Cambridge Stud adds to big weekend with Group 3 win
Cambridge Stud’s outstanding weekend continued at Rotorua on Sunday, with their exciting 4-year-old mare Luberon (NZ) (Embellish {NZ}), trained by Lance Noble, adding a valuable black-type success to her name in the G3 Sweynesse S. “She’s probably just fulfilling the promise she’s shown as a 3-year-old, a few things went wrong so this is very pleasing,” Noble told Loveracing.nz
“She is a great advertisement for Embellish, and it tops off a great weekend for Cambridge Stud.” On Saturday, Snazzytavi (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) won the G1 Livamol Classic (2040 metres) for Cambridge Stud.
A homebred for Cambridge Stud, Luberon has won five of her ten starts, and this was her first black type win. She becomes her sire’s second stakes winner, and she is out of unraced Elegant Achiever (Fastnet Rock).
Listed Seymour Cup won by Midnight Blue
Te Akau Racing continued their good run of form with the Listed Seymour Cup win of Midnight Blue (So You Think {NZ}) on Sunday, ridden by Daniel Stackhouse. “We genuinely thought he was a winning chance,” Mark Walker’s assistant trainer Ben Gleeson told racing.com.
“The writing was on the wall as Stacky could have ridden another horse but he wanted to go with him and that gave me a good confidence boost. His last jump-out was super and just in the last week his coat’s been glowing.” Midnight Blue, an 8-year-old gelding, took his record to seven wins from 34 starts with earnings over $900,000. He was purchased by David Ellis from an Inglis Digital Sale in 2023 for $92,500 and had won the 2022 G2 Perth Cup for his previous connections.
Midnight Blue becomes the 57th stakes winner for So You Think, and is the third stakes winner for Midnight Special (Zabeel {NZ}) who also produced Group 2 winner Demonization (All Too Hard) and Listed winner Neverland (Big Brown {USA}). Midnight Special is a winning sister to Group 3 winner Rainbow Styling (NZ) and a half-sister to Group 3 winner Zingaling (Redoute’s Choice).
‘Best Ever’ to retire to Coolmore Ireland after Breeders’ Cup
City Of Troy (USA) (Justify {USA}), arguably the most talked-about horse in training, will retire to Coolmore Stud in Ireland after his date with destiny in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar on November 2. City Of Troy produced one of the most impressive Derby-winning performances in recent times and followed up on his Epsom heroics with victory in the Coral-Eclipse and Juddmonte International.
Aidan O'Brien's star will not race beyond his 3-year-old campaign and, in a statement issued by Coolmore on Saturday, the trainer commented, “He's definitely the best we've ever trained, no doubt about it.
Aidan O'Brien | Image courtesy of Emma Berry
“Everything he's done from the start has suggested that. He's the most amazing horse with a fantastic temperament and an incredible stride. He just never seems to tire and is really only getting going at the end of his races so Ryan has often had a job to pull him up. We still don't really know how much more there is under the bonnet. I think he'll make into an unbelievable stallion.”
Antino to miss Cox Plate
Trainer Tony Gollan will resist the temptation of an ambitious Cox Plate tilt with Antino (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) after Saturday’s G1 Toorak H. win and stick to the Hong Kong plan. “We didn't accept for the Cox Plate during the week and we have always been really keen to get him to Hong Kong, he will get his vaccinations and all those things,” Gollan told racenet.com.au on Sunday.
“That was probably right at his peak on Saturday, to ask him to do that again in two weeks is going to be a big ask. If we went to a Cox Plate it basically rules out Hong Kong, so the plan is to keep on rolling. So going a month between runs, I think he will be at his top again.
Antino (NZ) | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“I have told everyone for a few years now that he is the best horse I have trained, but he hadn't won a Group 1. When he won (Queensland) Horse of the Year it was a bit strange because he wasn't a Group 1 winner, but I said that night if I didn't win a Group 1 with him this year, I hadn't done my job.”
Zardozi for Cups double
Trainer James Cummings has booked Hong Kong-based Italian rider Andrea Atzeni for Zardozi (Kingman {GB}) for her tilt at the G1 Caulfield Cup and G1 Melbourne Cup. “Number one, he can comfortably ride the weight,” Cummings told racing.com.
“I am impressed with his record in staying races. He’s got some trophies there that would be the envy of most jockeys. He had Circle Of Fire travel so beautifully for him in the Sydney Cup back in April. These types of rides stick in your mind.
“I didn’t have a runner in the Sydney Cup, but I paid attention to his performance on that day and a little birdie gave me the tip-off that he might be available after the Metropolitan, so I engaged his services.
James Cummings | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“She’s the only horse we have remaining in the (Caulfield Cup) acceptances and the only nomination for the Melbourne Cup,” Cummings said.
“We don’t have a stable full of middle-distance and staying horses. We’ve got the emerging Zardozi and we’re very impressed with the way she’s elevated into racing open-class handicaps against the older horses the way she did in the Metropolitan.
“I think I’ll get her ready from home (Osborne Park in NSW) and we’ll bring and down when she’s good and ready. I cast my mind back to 12 months ago and how beautifully she adapted to the Melbourne way (when winning the VRC Oaks). She arguably is ready to run a better race the Melbourne way.”
Mr Brightside confirmed for Cox Plate
Lindsay Park co-trainer Ben Hayes confirmed on Sunday that Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) would run in the G1 WS Cox Plate. “He ran very well. The race shape was not ideal and he always seems to be the one to do the chasing behind these front runners,” Hayes said on RSN.
“He’s on track for the Cox Plate and I notice that rain is forecast, so he will be suited by a track with a bit of give in it. While he runs well on firm tracks, he runs better on surfaces with give.”
Ben Hayes | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The stable will also consider adding the 3-year-old gelding Evaporate (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}).
Aft Cabin dies after trackwork injury
Godolphin’s Group 2 winning 4-year-old gelding Aft Cabin (Astern) was euthanised on Saturday morning following an injury sustained in trackwork. Our condolences to connections and all those who worked with him.
Aft Cabin won four of his 16 starts with earnings over $1.3 million including the 2023 G2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint. A half-brother to Group 3 winner Multaja (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) and Listed winner Veranillo (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}), he was out of Shelters (Lonhro) who is a winning full sister to Group 1 winner Benfica. He was one of 13 stakes winners for Astern.
Port Lincoln fall results in two riders hospitalised
A fall in race three at Port Lincoln on Sunday resulted in two jockeys, apprentice Caitlin Tootell and apprentice Matthew Chadwick being transported to hospital. No report on the riders or horses was available from Racing SA stewards.
Quartet for Wiggins at Townsville
Jockey Ryan Wiggins rode four winners at Townsville’s Sunday meeting aboard 3-year-old gelding Well Held (Kobayashi), Our Turn Now (NZ) (Turn Me Loose {NZ}), Turbeau (Brazen Beau), and Memphis Shadow (American Pharoah {USA}).
Around The Nation: Sunday’s 3-year-old winners
Sunday saw six race meetings around the nation. At Seymour in Victoria, trainer Mark Walker won the Listed race with 8-year-old gelding Midnight Blue (So You Think {NZ}) as well as the opening race with 3-year-old filly Stage ‘n’ Screen (NZ) (Ace High) who was on debut.
In NSW, 3-year-old gelding Almost Maybe (Shalaa {Ire}) won on debut at Coonamble for trainer Melanie O'Gorman, and 3-year-old filly Ahellbenda (Hellbent) won at the same meeting for trainer Bjorn Baker. Over at Queanbeayan, 3-year-old gelding My Last Hooray (Harry Angel {Ire}) made it three in succession with a win for trainer Frank Cleary.
In WA, 3-year-old filly Just Gifted (Justify {USA}) won the first on the card at Geraldton at just her second start, while at Port Lincoln, Hard Leaf (Long Leaf) broke through for a win.
Expensive Galveston wins maiden
Making amends for his debut flop, Ballydoyle's 2 million gns (AU$4.06 million) Tattersalls October Book 1 topper 2-year-old colt Galveston (GB) (Frankel {GB}) led at every step to break his maiden at Naas on Saturday. “He's a big, strong colt and was very good from the gates today to put himself into a good position from the get-go,” jockey Gavin Ryan said.
“He's travelled around quite idle and was green and raw in front, so he'll come on again from it. He's had to do the donkey work the whole way. It's a long way up the straight here and its proper yielding ground which is a bit testing for 2-year-olds. He was probably looking for a bit of company, but toughed it out well.”
