Waller to wait until Saturday to make Cox Plate call
Chris Waller’s star mare Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) had a scare at Tuesday’s Breakfast With The Stars when her bandage came unravelled and she tripped, dislodging jockey James McDonald. Both horse and rider were fine, although Via Sistina galloped several laps before being caught. “We'll accept for Saturday and use all that time, right up until Saturday morning, to make sure everyone is happy,” Waller told racenet.com.au about Saturday’s G1 Cox Plate.
“The horse is 100 per cent first and foremost, we'll go beyond that, take bloods, make sure the vets are happy, make sure the strappers are happy, she will only run if she's 100 per cent. She's had a tough day on the training track, the key now, this afternoon, is a nice easy time, she'd normally have a gallop Thursday, that will be abandoned, it's not required. She'll have a light cantering in the park type work, a trip to the beach, let her be a horse, nice picks of grass and just let her chill out.
“Firstly, when I first saw her, I feared the worst that something tragically might've gone wrong and you take comfort that hasn't happened and she's safe. Second to that, no skin off, no hair off, horses are unpredictable animals and she just got a fright, her heart rate is back down.
“We've given her a nice walk, she's had a good drink, almost a bucket of water, no different to us, replaced fluid and her heart rate is down. She dried off really quick which is a good sign, there's no more sweat, we hosed her for a second time and she's back to normal, while it's disappointing, I'm grateful the horse is 100 per cent.”
Cummings reluctant to discuss Cox Plate tactics
After James Cummings trained 3-year-old colt Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot {GB}) drew barrier eight in a field of nine for Saturday’s G1 Cox Plate, the trainer was reluctant to discuss tactics. “I think at the moment we will keep (the plan) close to our chest,” Cummings told racenet.com.au.
Broadsiding | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“I would have loved to have drawn a little closer to the inside. We will keep it to ourselves now. We will sit down and have a look at it (how the race maps out) with Dominic Beirne and go through the race with Jamie Kah. At least we appreciate there is going to be a solid pace in the Cox Plate this year. It is going to be vastly different to the Cox Plate last year.
“Broadsiding has had a really good lead-up since the Caulfield Guineas and I was delighted with the way he galloped around the Valley this morning. It is as good a test as we can give a young horse, but it is a testament to what we think of the colt that he can take his place in a race like the Cox Plate.”
Prognosis trainer happy with barrier for Cox Plate
Assistant trainer Yasunari Kiyoyama was pleased to get barrier five for Prognosis (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) for the G1 Cox Plate on Saturday. “This is the barrier we wanted after discussion with trainer (Mitsumasa Nakauchida) and Damian Lane the jockey, so were very happy with the barrier draw. We know there are a bunch of really good top horses from Australia, we're going to have really good tactics for the day,” Kiyoyama told racenet.com.au
Prognosis (Jpn) | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Prognosis galloped at Werribee on Tuesday morning. “We were really happy with his gallop. We planned a really light one this morning and he did as we planned, so happy with it.”
Muramasa skips Caulfield Cup for Geelong
Trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young decided to skip the G1 Caulfield Cup with Muramasa (Deep Impact {Jpn}) after the heavy track was declared, and will run in Wednesday’s G3 Geelong Cup instead. “He's simply not effective on it (heavy ground),” Busuttin told racenet.com.au.
“I said to the owners, ‘we've paid the acceptance, but the reality was he'll run nowhere so let's bite the bullet'. It looks like we're going to get a reasonable track on Wednesday, and he's got a reasonable draw (barrier eight).
“He needs to run well to justify going to the Melbourne Cup and I can't see him not running well. He probably needs to be winning the Geelong Cup to think he's going to be a winning chance in a Melbourne Cup. But he's by Deep Impact and getting out to two miles in the Melbourne Cup, I'm looking forward to it.”
NZB breeze-ups completed on Tuesday
New Zealand Bloodstock reported that day two of NZB’s 2024 Ready to Run Sale Breeze Ups saw a further 178 2-year-olds gallop down the home straight at Te Rapa Racecourse with an average time of 10.72s reached. “The past two days here at Te Rapa have gone smoothly, showcasing a catalogue full of quality horses,” said NZB Managing Director Andrew Seabrook.
“It’s a credit to the preparers of these 2-year-olds that they have conducted themselves so well and reflects the professionalism and skill that New Zealand’s horsemen and women are renowned for. We can now look forward to getting them up to Karaka for the Sale in November.”
Cup hope Mahrajaan misses Moonee Valley due to insect bite
Kiwi G1 Melbourne Cup hope Mahrajaan (USA) (Kitten’s Joy {USA}) will miss this Friday night's G2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup after being bitten by an insect at his Warrnambool base. “He's got an insect bite of some sort and a leg that's blown up. We've scanned it and it's not a ligament issue but with all insect bites, they take a little bit of time to get the swelling out,” trainer Shaune Ritchie told Loveracing.nz.
Mahrajaan (USA) | Image courtesy of Race Images South
“He won't be running Friday night. We'll have to treat him for the pain and to help with the swelling and he'll almost certainly go to the Bendigo Cup next week.”
Nice win by Imperatriz relative
Te Akau Racing trained Gruzamba (Grunt {NZ}) won on debut at Kyneton on Tuesday and he’s from the family of Imperatriz (I Am Invincible). “He’s got a great brain on him, especially for a breeze-up horse they can come with some idiosyncrasies. We’ve had him for nearly a year now. It’s been a long steady build-up. He’s had a couple of preps, been in and out, and a horse for a new owner we just wanted to get it right for his first start, so we gave him all the patience he needs,” said assistant trainer Ben Gleeson.
“He’s a beautiful, neat horse and hopefully he can turn into a nice, stocky, sprinter in time.” His dam, Wazamba (Exceed And Excel) is a half-sister to Berimbau (Shamardal {USA}), the dam of Te Akau Racing’s Champion Sprinter Imperatriz.
Around The Nation: Tuesday’s highlights
Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald trained 3-year-old filly Socrazyinlove (I Am Invincible) won on debut at Orange on Tuesday. She was a $1.1 million purchase by TFI from Noorilim Park’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale draft and is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Miss Roseiano (Exceed And Excel).
At Kyneton, 3-year-old filly Marilyn’s Edge (Cliff’s Edge) won on debut to become her sire’s third winner. Aforementioned Gruzamba (Grunt {NZ}) also won on debut at this meeting, while Lindsay Park’s 3-year-old colt Hot Majesty (Too Darn Hot {GB}) won at his fourth career start.
In Queensland at Gatton, Rockrata (Pierata) became his sire’s 16th winner. Jockey Les Tilley rode a treble on Loaded Gun (Shamus Award), Kelanoa (Spieth {NZ}), and All I Want Is You (Better Than Ready).
Preach on warning for bigger targets
Co-trainers Toby Edmonds and Stephen McLean will wait and see how promising sprinter Preach (Flying Artie) performs in his comeback at Eagle Farm on Wednesday before formulating bigger plans. “He’s going good so far and he’s had two barrier trials and went okay,” McLean told racingqueensland.com.au.
“He returned to work before I joined Toby after he had a breathing problem which required a tie-back operation. We don’t know how far he’ll get and the summer carnival is an option but it all depends how he goes on Wednesday. It’s day-by-day with horses who have had a throat operation.” He is a half-brother to multiple Group 2 winner Rain Affair (Commands).
Ban for Balfour
South Australian trainer Ryan Balfour is facing a four-month ban after cobalt was detected in a post-race urine sample of Ketchikan (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) who won at Gawler in July. “In determining penalty, stewards had regard for Mr Balfour's guilty plea, his personal circumstances, forthrightness during the inquiry process and his clean record in relation to prohibited substance breaches,” the Racing SA stewards’ report read.
Ryan Balfour | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“I want to state categorically and reassure you that I have never administered any prohibited substances to any of my racehorses and this has been strongly supported by my stable staff, vets and other stakeholders. Fair to say I have been completely taken aback by this finding, but equally frustrated that I have not been able to identify the source of the cobalt,” Balfour told racing.com.
French Endeavour to prove herself on Wednesday
A return to stakes company is on the cards for French Endeavour (Rubick) if she runs up to trainer Matthew Smith’s hopes at Warwick Farm on Wednesday. “We thought we’d come back and give her the confidence; she’s been running well in good races but we need to win some races,” Smith told racingnsw.com.au.
“She was good the other day, she’s going well and there’s no reason she can’t do it again. We’ve dropped her back in grade for a couple of runs and then we’ll see if we can have a crack at something. (The Hot Danish) would probably be a nice race to go to if she could win this and be impressive.”
James McDonald granted Hong Kong short licence
The Hong Kong Jockey Club announced on Monday night that McDonald had been granted a visitor jockey's licence from November 17 until December 22. This period coincides with the prestigious Hong Kong International race meeting at Sha Tin on December 10.
James McDonald | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Sears to drive Yellow Brick herself
After Yellow Brick (The Mission) got travel sickness last time he went to Sydney, co-trainer Maddie Sears will take the precaution of driving him herself as they target Saturday’s Five Diamond Prelude. “We will head down on Thursday night – we have done things differently this time,” Sears said.
“We are taking him down in our own car and float, just to eliminate any cross contamination of anything if possible. Mum (Leigh) and I are taking him down in our float ourselves. The last time he went down on (horse) transport from Toowoomba.
“But he went from our barn and then spent a few hours at the depot and then he was on a truck with seven or eight other horses. This time, we are just trying to take as many moving pieces as possible out of the play.”
Mudhoo returns after cancer treatment
Jockey Rohan Mudhoo rode at Ashburton on Sunday, returning from a serious health issue that took him away from the sport for the past nine months. “I was diagnosed with cancer in February, we had to take immediate action because the results indicated I’d had it for about a year and was already in stage four,” Mudhoo told Loveracing.nz.
“The doctors wanted to get my treatment fast-tracked, so I rode my last meeting at Invercargill and one week later I started chemotherapy, which I underwent for the next six months. I am extremely lucky to have my wife Payal, she kept telling me to see a doctor as she thought something wasn’t right, but I was riding plenty of winners and was just focussing on my riding. Finally, she made me go and get a biopsy which resulted in the diagnosis.
“The journey was not easy, I was getting four different types of drugs and one of those was doing damage to my lungs, so they had to restrict one as it was just too strong. But I’ve come through the treatment alright, and my body coped well with it, and now I’m cancer-free.
Rohan Mudhoo | Image courtesy of Race Images South
“Once I got the all-clear, I started riding a lot more work and getting back to the gym, running on the treadmill and getting more physically active. I’ve been riding for about five or six different trainers at Riccarton including Andrew Carston, Mike McCann, Pam Robson and Danny Crozier, which has been good.
“I want to say a huge thank you to the South Island racing community, Tim Mills and the Canterbury Jockey Club, NZTR and the Boys Get Paid for their amazing support. Andrew McKerrow, the Racing Chaplain and ‘chocolate man’, helped me a lot both emotionally and mentally through the hard times.
“Also, to my family, my good friend Roopesh Jaun, Mike and Kathy McCann, and my other fellow jockeys, Mose (Terry Moseley), Kylie (Williams), Tina (Comignaghi), Sam (Wynne), and so many more. The list just goes on, I apologise if I missed anyone’s name as I have just received an incredible amount of support and I’m so appreciative. I’m just so pleased to be back.”
Newnham hopes Talents Ambition is a Classic contender
Trainer Mark Newnham hopes Talents Ambition (Into Mischief {USA}) can strengthen his Classic Series credentials when he runs on the Sha Tin dirt on Wednesday night. “I think a mile to 2,000m is his best distance, so it was good to see him sprint so well fresh over 1,200m,” Newnham told scmp.com.
“He enjoys the surface, so I’ve just been treading water and waiting for this race to come around. It’s a good way to build his rating points because he’s eligible for the 4-year-old series.” A winner of his first two starts at Tamworth, Talents Ambition has only one win in Hong Kong from seven starts. Conceived in the USA, he was born in Australia when his dam Spirit Of Ecstasy (USA) (Congrats) was imported here.
Fasig-Tipton first day ‘satisfying’
The Fasig-Tipton October Yearlings Sale opened Monday with a session which tracked right on par with the auction's 2023 renewal and with a pair of colts, by Quality Road (USA) and Into Mischief (USA) sharing top billing when selling for matching US$350,000 (AU$524,000) bids.
A total of 265 yearlings sold Monday for a gross of $13,198,000 (AU$19.5 million). The average was $49,804 (AU$74,500), up from $42,954 (AU$64,300) in 2023, and the median was $20,000 (AU$30,000) which was the same as the first day in 2023.
“The results basically tracked very similar to last year on an overall basis,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, Jr. “The buyers said it was very difficult to buy the horses they wanted to buy and I think the consignors were generally satisfied. I don't think there was any euphoria. I don't think anyone is jumping up and down and saying it was insane. I think when we are dealing with a wide variety of horses in a wide variety of price ranges, it was a very satisfactory day.”
Pinhookers look at Arqana for opportunities
Opportunities to source next year's two-year-old talent are running thin on the ground and leading buyers like syndicate manager Nick Bradley, bloodstock agent Federico Barberini and breeze-up handler Johnny Collins revealed that they are hoping to stock up at the October Yearling Sale at Arqana this week.
This year's French 2,000 Guineas winner Metropolitan (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) was sourced at this sale in 2022 and, after a number of buyers reported that they found the competition tough at Tattersalls over the past two weeks, a strong cohort of British and Irish-based buyers have made the trip to Arqana for one of the last yearling sales of the season.
Nashwa to be retired
Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}), a three-time Group 1 winner for John and Thady Gosden and owner Imad Al Sagar, has likely danced her last dance on a racetrack. A winner of over £1.6 million (AU$3.1 million) in prizemoney, Nashwa has been partnered in all 18 of her career starts by Hollie Doyle, with the pair storming to Prix de Diane glory at Chantilly in 2022.
However, the sporting decision to keep Nashwa in training as a 5-year-old has not paid off and, after trailing home last of the 11 finishers in the Qipco Champion S. at Ascot on Saturday, connections admitted that the brilliant race mare has likley run her final race.
O’Brien art collection for sale
Paintings by Jack Butler Yeats, from the collection of Vincent and Jacqueline O'Brien, are to be sold at auction at Adam's in Dublin, Ireland on Wednesday, December 4. Among the highlights from the collection is The Horsemen, which was painted in 1947 and has an estimated worth of €500,000–€800,000 (AU$810,000 to AU$1.3 million).
Stuart Cole, managing director of Adam's, said, “This auction joins together two legendary Irish figures of the 20th century–Ireland's greatest painter, painting his favorite subject, horses, and one of the all-time greatest Irish horse trainers and breeders, together in a once-in-a-generation combination.”
