight is looking to become the 12th horse to win the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups double and the first since Ethereal (NZ) (Rythym {USA}) in 2001 when he lines up at Flemington on Tuesday.
“It looks like we will get good ground this time,” Freedman told Racing And Sports.
Without A Fight (Ire) | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He’s got to run the trip. There’s that little knock on him, but I think he will. He was strong in the Caulfield Cup, so we’re hopeful.
“He’s gone up in weight from Caulfield, but he’s got the weight for a reason, and I think it’s deserved.
“He's been excellent since the Caulfield Cup
“He pulled up great from the race and he’s as good as you can hope.”
Purton aims for pinnacle
Superstar jockey Zac Purton claims winning a Melbourne Cup would be the greatest moment of his illustrious career.
The Hong Kong-based Australian will partner Willie Mullins’ Absurde (Fr) (Fastnet Rock) on Tuesday.
“I think this would be the pinnacle, this would top everything off,” the six-time Hong Kong Champion Jockey told Racing.com.
“It’s the race in Australia that every jockey wants to win, it’s the race from Australia that’s known globally, and I have a nice opportunity.
“Hopefully, we can make the most of it.”
Dunn bullish ahead of The Big Dance
Murwillumbah-based trainer Matthew Dunn is confident his in-form gelding Cepheus (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) can “get it done” in Tuesday’s The Big Dance at Randwick, despite having to shoulder the hefty impost of 62kg.
“It’s always an issue with 62 kilos on his back, particularly given most of the field are carrying 54 and we’re giving them all eight or nine kilos,” Dunn told Racing And Sports.
Cepheus (GB) | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“But I think he can get it done. I don’t think that’s enough to stop him the way he is at the moment, particularly from that gate. Nash will do his thing and the horse will do the rest.”
The 7-year-old has won two in a row and three of his past five starts.
“He is bouncing, he’s really happy. He is going into this race probably as good as I’ve ever had him for any race,” Dunn said.
Frankel set at £350,000
Following another highly successful season, when he sired 11 individual Group 1 winners, Frankel (GB) will stand at Juddmonte's Banstead Manor for £350,000 ($667,890) Special Life Foal (SLF) in 2024.
Kingman (GB), sire of juvenile Group 1 winner King Colorado and 15 individual Group winners this year, is priced at £125,000 ($238,532) SLF. Newcomer Chaldean (GB), winner of the G1 Dewhurst and G1 2000 Guineas, will stand his debut season at £25,000 ($47,706) SLF.
“2023 has been another outstanding season for the Juddmonte stallions. A season which sees Frankel poised to win his second Champion Sire title in the last three years and a year where the Juddmonte roster was the leading stallion farm at Royal Ascot,” commented Simon Mockridge, General Manager, Juddmonte UK.
Frankel (£125,000/$238,532) and Kingman (£40,000/$76,330) were available to cover on Southern Hemisphere time this year as well.
Joseph aiming for another Randwick boilover
Group 1-winning trainer Barbara Joseph has won a big race over the mile at Randwick with an outsider, and she’s hoping to repeat the dose on Tuesday.
The Joseph-trained Merimbula Bay was a 33/1 chance when he won the G1 Doncaster H. in 1989. The Canberra-based conditioner, who now trains alongside sons Paul and Matt Jones, has Super Helpful (Super One) and Manderboss (NZ) (Vadamos {Fr}) in the $3 million race, and while the punters may not be keen, Joseph claims the pair are not hopeless.
“Both of our horses are going into The Big Dance in good form,” Joseph told Racenet.
“They don’t know what odds they are.”
Oaks favourites draw well
The James Cummings-trained Zardozi (Kingman {GB}) and the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Tropical Squall (Prized Icon), who head the market for Thursday’s G1 Kennedy Oaks at Flemington, both fared well at Tuesday’s barrier draw. The former will jump from gate six, while the latter breaks from stall three.
Saturday’s Wakeful S. victress Amazonian Lass (More Than Ready {USA}), who is a stablemate of Tropical Squall, has drawn wide in 13.
Mark Zahra jumps aboard Mark Smith’s Aethelflaed (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), with Damien Oliver sticking with Basilinna (NZ) (Staphanos {Jpn}) for David and Emma-Lee Browne.
Fourteen fillies are set to face the starter in the $1 million race over 2500 metres.
Two for Alabama Express in G3 Ottawa Stakes
Exciting freshman sire Alabama Express has two chances to add to his winning tally on Thursday. The Richard and Chantelle Jolly-trained Karavas, who is already a winner, and the Ben, Will and JD Hayes-trained Harpalee will represent the Yulong Stud resident in the $200,000 G3 Ottawa S. on Oaks Day at Flemington.
Alabama Express | Standing at Yulong
Alabama Express has had two winners from just three starters.
The Ottawa S. has attracted a field of nine juveniles.
So You Think filly impressive on debut
The Grahame Begg-trained So Glamorous (So You Think {NZ}) looks to have a bright future, judging by her victory at Ballarat.
The 3-year-old filly broke her maiden at the first time of asking, scoring by 0.5l under Jordan Childs.
Bred by Connolly Horse Breeding, So Glamorous made $230,000 at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. She was offered by Edinglassie Stud and bought by Grahame Begg Racing.
The filly is from the winning Redoute’s Choice mare Glamorous Miss and she herself is a half-sister to Madame Andree (War Emblem {USA}) - the dam of the Group 3 winner Anders, who now stands at Widden Stud.
Other stakes winners on So Glamorous’ page include Exciting Story (USA) and Diablo’s Story (USA) (Diablo {USA}).
New winner for The Autumn Sun
Arrowfield Stud’s second-season sire The Autumn Sun logged his 11th win of the season when Hydrogen Power broke his maiden tag at Ballarat.
The Autumn Sun sits third in the second-season sires’ table.
Hydrogen Power is from Madam Tracy (Encosta De Lago) and is closely related to the Group 1 winners Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) and Typhoon Tracy (Red Ransom {USA}).
Bred by Hutchins Thoroughbreds, the 3-year-old was offered by Element Hill at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, with DGR Thoroughbred Services (FBAA) and Mick Price Racing & Breeding paying $280,000 for him.
Cosmic Force continues to impress
Forty-eight hours after the Chris Munce-trained Devine Force (Cosmic Force) made it two wins from as many starts when taking out the 2-year-old fillies’ handicap at Eagle Farm, Full Force continued the momentum for his freshman sire when he was first home in an 850-metre trial at Woodville.
Full Force is trained by Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard at Otaki. Benner Racing paid NZ$135,000 for the colt from the Kilgravin Lodge draft at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale (Book 1).
Cosmic Force | Standing at Newgate Farm
He hails from the family of the great Fastnet Rock.
Full Force is the second foal from Jawhara (Exceed And Excel), who was placed at three in Australia. The filly’s second dam is the stakes performer Emotional Circus (Elusive Quality {USA}) and she herself is a half-sister to the stakes performer Twirl (Lonhro).
New programs open up more opportunities for retired racehorses
Racing Victoria (RV) has announced three pilot programs to further Victoria’s support for retired racehorses.
The programs build upon RV’s existing post-racing initiatives that aim to complement the work done by owners and trainers in transitioning and caring for their horses post racing.
The Retired Thoroughbred Companion Program will support those people who take on a thoroughbred as a companion horse so they can enjoy a happy post-racing life in a paddock, when they aren’t suited to a riding career or able to transition through one of RV’s other programs.
The Clerk of Course Subsidy Program is being introduced to help achieve a goal of all Victorian Clerk of Course horses being thoroughbreds.
The Refit Subsidy Program will provide additional financial support to RV Acknowledged Retrainers who take on retired racehorses deemed to be physically unsound but who, with short-term rehabilitation, have good prospects of being sound to enter a retraining program and enjoy a purposeful second career.
Morton mindful of history
Reigning Western Australia 2-Year-Old Horse of the Year Super Smink (Super One) is certain to start a short-priced in Tuesday’s Listed Burgess Queen S. at Ascot, but trainer Dan Morton is taking nothing for granted.
Barrier one, the fact it’s not Super Smink’s grand final, as well as the record of favourites in the race, is giving Morton something to think about.
“History tells you doesn’t it, after Amelia’s Jewel got beaten last year,” Morton told The Races WA.
Super Smink | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
“And drawn in barrier one if you don’t get clear air when you need it she could be vulnerable.
“But it’s the quickest way around, I’ve already had a chat to Chris (Parnham), but it’s still not her grand final.
“I would be guarded at the price, but if Chris gets her out she should be hard to beat.”
Crazy Brave chasing another victory
The well-related Crazy Brave (Zoustar), from the Annabel Neasham stable, will chase his second career victory at Eagle Farm on Tuesday.
The lightly raced 4-year-old gelding carries an impressive page, his dam Rubi Dee (I Am Invincible) is a sister to the dual Group 1 winner Brazen Beau.
Crazy Brave is owned by prominent owners Linda and Graham Huddy of Peachester Lodge located in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.
Todd Pollard, Annabel Neasham’s stable manager, told RSN, “We race a couple of horses for the Huddys in Brisbane and Sydney and we’ve had some success together.”
Maiden stakes success for freshman sire Enticed
Shimmering Allure (USA) finished a credible fourth in a very competitive renewal of Keeneland’s G1 Alcibiades S. last month, and found the step back to easier company to her liking, taking the Listed Tempted S. at Aqueduct on Sunday.
The winner represents the first stakes winner for freshman sire Enticed (USA), who is out of the multiple Grade 1 winner It’s Tricky (USA) (Mineshaft {USA}). The Darley stallion - a son of Medaglia D’Oro (USA) - has 17 winners from his first crop.
Maitland Cup hailed a success
Newcastle on Saturday held its annual Maitland Cup Day, the event was given an additional boost with the Maitland Rugby Union Club on-course to celebrate their resounding victory in the community’s Grand Final; the Maitland Rugby Union Club’s first since 1999.
For Duane Dowell, the CEO of Newcastle Racecourse, the day represented the Club’s enduring bond with Maitland Rugby and dedication to supporting the local community.
“Newcastle Racecourse takes immense pride in supporting our region, and there is no better place to celebrate than amidst the thrill of the races. Our hearty congratulations go out to the Maitland Blacks for their exceptional season, and we eagerly anticipate the excitement that the next year holds.
Aquacade takes aim at Balmerino
Lance Noble is hopeful Aquacade (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}) will get her chance to add the G3 Balmerino S. to her CV on Tuesday at Pukekohe Park.
The mare was recently placed behind Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) in the Listed Matamata Cup.
Aquacade (NZ) | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“Aquacade is really well, it was a great effort fresh-up against Legarto,” Noble told NZ Racing Desk.
“It was going to be about five weeks between runs so we gave her a trial at Te Rapa last week and she surprised us by winning over 1000 metres, so I think she’s pretty fit for tomorrow (Tuesday).
“The 2050 metres should suit her, and she’s got a good record at Pukekohe. It measures up well.”
