Vale Pat Hyland
On behalf of the Hyland family, Racing Victoria announced on Monday that Hall Of Fame inductee Pat Hyland had died.
“Pat passed away peacefully today. He was surrounded by all his kids and grandkids and with his beloved wife Marea by his side,” said a statement from the family.
“He was deeply loved till the end and will be sadly missed by us all.”
Born in 1941, Hyland rode for nearly 30 years winning 2382 races. His first Group 1 win came on Craftsman (Better Boy {Ire}) in the 1963 G1 Victoria Derby and he had a very successful partnership with the boom colt Vain between 1968 and 1970.
His first Group 1 as a trainer was with Saleous (Salieri {USA}) in the G1 Victoria Oaks, and he is only the third person in history to both ride and train a winner of the Oaks (the other two being Bill Foulsham and Maurice McCarten).
Latest Golden Slipper entry order released
The latest order of entry for the G1 Golden Slipper has been released by the Australian Turf Club. Three horses have earned ballot exemptions being Spicy Miss (Trapeze Artist), Stretan Ruler (Wild Ruler), and Campione D’Italia (Snitzel).
G1 Blue Diamond winner Streisand (Magnus) leads the rest by prizemoney earned, with Guest House (Home Affairs), Shiki (Too Darn Hot {GB}) and Tornado Valley (Too Darn Hot {GB}) next.
Closer To Free (Street Boss {USA}) is yet to pay the late nomination, but trainer Danny O’Brien announced on Monday that he’d booked Jamie Melham for the ride.
Observer for Guineas or Cup next
Godolphin CEO Andy Makiv has announced that G1 Australian Guineas winner Observer (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) will run over 2000 metres at this next start, in either the G1 Australian Cup or G1 Rosehill Guineas.
“I think it will be good to watch the Randwick Guineas this week and just see what we have coming out of that,” Makiv told racing.com.
Observer | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“Is there something really dominant there (Guineas) that is scarier than the Australian Cup? What does Pride Of Jenni do in the All-Star Mile, heading to an Australian Cup? What does Tom Kitten do? There is so much to analyse.
“The beauty for him is that he has choices. We will do what we hope is the best decision for him to continue to build his profile. It is important for our company – we are a stallion business – and it’s really important for his profile and Ghaiyyath’s profile.”
My Gladiola contemplating another clash with Tentyris
Trainer John McArdle is contemplating his options with My Gladiola (I Am Invincible) after Tentyris (Street Boss {USA}) was given 57kg for the G1 Newmarket Handicap, and his filly was given 50.5kg. She has run second to him twice at Group 1 level.
“We'll see what he (Tentyris) does and if she doesn't go to the Newmarket then she'd go to Sydney and trial up there and go to The Galaxy,” McArdle told racingandsports.com.au.
My Gladiola | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“I'm 90 percent sure she will run, but there are always factors to consider. We'll see how she gallops in the morning and see what the field comes up like. We obviously had the two kilos in the Coolmore and then a kilo-and-a-half in the Lightning because Jamie (Mott) rode her a half over. But it'll be more like five or six kilos in the Newmarket, so that is a factor, but he is a very, very good horse.”
Ceolwulf to spell for the autumn
Joe Pride will spell Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) after the Group 1 winner was found with blood in a nostril for the second successive race outing.
“Ceolwulf will head to the paddock for a well-earned spell as we look ahead to a spring campaign,” Pride told racenet.com.au
Ceolwulf (NZ) | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He has been competing at the elite level through both autumn and spring carnivals since his 3-year-old season, and that sustained pressure is beginning to show some wear and tear in his feet. With his long-term future firmly in mind, we've made the decision to give him a proper break and allow him the time he deserves to reset and recover.
“We're confident that a decent spell will see him return refreshed, with plenty of racing and exciting performances, still to come. For now though, he'll enjoy a few quiet months in the paddock.”
Tempted and Tentyris to stay apart
Godolphin will keep their two 3-year-old sprinters Tempted (Street Boss {USA}) and Tentyris (Street Boss {USA}) apart.
“She’s had five starts at Randwick now for four wins and the second was to Ka Ying Rising,” Makiv told racing.com.
“Clearly, that’s a really happy hunting ground for her. I’d say the Arrowfield would be right up there on our agenda.
“All going well with Tentyris, if he goes to the TJ (Smith), it keeps them separate from each other, as well.
“I think the Arrowfield might be five weeks (away)… so how Maher wants to get there, if that is the right race, or whether he’d rather do something different – I’m not sure – but that would be quite a sensible approach for a really good filly that goes back to her pet trip, at her favourite track, against 3-year-olds, for a million dollars. So, I think on her CV, it would be a wonderful addition, should she be good enough to get it done.”
Beiwacht to headline Waller’s Canterbury Stakes trio
G1 Golden Rose winner Beiwacht (Bivouac) will run in Saturday’s G1 Canterbury Stakes for trainer Chris Waller.
“It just didn't work out down the straight (in Melbourne). He's got a very high cruising speed, but probably not high enough to be racing against 1000-metre horses. I think it's more a 12 to 1500-metre cruising speed, where he can sustain it,” Waller told racingandsports.com.au.
Beiwacht | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“We've got to get him back into that type of racing and we thought the Canterbury Stakes was the best option. His win the Golden Rose in a similar type of race, his rating was through the roof – like, world-standard – so we've just got to try and simulate that and get back to that level.”
Price lucky after nasty neck injury
Jockey Ben Price sustained a nasty neck injury at Morphettville trackwork last Tuesday, resulting in a fracture to his C6 vertebrae.
“I don't know if I broke my neck when I hit the ground, I think I copped a back leg to the neck, and I think that broke the bone in two,” Price told racenet.com.au on Monday.
“They can't really give me a timeline because the bones need to nip back together. I can't get any scans on my neck at the moment because I can't lay down comfortably. I'll wait a couple of weeks because they think there could be some damage to a few ligaments through the back of my neck and my discs – because my neck is spasming a lot.
“It could be four weeks, six weeks or 12 weeks – we've just got no idea. Missing the carnival is going to be a shame. But it could have been a lot worse and you count your lucky stars.”
Inatick aimed at Battle Of The Bush
Toowoomba trainer Paul Wallace will run Inatick (Kobayashi) at Dalby on Tuesday to begin his qualification for the Battle Of The Bush on June 27.
“I’ve never had a starter in the Battle Of The Bush and I’d love to have a go at it,” Wallace told racingqueensland.com.au.
“But he has to run in more country races to be eligible, so he’ll need to run in some more eligible races to meet some of the qualifying conditions.” Inatick has won his last two in succession, both at Dalby.
New winner for Ole Kirk at Tamworth
Champion First Season Sire Ole Kirk took his number of individual winners to 35 on Monday when 3-year-old filly Ole Miss won at Tamworth by 4.55 lengths for trainers Annabel and Rob Archibald. She was having her third start, having placed last start.
Blueblood Thoroughbreds purchased her for $60,000 from Vinery Stud’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale draft. She is the first winner for Transmitter (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) who is a city winning half-sister to Listed winner Intuition (Street Cry {Ire}).
New meeting for Orange after Bathurst cancelled
Monday’s meeting at Bathurst was cancelled with Racing NSW stewards saying, “Following an inspection of the track between the 1000 metres and 900 metres with a delegation of senior riders and following consultation with those senior riders, the Bathurst meeting has been postponed due to safety concerns with that section.”
A new meeting at Orange on Thursday, March 5 has been added to the calendar.
Dirty Old Town set for Morphettville Guineas
Andrew Gluyas-trained 3-year-old filly Dirty Old Town (Dirty Work) will head to the Morphettville Guineas after winning on Saturday. In second in the same race was stablemate Freedom Flame (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) who heads to the G1 South Australian Oaks.
“We weren’t too sure where her (Dirty Old Town) ceiling is, she just attacks the line. The Morphettville Guineas on the Cup Day, that’s where we’ll head all being well,” stable representative Joe Gluyas told saracing.com.au.
Tiny Tulsa King aimed at New Zealand Derby
Tulsa King (NZ) (Staphanos {Jpn}), who barely reaches 15hh, will run in Saturday’s G1 New Zealand Derby for trainer Aaron Bidlake.
“He had two starts up north with Barry Donoghue and didn’t show a lot, but I had looked at his trials and I liked the way he trialled up,” Bidlake told Loveracing.nz.
Tulsa King (NZ) | Image courtesy of Race Images
“He was obviously a very small horse, so he didn’t really suit the selling market, so they decided to move him on and we managed to get him for next to nothing.” Bidlake purchased him for NZ$1500 on Gavelhouse.
“Right from the day we got him I just loved his attitude. He was a little shit when he arrived, trying to front foot me after about five minutes, and I thought he had a bit of something about him. We didn’t really know what we had racing-wise, I had galloped him on our plough at home, but then he had that first raceday start for us and just ran away from them. We were no chance at the 600 metres and then won by a length. We knew we had something special then.
“My theory is that every boy that comes into the stable is a Derby horse and every filly is an Oaks horse. I am a bit of a dreamer. You aim high and if you get halfway, you aren’t doing too bad.”
Tassie sports charity continues to give
The Ladbrokes Community Sports Series (LCSS) has granted over $215,000 in cash prizes to more than 120 sporting and community clubs across Tasmania in the last three years. On Wednesday, it was John Blacker’s Vino Novello (Vino Rosso {USA}) whose victory resulted in a $10,000 donation to the Riverside Cricket Club.
“It’s mind-boggling for us, just a small cricket club, it’s a lot of chicken burgers to sell to make 10 grand,” joked Peter Scott on behalf of the Riverside Cricket Club crew. “The money will make a huge difference to upgrading our facilities, it’s just a brilliant result.”
Vino Novello will head to the Tasmanian St Leger on March 13.
“He’s only a baby, really, and he’s had nine starts for four wins. He’ll keep improving as he gets older. I thought he’d win this race and the plan is to run him over 2400 metres in the St Leger in three weeks’ time,” Blacker told tasracing.com.au on Monday.
Class President adds to Kentucky Derby mix
A strong tradition for any Kentucky Derby hopeful along the campaign trail to May is passing the two turn test. With distance in mind, owners and trainers are looking for their nominees to stretch their legs, embrace the debate that comes in the form of traffic and find ways to grind out a hard-earned victory.
At Oaklawn Park in the G2 Rebel Stakes on Sunday, WinStar, First Go Racing and CHC Inc. owned colt Class President (Uncle Mo) proved best at the wire as he hung on for the 'W' and earned 50 votes for his Derby ballot box.
First Go Racing's Preston Troutt, the son of WinStar Farm owner Kenny Troutt said, “Coming into today we just thought that Class President was really live and had a serious shot here. To go get the leader and then fend off a late challenge like he did today was unbelievable. We wanted to put him longer in his second race, but because of the ice storm the schedule totally changed and so putting him in that race (Swale Stakes) was the only option. We always though he wanted to go longer and he really showed us today what he was made of.”
