Sun to shine on Autumn Glow
Good weather is expected for the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick next Saturday, as Chris Waller-trained unbeaten mare Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) aims to take her unbeaten streak to 12.
“The weather forecast next week is pretty good so that's a plus,” Waller told racenet.com.au.
Autumn Glow | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“She gives herself every chance. She just switches off. She can bounce and put herself where she needs to be. She can be ridden conservative if she needs to be.
“Comparing her to Via Sistina, she'd get quite keen in the run and we'd dare not wake her up, even Verry Elleegant she was very aggressive, but a horse like this, she's so versatile and being able to conserve energy is a big plus.”
Sheza Alibi to spell ahead of spring campaign
Co-trainer Peter Moody confirmed that Saturday’s stunning G1 Doncaster Handicap winner Sheza Alibi (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) will spell.
“All over now; she’ll have a well-deserved break,” Moody told racing.com on Sunday.
“At this point, we’re arguably pointed towards the Golden Eagle. She’ll resume in Melbourne in something, I haven’t even thought to that stage yet, and we’ll work her way towards maybe the Golden Eagle, and then back to Melbourne for Champions Day.
Sheza Alibi | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“We always had in our mind that it would be a very light autumn. She’d been in work a hell of a long time the previous year, from her early educational work. She travelled the length and breadth of the country, from central Queensland to Rockhampton and Townsville. Then she found herself all the way down in Melbourne, through to Sandown Guineas Day.
“She only had a 15-16 day break post-that to get ready for these races. That can be quite telling, even though you wouldn’t think it. She went home to her stables in Randwick, put her head in the water bucket, had a good drink, had a good feed. By the time we’d had a couple of stubbies watching her, she was ready to lay down and have a camp!”
Half Yours headed to Doomben on the way to another Cup
G1 Melbourne Cup winner Half Yours (St Jean {Ire}) will resume in the G1 All Aged Stakes on April 18.
“He's running in the All Aged, so not ideally suited (against sprinters). Then he'll be running in the Hollindale Stakes, it's the right race, probably at the wrong track for him, Gold Coast,” co-trainer Tony McEvoy told racenet.com.au.
Haf Yours | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
“Then he runs at the Doomben Cup, the right race, maybe not the right track, then the Q22, 2200 metres Eagle Farm, right race, right track. Then we got lots to look forward to in the spring, doesn't have to leave Flemington, he stays at Flemington the whole preparation.
“Class horses overcome those things that worry us (track and distances), he looks an elite stayer and an elite horse really.”
Rope Them In adds G3 Roma Cup
Late on Saturday night, Steve Wolfe-trained Rope Them In (Playing God) won the G3 Roma Cup in Perth to take his record to 10 wins and over $1.4 million in earnings. It was his third stakes win.
Sold by Willaview Park at the 2022 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale for $60,000 to Commercial Bloodstock Services (FBAA), Rope Them In is one of five winners for Lead Rope (Real Jester) who won six races.
Marhoona and Tempted to face off
Next weekend, the Group 1-winning 3-year-old fillies Marhoona (Snitzel) and Tempted (Street Boss {USA}) will face off in the G2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint.
“We did beat her in the Slipper, and she beat us in the Reisling,” Marhoona’s trainer Michael Freedman told racingandsports.com.au.
“She is obviously a very, very good filly and she will take a bit of beating here next Saturday. I think Marhoona is going as well as she ever has. We'll see when barriers come out, that can play a part, but she is in good order.
“Marhoona is such a tough, game filly. She's not overly big, but she hates getting beaten. It was a big thrill to come out and win a race like that with her after winning the Slipper. She won a Listed in the spring as a 3-year-old, so it's great credit to her. She's only had eight lifetime starts and she has won two Group 1s.”
Loera has a lot to live up to on Monday
A rare example of a racehorse whose parents both won the G1 Golden Slipper, 3-year-old filly Loera (Capitalist) will debut for the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable on Monday. Her dam is Overreach (Exceed And Excel).
“Overreach was a very sharp filly and this one looks a speed filly as well,” Bott told racingnsw.com.au.
Adrian Bott | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“She (Loera) has a similar sort of mould and traits to her so hopefully she can share a bit of her ability. She has speed, it’s a small field, she’s a progressive filly we should see more of.”
Cyclotron set for Monday
Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained 2-year-old gelding Cyclotron (Hellbent) is looking to go one better on Monday than in his first two outings. He was second in the Listed St Albans Stakes last start.
“He's been first runner-up both times, ran really well and came on nicely,” Tony McEvoy told racenet.com.au.
“He's probably getting a bit better… it looks a nice race for him... he's quite a nice horse, probably should've won at his first start. He ran bloody well, impressive in the stakes race, so I'm very pleased.”
Compensation looking for drier surface
Bjorn Baker-trained 3-year-old gelding Compensation (Written Tycoon) was placed on debut and is looking for a drier surface on Monday at Rosehill.
“It was a good effort, the track played against him,” Baker’s racing manager Luke Hilton told racingnsw.com.au.
“We haven’t had many Written Tycoons that get through a softish track, he just didn’t stretch out and let down like he had in his trials and at home. Rach (King) said in his trials he’s a fast horse and he really gets low and stretches right out and he didn’t feel like that on the wetter surface.
“We thought about running at Gosford because of a dry track but we’ve waited for the 1100 metres at Rosehill, rail out, all looks well - we just want a good enough surface.”
Sunday’s Wellington Boot set for great crowds
Next weekend’s Wellington meeting ends with the famed Wellington Boot for 2-year-olds on Sunday.
“Our eight-race TAB program on Friday features the $40,000 Iron Horse over 2400 metres with course entry just $10,” Wellington Race Club’s Treasurer/Secretary, Michael Keirle, told racingnsw.com.au.
“Then from 8pm at Wellington Soldiers Memorial Club, its free entry for the Last Stand Chisel/Barnes Show which is fantastic. We don’t race on the Saturday but there’s a Wellington Golf Day before the Wellington Boot Calcutta at Wellington Soldiers Memorial Club. Tickets are on sale at 6pm and the Calcutta commences at 8pm with free entertainment from DJ ‘TJ Simpson’ following the Calcutta.
“Racing on Sunday will be fantastic with the $200,000 Wellington Boot for 2-year-olds being the richest race in the west. It’s supported by the [$75,000] Wellington Town Plate over 1100 metres and the Wellington Cup that carries Big Dance eligibility to the $3 million race at Randwick.”
Lucky Sweynesse to a mile to avoid Ka Ying Rising
With all eyes on Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) in Monday’s G2 Sprint Cup, trainer Manfred Man and jockey Derek Leung are taking former Champion Sprinter Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse) to the G2 Chairman’s Trophy over a mile instead.
“I think he will do well. I don’t know about the weather but if everything goes smooth, I’m sure he will run well,” Leung told scmp.com. He’s drawn out in barrier 10.
“I rode him in his trial and he’s feeling really good – I think he will run like last time. He’s had a short break between his last run and this one and after the trial, I think the fitness will improve. Drawing inside is always better than outside, but I think we have to see what happens inside. If no one leads, I can lead – otherwise we’ll just see what happens. We will see what move is better for him.”
Renegade leads Kentucky Derby betting
Four weeks in advance of the 152nd running of the G1 Kentucky Derby, bettors made G1 Arkansas Derby winner Renegade (Into Mischief) the 4-1 favourite with G1 Curlin Florida Derby winner Commandment (Into Mischief) the 7-1 second choice in the sixth and final pool of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW).
Croix Du Nord wins G1 Osaka Hai
G1 Hopeful Stakes hero and 2025 G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) victor Croix Du Nord (Kitasan Black) added Sunday's G1 Osaka Hai in a thrilling display of acceleration. Last year's G1 Takarazuka Kinen winner Meisho Tabaru (Gold Ship) was second.
The win continues to frank the form out of the G1 Tokyo Yushun with all of the past five winners now winning another Group 1 as an older horse.
Two Derby chances for Pin Oak Stud
Make that two spots in the starting gate reserved for the Bernhard Family's Pin Oak Stud and trainer Riley Mott in the G1 Kentucky Derby. Albus (Yaupon), a visually impressive maiden winner at third asking at Tampa Bay Downs on February 27, punched his ticket to Louisville with an 11-1 upset in Saturday's GII Wood Memorial S. at Aqueduct.
Pin Oak Stud and Mott will also represented by Virginia Derby winner Incredibolt (Bolt d'Oro) on the first Saturday in May. It's been an emotional ride for Pin Oak. The operation's leader Jim Bernhard passed away last November.
“To have one Kentucky Derby contender is a dream come true… to have two is simply unbelievable,” Pin Oak Stud posted on X. “This was Jim Bernhard's dream and we know he's throwing one heck of a party up there.”
“Never would I have thought going into this year that would be happening, but we still have a long ways to go and I just hope both colts stay happy and healthy and that we can put them in the gate that day,” Mott said.
“I'm so tickled for the Bernhard family and our team. We put in a lot of hard work every day and this is my life's work. I take a lot of pride in how we do things and how the barn is performing. It hasn't really sunk in yet, this year in general. Tomorrow is a new day, and we've got to wake up and work hard again.”
Book’em Danno beaten in Grade 2
The in-form Point Dume (Into Mischief) shipped in from his base at Penn National and lowered the colours of the returning Eclipse Award-winning sprinter Book'em Danno (Bucchero) in Saturday's G2 Carter Stakes at Aqueduct.
“He's been doing so good, we couldn't just go for one hundred (thousand) at Laurel,” said trainer Timothy Kreiser, winning his first graded stakes. “We said it is time to go for a little money and see what happens. Me and Eddie (Edwin Gonzalez) have won a lot of races together up at Penn National and stuff.
“He is my kind of rider. We like speed. Go to the front, if they catch us, they catch us, if you have the best horse, they can't catch them, right?”
