Golden Slipper draw not ideal for favourite
The favourite Storm Boy (Justify {USA}) drew barrier two for the G1 Golden Slipper, but it wasn’t quite what his leviathan owners were hoping for. “We wanted to be in the middle of the field with Storm Boy because he can be slightly slowly away, so Ryan (Moore) could make his own luck,” Coolmore's Tom Magnier told smh.com.au.
“You can’t be unhappy with the two barriers we got and the other colt (Switzerland) has drawn really well in gate seven. In a perfect world, I would probably like to swap the draws. But I have spoken to Gai Waterhouse and Chris Waller about the barriers, and they are both delighted, so we’ll see who is the best horse on Saturday.”
Storm Boy | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Three of the six Waterhouse/Bott runners drew the inside barriers with Fully Lit (Hellbent) in one, Storm Boy in two, and Shangri La Express (Alabama Express) in three.
“To get six in the race and have four draw in the five inside gates, it doesn’t get much better than that,” Bott said. “Even Straight Charge in barrier nine isn’t that bad because he will go forward. They went out and did the right things on the track (on Tuesday) morning, so it has been a good day for us and hopefully that continues to Saturday.”
Moonee Valley Race Club announce changes to spring programming
Moonee Valley Racing Club’s revamp of its 2024 Spring Racing Carnival will launch on AFL Grand Final Eve (September 27) with the Ladbrokes Friday Night Lights featuring the G1 Ladbrokes Manikato S. and the G2 Feehan S. This moves the Feehan about two weeks later than its usual spring slot in early September, and puts it four weeks before the G1 WS Cox Plate.
This moves the Manikato back to the earlier time that it had up to 2011, and the G1 Moir S. will also move to September 7. “The MVRC is delighted with the new programming for some of our key races on the Spring calendar,” Moonee Valley Racing Club Chief Executive Officer Michael Browell told Racingvictoria.com.au.
“The move of our two feature sprint races, the G1 Charter Keck Cramer Moir Stakes and G1 Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes, earlier in the spring, offers the optimal chance for Australia’s best sprinters to chase Group 1 success at The Valley.”
2024 Moonee Valley Racing Club Spring racing carnival changes; G1 Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes on September 27 2024 (Ladbrokes Friday Night Lights Season Launch). G2 Feehan Stakes on September 27 2024 (Ladbrokes Friday Night Lights Season Launch). G1 Charter Keck Cramer Moir Stakes on September 7 2024. G2 McEwen Stakes on October 26 2024 (Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day). G2 Stocks Stakes on September 27 with distance change from 1600 metres to 1500 metres and SWP from WFA conditions.
Melbourne Racing Club unhappy about Spring Carnival changes
Racing Victoria and Moonee Valley’s changes to the spring programming have upset the Melbourne Racing Club who believe the G1 Underwood S. will be badly affected by moving the G2 Feehan to be six days after the Underwood. “We understand and respect the MVRC's desire to grow and enhance its racing product, which is its prerogative, as it is any club's. But that shouldn't come at the expense of others and to the detriment of Victorian racing generally,” MRC executive director of racing and operations Jake Norton said.
“The disruption to the existing spring racing program, and specific races within it, that is presented by the proposal are obvious. Why put the strength and depth of established Group 1 races at risk in order to promote a Group 2? It doesn't make sense. Moreover, there is already racing on AFL Grand Final weekend that serves the purpose of satisfying programming requirements for Victorian racing at that time.”
“The change is needless, on balance negative for Victorian racing, and that is a view that has been held by RVL management for many, many years, so a sudden change to that attitude is quite odd. In saying that, the changes to the sprint program, on the other hand, make obvious sense and we credit the MVRC and RVL on that.”
Te Akau bringing a strong team to the Valley
Te Akau Racing have a strong team for Saturday’s meeting at Moonee Valley, led by sprinting star Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) who is defending her G1 William Reid title. “Imperatriz was very tough running second in the Newmarket Handicap last time, is unbeaten in four starts at Moonee Valley, and hopefully she is able to go back-to-back in the William Reid,” Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis said in a press release. The stable will also have Skew Wiff (NZ) (Savabeel) in the same race.
Campionessa (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) contends the G2 Sunline Stakes, Quintessa (NZ) (Shamus Award) will run in the Gr2 Alister Clark Stakes, Certainly (NZ) (Savabeel) is in the Gr3 Alexandra Stakes, and stablemates Mehzebeen (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) and Prismatic (NZ) (Savabeel) are running in non-stakes races.
“Quintessa ran a great race for fourth in the Australian Guineas last start and I think she’ll appreciate getting up in trip,” Ellis said.
Quintessa (NZ) | Image courtesy of Peter Rubery (Race Images)
“The two Waikato Stud fillies (Certainly and Skew Wiff) are both of the highest quality, and Campionessa is one of the gamest mares we’ve got in the stable, so we’re looking forward to seeing how it unfolds on Saturday.
“Karyn (Fenton-Ellis, wife and Te Akau Racing director) and I are going over to host our owners and while we’re under no illusions about the quality of the fields, we’re excited about being part of it with some good chances.
“It’s a massive day for us and maybe the most stakes runners a New Zealand stable has ever had on a race day in Australia.”
Oakleigh Plate winner to take on Imperatriz
Trainer Shane Oxlade believes G1 Oakleigh Plate winner Queman (Mint Lane {USA}) is suited to Moonee Valley’s tight turns. "He's done really well since the Oakleigh Plate, he had a jumpout at home last Thursday," Oxlade told Racenet.com.au.
"I don't think The Valley will worry him, he's good around the corners, that's why I've kept him away from the straights. He'd want to begin (well), because they don't waste any time there, they just run along. The good part is he's drawn a gate so he can be right there.”
Queman has won five of his last six starts, and a total of nine wins from 21 starts with earnings over $900,000.
Owners vote to retain Williams for Mr Brightside
Lindsay Park Racing confirmed on Tuesday that the ownership group of Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) voted in favour of retaining jockey Craig Williams for the G1 Australian Cup. “We are pleased to report Craig Williams has been booked to ride Mr Brightside in the Australian Cup after a majority vote in his favour among the ownership group. We are so proud of Mr B's run and efforts in the ASM & he has pulled up very well. We look forward to his next run,” the stable told Racing.com.
Cylinder has no rider for the William Reid
With regular jockey Jamie Kah riding in Sydney at the Golden Slipper meeting, Cylinder (Exceed and Excel) has been left without a rider for Saturday’s G1 William Reid S.
“Ben (Melham) was happy to come and help us at trackwork this morning,” Godolphin stable foreman Nacim Dilmi told Racing.com on Tuesday.
Cylinder (blue silks) | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“Obviously, Jamie Kah being in Sydney for the Golden Slipper and the unfortunate circumstance that both races are clashing this year, so we've got a few jockeys in talks. Ben Melham is in the mix to ride the horse but we're just waiting to see acceptances and we will be making the right decision hopefully. He's getting a bit more weight on his back this Saturday, we had a few names thrown at us, but we just have to wait about 24 hours now.”
Melham is currently booked to ride I Am Me (I Am Invincible) in the William Reid.
Albury Country Championship quinella have another crack
Thursday’s Albury meeting will see the Albury Country Championship quinella clash again but this time with Asgarda (The Brothers War) meeting Bianco Vilano (Foxwedge) 1kg better off. Both are set to run in the $1 million Championship Final in the city in a month.
“There were a couple of options for Bianco before the Championships Final and this was the best one to start him in the City Handicap and then he has two weeks until that race,” trainer Ron Stubbs told Racingnsw.com.au.
“There is four and a half kilograms between the two horses this time so that is a bit. The best barometer with Bianco Vilano is when he is up and about at the stables and that is how he is. He has just kept ticking over and is exactly how he was before he won the Championships.”
Bianco Vilano has won six of his 12 starts, including that last start victory over Asgarda, with earnings over $330,000.
Parnham opts for juvenile Earthstorm over Melbourne
Jockey Steven Parnham has chosen to stay in Perth to ride 2-year-old filly Earthstorm (Calyx {GB}) in the Listed Supremacy S, rather than travel to Melbourne to ride Zipaway (Playing God) in the G2 Alister Clarke S. “I love riding in the big races in Melbourne, love the challenge, but one that I had to pass up this time,” Parnham told rwwa.com.au.
“It’s not her grand final, but I want to get an indication that she’s on the right track heading to a Karrakatta and Sires.” Earthstorm ran third on debut with Parnham riding her that day, and she flew home from the back of the pack to finish only a length off the winner.
Steven Parnham | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
Zipaway will be ridden by Declan Bates in Melbourne. “If he runs really well there’s the option of bringing him back home for the WA Derby (2400m),” Parnham said. “If he doesn’t he will go to the paddock.”
NZ Derby runner-up ready for Alister Clark
Antrim Coast (NZ) (Roc De Cambes {NZ}) who ran second the G1 New Zealand Derby will fly to Melbourne this week for a run in the G2 Alister Clark S. “We all knew the filly (Orchestral) was better than the rest of us, but I was so pleased that he found the line well. I think ultimately he will be a two-mile horse,” The Oaks Stud General Manager Rick Williams told Loveracing.nz.
“Saturday will work out how we plan his races from now on and whether we go to South Australia or Queensland. We will get a line on where he sits in the pecking order over there.”
Antrim Coast is a homebred for The Oaks Stud and has won two of his 11 starts with earnings over NZ$240,000.
Sydney Cup target for Trust In You
Sixth place in the G2 Auckland Cup over two miles was enough to convince trainers Grant Cooksley and Bruce Wallace that Trust In You (NZ) (Sweynesse) should be aimed at the G1 Sydney Cup next month. “He has come through the Auckland Cup well,” Cooksley said.
“If he goes over to Australia, it will be for the Sydney Cup and he may run a week prior in the G2 Chairman’s. It will be a nice race for him, Randwick is a fair bit different than what Ellerslie is. At Ellerslie, you have to be on the pace at the moment, but at Randwick you can come from anywhere.”
Trust In You (NZ) | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Trust In You has won four of his 25 starts and was a Group 3 winner over 2400 metres earlier this season and he has earnings over NZ$300,000. Purchased by Wallace Thoroughbreds for NZ$26,000 from Novara Park at the New Zealand National Yearling Sale, Trust In You is out of Listed winner Shinko Bay (NZ) (Shinko King {Ire}).
Tasmanian representative for Apprentice Series changed
The 2024 National Apprentice Race Series (NARS) begins at Murray Bridge in South Australia on Wednesday with Taylor Johnstone replacing last year’s champion apprentice Chelsea Baker who is ill. “I was injured last year so I missed my opportunity in Melbourne as part of this series,” Johnstone told Tasracing.com.au.
“It’s pretty exciting to get the chance this year and experience riding at a different track.”
The second leg will be held on Sunday at Hobart, where Jackson Radley will be the local representative while Johnstone will also represent Tasmania in the final leg in Doomben. Erica Byrne Burke will ride in leg 3 and Chloe Wells in leg 4.
Fleur Blanch hoping for a metro birthday present
Trainer Fleur Blanch is hoping Dark Euro (Eurozone) can provide her with her first metropolitan winner, and a belated birthday present, on Wednesday at Doomben. “He’s been ultra-competitive in his races and we would have liked a better barrier but hopefully he can find a nice position early. He’s got a wonderful turn of foot and it’s the best I’ve ever had him for a first-up run,” Blanch told Racingqueensland.com.au.
“I’ve only been training for just over four years but I was a foreman for Gai Waterhouse for 12 years and then I had a year off and went to the United States to work with Todd Pletcher.”
Blanch has a team of eight horses in work, and Dark Euro hasn’t raced since December where he finished up a streak of four second placings in succession. Overall he has five wins and 19 placings from 47 starts with earnings over $150,000.
Golden Slipper winning jockey dies aged 93
In the week of the G1 Golden Slipper, the oldest living Golden Slipper winner jockey Cliff Clare has died aged 93. He rode Sweet Embrace (Todman) to win the Slipper in 1967. “I wasn't even going to ride her,” Clare told Sky Racing in a recent interview.
Cliff Clare | Image courtesy of Australian Turf Club
“(George) Moore rode it before and it ran last. He jumped out, it's by Todman, and led and ran last and Teddy Stanton said to me ‘he shouldn't have rode it (like that), I asked him to not let it go. Ted Stanton said when you ride this horse, I don't want you to go to the front, I want you to grab him, sit back about midfield and see how she comes home. It was fantastic. It was one race I always wanted to win in Sydney, the Slipper.”
Clare spent much of his life married to Shirley, until her passing, and he is survived by his daughter Robyn. His son Stephen died earlier this year. One of the founding riders at the Illawarra Turf Club when it was formed in 1976, he was recently inaugurated to the club’s ‘Legends' program alongside Bede Murray, Gwenda Markwell and Julie Humphries.
Kervette to break maiden at Wyong
Trainer Kristen Buchanan has had four winners in the past eight days and thinks 3-year-old filly Kervette (Kermadec {NZ}) can continue with the same at Wyong on Wednesday. “I love racing at Wyong and it’s great to have a metropolitan meeting here,” Buchanan told Racingnsw.com.au.
“Kervette has been pretty unlucky in her races, and I think she should have won two or three races by now. She’s been knocking on the door. The step up to the mile last start was experimental but she’s seasoned at that distance now and it looks like an ideal race.”
Kervette has placed in three of her last four starts.
Weir hearing continues
More evidence was heard at day two (Tuesday March 19) of the Darren Weir Victorian Racing Tribunal hearing, where he has pleaded guilty to cruelty charges but not guilty to three charges of conduct that corrupts the outcome of a race.
Racing Victoria's Chairman of Stewards Rob Montgomery spoke early in the day about the stewards inquiry into the whole matter and how they interviewed over 60 people as part of their proceedings.
Darren Weir
Respected equine scientist Dr Andrew McLean was quizzed by the defence at length about research into whether training with jiggers had an affect on raceday performance.
Of note, it was revealed on Twitter late on Monday night, that Judge Bowman mentioned during the Monday session that some time ago he had interest in horse trained by Weir. He also declared that he never met him and the horse was so slow it never raced.
Kyneton’s interesting winners on Tuesday
Tuesday’s meeting at the Kyneton and Hanging Rock race club had three interesting winners. 3-year-old gelding Sirveke (NZ) (Proisir) won on debut over 1856 metres for trainer Patrick Payne. Well-bred 3-year-old gelding Capital Lover (Capitalist) broke his maiden at his fourth start.
A son of G1 Champagne S. winner Carry On Cutie (More Than Ready), he was a $115,000 weanling purchase by The Lofty Thoroughbred Group from Davali Thoroughbreds at the Inglis Sydney Weanling Sale, and 3-year-old filly Thargomindah (Reward For Effort) took her record to two from two for trainer Peter Moody who also owns her.
New juvenile winner for first season sire Dubious
Queensland sire Dubious gained a new 2-year-old winner when the filly Caracristi won at Mackay on Tuesday. She was having her third start for trainer Jared Wehlow, having placed fourth and second in her first two starts.
Dubious | Standing at Kitchwin Hills
A $30,000 purchase from Silverstream Consignment at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Caracristi was bought by Justin Fung, Aquis Stallions, and Jared Wehlow. Dubious stands at Kitchwin Hills and he has three winners in his first crop this season.
Brilliant start to Flat season for Ballydoyle
Trainer Aidan O’Brien got his 2024 flat season off to a flyer in winning the first stakes race at the Curragh with Brilliant (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) taking out the G3 Lodge Park Stud Irish EBF Park Express S. “I think she probably had the best form in the race and, on her first run of the year, I'm delighted with her,” O'Brien said.
“She'd been working nicely and is a hardy filly. It's a big call for 3-year-olds against older horses on that ground at this time of the year. She'll step up and a mile is good for her. That will be her trial and she'll go into one of the Guineas now after that. She might end up going to Newmarket and back here. She doesn't really want that ground, but she went in it.”
Brilliant is the third stakes winner for her winning dam Plying (USA) (Hard Spun {USA}), with the others being multiple Group 1 winner Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) and Listed winner Alexander James (Ire) (Camelot {GB}).
Badel aims for back to back Hong Kong Derby wins
Jockey Alexis Badel won last year’s Hong Kong Derby on Voyage Bubble (Deep Field) at 46-1 with a patient ride, and he thinks a similar tactic on Beauty Crescent (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) this year might work again. “It was a great surprise last year, so I’m looking forward to riding in this big race again,” Badel told scmp.com.
“His last run was good – no blinkers, drawn wide, distance wise it was very difficult, so it was a pretty good effort. I think it’s fair to say that the distance is a big question mark. Quality wise, he seems to be all right. Honestly I don’t think the [barrier] draw will be that important because if you want him to see out the distance, you want him to switch off.
Alexis Badel | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
“Either way, I’m expecting to ride a quiet race, as far as I’m concerned. But of course, the trainer will indicate what he wants to do.”
Beauty Crescent has yet to win in Hong Kong with his two career wins coming back in Ireland. In Hong Kong, he has six placings from 12 starts.
Hong Kong quartet leave for Dubai
The four Hong Kong contenders for the Dubai World Cup meeting all departed Sha Tin Racecourse for Dubai on Tuesday. California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner) and Sight Success (Magnus) will run in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint, while Straight Arron (Fastnet Rock) and Voyage Bubble (Deep Field) will compete in the G1 Dubai Turf at Meydan on Saturday, 30 March.
The Al Quoz Sprint was won by Hong Kong trained Amber Sky (Exceed and Excel) in 2014, while Australian-breds Buffering (Mossman) and Ortensia (Testa Rossa) have also won it. Ortensia’s win came in 2012, the first year that the race was upgraded to Group 1 status.
First juvenile race in Ireland goes to first season sire
The first 2-year-old race for the 2024 season in Ireland went to Arizona Blaze (GB) (Sergei Prokofiev {Can}) who was the first runner and winner for his sire. “David [Egan, jockey] said he's a very nice horse with loads of improvement,” trainer Adrian Murray said.
“Hopefully he can build on this and maybe go to Royal Ascot. Whether he'll have a run in the meantime, we'll have to wait and see.”
Standing at Whitsbury Manor Stud for £6,000, Sergei Prokofiev is a son of Scat Daddy and he was a group winner as a 2-year-old and a Listed winner at three.
