Waller’s four Golden Rose runners
Trainer Chris Waller will have a G1 Golden Rose quartet of Wodeton (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Autumn Boy (The Autumn Sun), Beiwacht (Bivouac) and Sixties (Flying Artie) on Saturday. “I think we have four winning chances, and only one of them can win,” Waller told racingnsw.com.au.
“It’s more about race fitness and mileage and having them prepared. I think they need to run two weeks before or you’re on the back foot. They need to be rock hard fit and I think the lead up runs suited each horse.
Chris Waller | Image courtesy of Georgia Yong Photography
“(Wodeton)’s come back really well, he’s taken the step from a two-year-old to three-year-old which is the only step I’m really looking for. His big races will come and barrier draws are all important. The 1400 metres looks ideal, it’s a stallion making race and he missed narrowly in the Golden Slipper. So hopefully we can get some retaliation.
“(Beiwacht) stuck on gamely to beat all the boys home in the Run To The Rose, only beaten by Tempted who I think is a proper Group 1 horse. He has the right form.
“It’s a big ask but it’s (Sixties)’s home track, he’s a brother to Artorius and he deserves to be running in a Group 1 race. Then he’ll go for a well earned break.”
Home Affairs adds trial winner in New Zealand
Stephen Marsh-trained 2-year-old colt Rupeni (Home Affairs) won a trial on Tuesday at Te Rapa over 730 metres in 45.08s. He won by a neck from fellow Australian-bred Chad Ormsby-trained gelding Kotahitanga (Tassort).
Rupeni was sold by Alma Vale Thoroughbreds at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale to Stephen Marsh and Dylan Johnson Bloodstock for $160,000. He is the second foal of Yolanda (Shamus Award) who has a yearling full sister to Rupeni and produced a colt by Zoustar recently. Yolanda is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Tallow (Street Cry {Ire}), dam of stallions Farnan and Sandbar.
Thousand Guineas target for Mating Call
South Australian trainers Dan Clarken and Oopy MacGillivray will run debut winner Mating Call (Brazen Beau) in Saturday’s Thousand Guineas Prelude as she heads towards the G1 Thousand Guineas. “It was pretty impressive, we had a nomination in for the Thousand Guineas, which shows we had faith in her – but they still have to do it,” MacGillivray told racenet.com.au.
“You get the full deal with her, she's big and strong, she can obviously gallop and she seems to have the mental attitude to go with it. She has always shown that bit of class, you ride her and she's quite happy to be where you put her. We feel like she's the complete article, that gives us as a lot of confidence. Fingers crossed we tick off the next box, in a perfect world we finish in the top three (Saturday) and get an automatic go into the Thousand Guineas.”
Vinrock to stay in Melbourne
Group 1 winning colt Vinrock (I Am Invincible) will run in Friday night’s G2 Stutt Stakes, not Saturday’s G1 Golden Rose in Sydney, as he heads towards the G1 Caulfield Guineas. “We had a good think about it and we just felt it would give him the best chance to be back here (for the Caulfield Guineas) we'll stay at home,” trainer Matt Laurie told racing.com.
Vinrock | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“Hopefully it's another Group race that he can knock off and add to his resume and then he gets his chance in the Guineas. I don't think that (the 1600-metre trip) will worry him. He can begin well and put himself in a good position. I wasn't really worried about traveling (to Sydney) as such. I'd love to participate in the Golden Rose, but I think we're better off focusing on this.”
Thirty remain in Cox Plate contention
At the second declaration stage on Tuesday, the G1 Cox Plate field reduced the 30, while the G1 Caulfield Cup fell to 49. Six 3-year-olds remain in the G1 Cox Plate – Autumn Boy (The Autumn Sun), Nepotism (Brutal {NZ}), Rivellino (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Vinrock (I Am Invincible), Within The Law (Lucky Vega {Ire}), and Wodeton (Wootton Bassett {GB}).
The G1 Caulfield Guineas field narrowed to 48 after second declarations, and 53 fillies remain in contention for the G1 Thousand Guineas.
Campbell wins WA apprentice award
The prestigious Damien Oliver Award at Racing WA’s 2024/25 Apprentice Jockey Awards was won by Luke Campbell. “This award is about more than wins in the saddle. It recognises dedication, growth and the way our apprentices carry themselves on and off the track,” Racing WA Chief Racing Officer David Hunter told racingwa.com.au.
“Luke has had an outstanding season. He’s shown maturity, consistency and professionalism, and this is the perfect way to celebrate his transition into the senior riding ranks.
Luke Campbell | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“To receive the Damien Oliver Award from Damien himself will no doubt be a moment Luke remembers for the rest of his career. Damien is one of Western Australia’s greatest sporting exports, and his support of this program continues to inspire the next generation.”
Campbell also won Leading Rider and Leading Metro Jockey, and the other award winners announced on Monday night were Zephen Johnston-Porter, who took home the Damion Beckett Award, Rosie Mahony, who was named Leading Country Apprentice and Holly Nottle, who claimed the Rising Star Award.
Capitalist mare looking for hat trick
Trainer David Vandyke knows it will be tricky for 4-year-old mare Cherish The Day (Capitalist) to make it three in a row at Eagle Farm on Wednesday. “Every run for me has been an improvement,” Vandyke told racingqueensland.com.au.
“I’m under no illusions this is her biggest test and I’ve got a lot of respect for Tony Gollan’s Ready For The Trip. My jockey (Ryan Maloney) has jumped off her to stay with Ready For The Trip so he’s the one to beat.
David Vandyke | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“She’ll go out for a spell after this as she’s been in work a long time. She’s had eight runs this preparation and only a freshener in between coming from Melbourne to here. I like her a lot but I don’t know how far she’ll run. She’s very well bred and it’s been a bit of guess work with her from me but I’m hoping she can get to the next level.”
Debutant winner for Yes Yes Yes
At Leeton on Tuesday, Danielle Sieb-trained 3-year-old gelding Howie Do It (Yes Yes Yes) won on debut by 2.56 lengths. He is the first foal of Indigenous (Wandjina) whose second foal is a 2-year-old full brother.
Indigenous has a Zoustar yearling colt and missed to Castelvecchio. She is a winning half-sister to Zousain.
Ruby Sevens makes it two in a row
Jamie McConachy-trained 3-year-old filly Ruby Sevens (Sebring Sun) made it two wins in succession on Tuesday at Emerald. She also ran third on debut. Purchased by Craig Ruttley for $2500 at the Capricornia Yearling Sale, Ruby Sevens was offered by Glenthorne Park.
Ruby Sevens is the first live foal for Euphimistic (Casino Prince) who has a 2-year-old full sister to Ruby Sevens named Sparrow. Euphimistic is an unraced half-sister to Listed winner Run For Levi (Hussonet {USA}) who placed in the G1 Caulfield Guineas.
Sword Of State gets first juvenile trial winner
Cambridge Stud’s first season sire Sword Of State had his first juvenile trial winner on Tuesday in New Zealand with State Of Valour (NZ) who won over 730 metres. “I’ll talk to the team but I think we can go to the races with him now. He’s a half-brother to Sister Ping who we had later in her career, and she was very fast over a shorter distance and I think he’s in a similar mould,” trainer Chad Ormsby told Loveracing.nz.
Hollie Wynyard-trained filly Allez Be Be (NZ) (Shalaa {Ire}) won the other juvenile heat.
Thorpedo Anna jockey out for eight weeks
There's never a good time for a spill, but the one Sunday at Churchill Downs that landed Brian Hernandez Jr. in the intensive care unit at the University of Louisville Hospital could not have come at a worse time. Hernandez sustained seven broken ribs, a punctured lung, and a liver laceration that was treated by a minor surgical procedure.
The doctors have told Hernandez he should expect to be out six to eight weeks. That means he will not be able to ride Mystik Dan (Goldencents) in Saturday's GII Lukas Classic at Churchill or Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) in the Oct. 5 GI Spinster Stakes at Keeneland. Both horses are trained by Kenny McPeek.
Yaupon De Replay heads to the Breeders’ Cup
Very few debutantes are capable of winning a Listed contest against established peers, but that's exactly what the Joseph O'Brien-trained Yaupon De Replay (Yaupon) achieved on Monday evening in Fairyhouse's Ballyhane Blenheim Stakes.
“We liked what we saw at home, but you are never sure starting off in that company, it can be tough,” the winning trainer said. “I said to Chris (Hayes) to educate her early and have her finishing off and she showed a big kick late on, you'd have to be very impressed with her.
“She's an exciting filly for the future. After today you can look at things like the Breeders' Cup, she's an American-bred filly and she's fast. She has a lot of options.”
Stakes double for Yaupon
Arctic Beast (Yaupon) became the day's second new stakes winner for his first-crop sire with a dominating display in the Aspirant Stakes, winning in a time nearly two seconds quicker than the fillies went in the Lady Finger Stakes about 30 minutes earlier.
A fourth black-type winner overall after Yaupon de Replay took out the Listed Blenheim Stakes on debut at Fairyhouse in Ireland, Arctic Beast is the lone winner for his dam, Frostie Anne (Frost Giant), a close relative of the dual stakes-winning Freudie Anne (Freud).
Youngstar’s colt adds second Group win
G1 Queensland Oaks winner Youngstar (High Chaparral {Ire})’s first foal, Eri King (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) added his second group victory over the weekend in the G2 Hanshin Kobe Shimbun Hai. The 3-year-old colt won the G3 Kyoto Nisai Stakes at two.
Youngstar, who was purchased by Mr Yoshida for $1.4 million at the 2020 Inglis Chairman’s Sale, has a yearling filly by Contrail (Jpn) and a weanling colt by Equinox (Jpn).
Listed winner to Arqana
Three more wildcards have been added to the Arqana Arc Sale, bringing the total number catalogued for the October 4 auction to 40.
The newcomers are led by Zakharova (lot 32), the winner of the Listed Prix Joubert on her most recent start for Francois Belmont trained filly. The three-year-old daughter of Zelzal was also was also placed in the Prix de Thiberville and Prix Caravelle.
