The Autumn Sun injured
Arrowfield Stud’s Group 1 producing stallion, The Autumn Sun, has unfortunately sustained a pelvic injury in his paddock. "We anticipate the injury will respond favourably to box rest for a period of time," Arrowfield said in a press release.
The Autumn Sun | Standing at Arrowfield
"Arrowfield is optimistic he will recover in time for the 2024 breeding season; however, the decision on his availability will be guided by veterinary advice with a focus on his long-term health and well-being. Our veterinary team is confident that The Autumn Sun will make a full recovery."
The Autumn Sun recently sired his first Group 1 winner when first crop 3-year-old filly Autumn Angel won the G1 Australian Oaks. He has four stakes winners from his first crop.
Amelia’s Jewel switches to Neasham stable
Group 1 winning mare Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) will change to the eastern state stable of Annabel Neasham after the G1 Goodwood H. “We'll probably only do the one run,” owner Peter Walsh told Racing.com.
“I talked to Simon yesterday and it's a little bit hard to get the transport from Adelaide to the Gold Coast, so we'll look at it, but I don't think we'll be going there. We want to make sure we've got a fresh horse for Annabel and then when she's finished in Adelaide, she'll go to Segenhoe for a break and then when Annabel thinks she needs to come in, she will. We can't overcook her. We have to make sure Annabel gets a fresh horse.”
Nasty fall at Toowoomba
Race 1 at Toowoomba on Tuesday was marred by a nasty fall. Jockey Pietro Romeo fell from Sosthenes (Worthy Cause) who sadly had to be euthanised, while Olivia Kendall fell from Hughie Vuitton (De Shamekh) who was uninjured in the incident.
Both jockeys were concious after the fall and were taken to hospital for observation. Romeo had a sore neck and shoulder, while Kendall had a possible broken collarbone.
Sangster for Benedetta
Jason Warren says Benedetta (Hellbent) is a live chance in Saturday's G1 Robert Sangster S. “She won the Irwin here really well here over 1100 (metres), so stepping to 1200m in mares grade looks really ideal for her,” he told Racing.com.
“Daniel Stackhouse rode her in the Irwin and he'll stay in the saddle … he knows Benedetta really well and rides her with a great deal of confidence, which I think is really important.
Benedetta | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“It's always a very tough race to win, but I think she's a terrific each-way chance and hopefully we can come out on top.”
Maher can’t split Vinnie fillies
Trainer Ciaron Maher can’t split his two I Am Invincible fillies, Estriella and I Am Me, for Saturday’s G1 Robert Sangster S. at Morphettville. “Estriella is obviously a 3-year-old and has plenty of ability and I Am Me has that strength and experience as she's a bit older, so there's really not a lot between them,” Maher told Racing.com on Tuesday.
“They worked yesterday and both worked well. They've both done what they have had to, so looking forward to Saturday.”
Potential date change for Adelaide Cup
South Australian Jockey Club CEO Grant Mayer says the final decision on moving the Adelaide Cup to be part of the Sportsbet Adelaide Racing Carnival rests with the SA State Government. “I've been here seven years and there's a discussion pretty much every year,” Mayer told Racing.com.
“The most important thing for the Cup for us is around the public holiday, we own that day in March and that's what we want, ultimately, it's a decision for the State Government to talk about where the public holiday sits.”
Caulfield a potential for AFL team
AFL Demons' chief executive Gary Pert has informed club members that a feasibility study is being conducted on using the Caulfield reserve as their home base. “Our goal is to not only provide a home base for the Melbourne Football Club, but to also contribute positively to sport and recreation opportunities for the wider community,” Pert said in the letter to MFC members.
Gary Pert
“Obviously the reserve is set aside for racing, recreation and public parks so racing is acknowledged as a key tenant here, so just making sure that racing is protected and be able to be utilised here at the racecourse like it has for the last 140 years,” MRC chief executive Josh Blanksby told Racing.com.
Melham to back sooner than expected
Jockey Ben Melham will be back racing in the near future according to his manager Mathew Alesci. Originally suspected to be a fracture, Melham escaped with bad bruising to a thigh muscle. “He’s dodged a massive bullet because it really could have been much worse, thankfully he’s been cleared of more serious injuries,” Alesci told Racing.com.
“The horses back leg went into his thigh pretty bad and he said it had felt like a bad break so we’re all thankfully relieved it isn’t worse and he’ll be back soon. He’s had to give up some good rides over the Adelaide Carnival unfortunately but we’ll be looking towards the Queensland winter and into the spring.”
Call Me Gorgeous set for maiden win
Deep Field 3-year-old gelding Call Me Gorgeous will be fit for Thursday’s assignment as he attempts to break his maiden at his second start. “The horse drawn outside him ran off the track and he got confused and probably chased it for the first 50 metres of the race,” trainer David Pfieffer told Racingnsw.com.au about Call Me Gorgeous’ first start where he eventually ran second.
Call Me Gorgeous | Image courtesy of Inglis
“He’s a nice horse with plenty of ability and a big future. He’s probably still a bit immature but we’ve taken our time with him and I think we’ll see a solid performance from him.”
Big Dance ticket on cards for Zouatica
4-year-old gelding Zouatica (Zoustar) already has a ticket for The Big Dance, but his training team want to make sure he’ll make the field, so he’ll run in Thursday’s Anzac Day Cup at Kensington. “If he wins this one we should be going close (to being in the field),” co-trainer Matt Jones told Racingnsw.com.au.
“He goes out for six weeks then we start winding him up into the Big Dance third-up.” Zouatica has won six of his 12 starts with earnings over $220,000.
Three strong runners for Godolphin at Newcastle
Wednesday’s Newcastle meeting will see three runners for the James Cummings/Godolphin team with two of them running in the 2-year-old event. Rachel King will ride Glorioso (Epaulette) while apprentice Zac Lloyd will ride Voila (Exceed and Excel). Lloyd rode Voile to win a recent Warwick Farm trial on the synthetic track. Back in December she was a $5.50 chance in the Listed Merson Cooper at Caufield but was unplaced.
Lloyd is also booked for Godolphin's 3-year-old gelding Royal Standard (Dundeel {NZ}).
Martin gets nearly five month ban over illegal substance
Trainer Tim Martin will serve a four-and-a-half month ban after one of his stable's winning runners tested positive to a prohibited substance on raceday earlier this year. Give Me Joy (Caravaggio {USA}) won a Class 1 H. at Wyong on January 6 but found to have traces of trendione, trenbolone and epitrenbolone in her urine sample.
Tim Martin
Martin, who trained Exceed and Excel, is banned until September 5, 2024. It is Martin's fourth positive swab offences over 35 years of training.
Weir trial results to be announced on Wednesday
The Victorian Racing Tribunal will announce their findings in the Darren Weir case on Wednesday. Weir pleaded guilty to three charges of using an electrical "jigger" on horses, three charges of animal cruelty and one charge of improper and dishonourable conduct at a VRT hearing last month.
Weir pleaded not guilty to the serious charge of engaging in conduct to affect the outcome of the 2018 Melbourne Cup. Additionally, Weir served a four-year disqualification for possession of jiggers, which were found in a raid on his properties at Warrnambool and Ballarat in early 2019.
Ellerslie remedial work to commence immediately
The planned May 25 meeting at Ellerslie in New Zealand will be transferred to Pukekohe Park with planned winter renovations to begin immediately. The change is a response to partial abandonments of race meetings at Ellerslie on 10 and 20 April.
Our team shares a sense of disappointment and frustration, not only for ourselves but also for the broader industry,” Auckland Thoroughbred Racing Chief Executive Paul Wilcox told Loveracing.nz. “We have had every confidence in the new surface and, while we still strongly believe this is the right track for us, are sorry to those for whom have been let down over the past couple of weeks.”
Wootton Basset entire aimed at Arc
Trainer Joseph O'Brien will aim 4-year-old entire Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) at the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. “He's looked a bit special at home - and it could be straight to Royal Ascot now,” O’Brien told Racingpost.com about Al Riffa’s proposed first step towards the Arc.
Joseph O'Brien
Al Riffa won two of his three starts at two, then at three he only two starts before an injury ruled him out for the rest of the season. At his most recent start, he ran second by 0.75l to unbeaten Arc winner Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}) in the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville in August 2023.
