Marhoona spelled after Slipper win
Saturday’s G1 Golden Slipper Stakes winner Marhoona (Snitzel) pulled up slightly shin sore and will go for a spell. “So that made the decision pretty easy … she'll go to the paddock and we'll look forward to the Spring,” trainer Michael Freedman told racenet.com.au.
“It's exciting – she's nowhere near the finished article yet and she'll benefit from a good six- to eight-week spell.”
Marhoona | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Devil Night to be spelled
Racing NSW were advised on Monday that G1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Devil Night (Extreme Choice) would be spelled.
Grangewilliam thrilled by Slipper winner
Grangewilliam Stud’s Mark and Jane Corcoran were thrilled by the win of Marhoona in the Golden Slipper on Saturday. They were on course to watch the half-sister to their stallion Hilal take out the biggest prize in juvenile racing in this part of the world. “We’d had such a good day and we watched the race in one of the bars they kept open for us, so it was great,” Corcoran told Loveracing.nz.
“(Hilal) served 137 mares last year so it was a good way for him to kick off and the Sipper result really stamps him. I’d like to think the Australian buyers will be really interested in his first crop when they hit the sales. He’s a Group 1 performer who gave Anamoe a run for his money, it’s pretty exciting for us.
“It was fantastic and you don’t have too many weekends like that, it was a bit surreal really.” Their stallion Derryn sired his first Group 1 winner when Leica Lucy (NZ) won the G1 NZ Oaks, while associate stallion Zed (NZ) sired the G3 Cuddle Stakes winner Our Jumala (NZ). Mark’s father John owns Saturday’s exciting David Walsh-trained 2-year-old winner Zelia (Fierce Impact {Jpn}).
Oaks second Dubai Gold on Sydney plan
Trainer Pam Gerard is keen to bring G1 NZ Oaks second-placed Dubai Gold (NZ) (Pride Of Dubai) to Australia for Sydney’s G1 Australian Oaks, who will need a name change on arrival as there is another 3-year-old in Australia with the same name. “It was a big trip, so yesterday (Sunday) she had the day out in the paddock, but she has eaten up again last night. She will have a few days in the pool and then we will assess where we are at from there,” Gerard told Loveracing.nz.
Dubai Gold (NZ) | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
“Fillies at this time of year that can run that far (Oaks distance) are few and far between, so it is definitely something we will assess, but we will give her a few days. We have got the Australian Oaks in three weeks if we think we can fly over and get another 2400 metre race out of her, otherwise there is The Roses and the Queensland Oaks in Brisbane, which is a bit further away.
“There are options there, but we have just got to do the right thing by the horse first and make sure we are 100 per cent ready.”
Zardozi can beat Jenni
Godolphin believe their Group 1-winning 4-year-old mare Zardozi (Kingman {GB}) can beat reigning Horse Of The Year Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) in Saturday’s G1 Australian Cup. “Her third-up run at Caulfield was pleasing, taking on Pride Of Jenni we knew was going to be a task but she hit the line strongly,” Godolphin’s Melbourne foreman Nacim Dilmi told racing.com.
“Coming to Flemington, a track that she really enjoys, we are looking forward to Saturday. It's going to be a difficult task, but we managed to do it last year with Cascadian and we believe Zardozi can do it again this time on a track she really enjoys.
“Since running fourth in the Melbourne Cup last spring, she's just come back in such great order, she's not a very big mare but she's just got such a big heart.”
Jimmysstar heads north next
Trainer Ciaron Maher will bring last start G1 William Reid Stakes third-placed Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) to Sydney for the G1 TJ Smith Stakes on April 5. “Probably the TJ (Smith), big track and probably a totally different track and race to what he had on Saturday,” Maher told racing.com.
Jimmysstar (NZ) | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“The All Aged you would think would suit as well, so whether he goes both or one we can work out. But I am sure his sectional and rating from the race will be pretty good. He is actually built like a sprinter, but he is just a good horse.”
Light autumn for Autumn Glow
Co-owner John Messara has consulted with trainer Chris Waller over unbeaten filly Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) and her next start will be the G2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint. “The Arrowfield (Sprint) is likely to be Autumn Glow's next start,” Messara told racenet.com.au.
“She's only going to have a light autumn and I would say she will go for a break after that then we will look forward to a big spring from her.”
Nominations expand for Gold Ingot
Racing Victoria has opened the nominations for Saturday's VOBIS Gold Ingot at Flemington to include all 2-year-olds, not just VOBIS eligible ones, to get a decent sized field. The $30,000 VOBIS Silver bonus will be paid to the nominator, owner, trainer and jockey of the first three eligible horses across the line. There are also Gold and Platinum bonuses available to eligible horses.
Purton to ride in Doncaster
The Hong Kong Jockey Club have granted permission to jockey Zac Purton to ride in Australia on April 5. “Permission has been granted for Club Jockey Zac Purton to be absent from Hong Kong in order to partner MOIRA in the Doncaster Mile (Group 1) which is to be conducted on Saturday, 5 April 2025 at Royal Randwick Racecourse, Australia,” said the press release from the club.
Zac Purton | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
“Jockey Purton will return to Hong Kong immediately following the aforementioned racemeeting to fulfil his riding engagements in Hong Kong.” Moira (Can) (Ghostzapper {USA}) is trained by Chris Waller for Yulong.
Moira steaming up trackwork at Canterbury
Yulong’s Vin Cox confirmed that Moira would make her Australian debut in the G1 Doncaster in a fortnight. She is currently in quarantine at Canterbury. “If she was to find her best form, there would be no reason why she couldn't train on for next season. She's thriving in her training and coping well, so we're looking forward to seeing her run,” Cox told racing.com.
One of the American-purchased mares for Yulong in quarantine, Moira is joined by last start G1 Ranvet Stakes fourth Full Count Felicia (USA) (War Front {USA}) and Anisette (GB) (Awtaad {Ire}) who runs in the G2 Emancipation Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.
Johnny Rocker to resume in Country Discovery
Trainer Nick Ryan will resume Group 1-placed Johnny Rocker (Jukebox) in the $500,000 Country Discover at Echuca on April 18. “He's copped his whack since going so close to Imperatriz, but there is certainly a good one in him,” Ryan told racing.com of the handicap difficulties facing his horse.
“After that (William Reid Stakes) he copped 30-plus points and from then on he was racing against the A-graders, he went to the TJ (Smith Stakes) and got beaten 1.9l and he's run some good races against the best opposition.”
Welcome Stakes next for Zelia
Trainer David Walsh will take 2-year-old filly Zelia (Fierce Impact) to the Listed Welcome Stakes next. “The track is nowhere near as firm as she would like. She will go a lot better on dry ground. She seemed to skip through it (Soft 7) pretty good, but she was able to pick her line and go where she wanted,” Walsh told Loveracing.nz.
“She is going to race on the 12th (of April) at Riccarton in a 1000-metre Listed 2-year-old race, so while she is up and in-form she might as well have a crack at that. She came through the race well, she looked beautiful yesterday, you wouldn’t have even thought she had been anywhere.
Zelia | Image courtesy of Race Images
“There is one more race that she can start in (after the Welcome Stakes), but by then she has probably done enough, so will more likely head to the spelling paddock after her next start and have a month off and then start thinking about the spring time.”
Frothy Macaw heads to Dequettville next
Trainer Matthew Seyers will aim 2-year-old filly Frothy Macaw (Anders) at the Listed Dequettville Stakes next. “We purchased this horse last year at the sales, she’s a lovely filly,” Seyers told racingsa.com.au.
“Out of the blue, we got a phone call from Magic Million to give (John Singleton) a call. He wanted to race a horse in South Australia and gave a reasonable budget and we ended up with her. We had a budget of $200,000, she was $100,000 and the rest is history, we’re appreciative of the opportunity.
“We’ll probably look at the Dequetteville (next).”
Frothy Macaw | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
King Of The Mountain redemption for Collis
Apprentice jockey Cody Collis will be seeking redemption in Friday’s King Of The Mountain where he rides Tony and Maddy Sears-trained Steady Ready (Better Than Ready). “He got suspended so he asked me if he could have four or five days off to reset so that's what he's done,” trainer Stuart Kendrick, Collis’ boss, told racenet.com.au. Collis took a break from riding in 2023 after spending too much time partying, but the longer break, and this shorter one, have both helped him set new goals.
“As I said, if you work hard you can have that time off, as long as you keep your head in the right spot. I said to Cody, ‘if you want to come back and put in the hard yards then we'll support you and help get you going but you've got to keep your head down, bum up and do the right thing'.
“He's done that. He's getting towards the end of his apprenticeship now, he's only got until October, so he's done a good job. Last week he got three Saturday metro winners, which is not easy to do.
“He's got the ability but it's the same thing with a lot of these kids, they've got to be dedicated enough to want it and if they are then there are some good opportunities for them, especially in Queensland at the moment.”
Outside gate the issue for Derby second My Wish
Trainer Mark Newnham rued the wide barrier when his 4-year-old gelding My Wish (Flying Artie) ran second in Sunday’s Listed Hong Kong Derby. “On Thursday, we probably knew our fate, but to run so close, it’s disappointing. We came up with a plan of where to ride him and how to ride him. All that went to script except we got beaten a short head,” Newnham told scmp.com.
My Wish | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
“We needed to do something from gate 14. It was no good going out there just hoping to get a spot. I thought our best chance was just to get him to relax, conserve energy and use his sprint. He did all those things and Luke did all the right things, we just didn’t quite win. The winner – gate two, third on the fence, didn’t come round a horse. That’s the way it fell today but in the future we’ve got a very good horse.”
Treble for Lui in Hong Kong
Last season’s Champion Trainer Francis Lui added a treble at Sha Tin on Sunday night, led by Hong Kong Derby winner Cap Ferrat (Snitzel) as well as wins by Packing Hermod (Rubick) and Invincible Shield (I Am Invincible) who now has two wins in succession. Packing Hermod equalled the Sha Tin 1400-metre course record held by Encouraging (Redoute’s Choice), clocking 1m 19.92s in his win.
A double for John Size had him extend his lead in the Hong Kong trainers’ championship to six, with 46 wins, over David Hayes on 38. Size won with 3-year-old debutante Super Express (NZ) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) and Endeared (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}).
