Daily News will be posted in full by 10am NZ time and 8am Oz time.
TUESDAY
MONDAY ,Looking at the Cup and news
It was interesting to see a few quotes from the trainer of the Melbourne Cup favourite, Yoshitada Munakata who trains Fame Game for Japan s biggest breeder,Katsumi Yoshida, who raced Delta Blue and Pop Rock:
It is an honour to have a Cup favourite.
Australian horses are big and burly.But his horse is light, but do not worry about that.We think in Japan that he lighter the horse the better for longer journeys.
The barrier draw, very good will help my jockey position closer to the lead. And it was interesting to see leading journalist Ray Thomas predicting that Fame Game could be the shortest priced favourite to win since the legendary NZ bred Phar Lap. The money just keep coming for the stayer and he is under $4 this morning and has been as low as $3.20 with some bookies. And if he wins he will be the shortest priced favourite since Phar Lap won back in 1930. And a win for the Japanese stayer will have bookmakers reeling as he has been well backed ever since markets opened and after his Caulfield Cup run he has shortened slightly,daily.
Now here are quotes and facts and figure regarding the Cup:
# It is worth remembering that no overseas raider has carried more than 56.5kgs (Protectionist) and won the Cup.Fame Game has 57kgs.
# Nos 4 and 12 are the most successful saddlecloths,11 wins. Then follow: No1 , 9 wins; No8 ,8 wins; No 11 ,7 wins; the Nos to win only one Cup have been 26,28,29 ( when the field of course was larger).
# Five horses have won the Cup twice, Archer,Peter Pan,Rain Lover, Think Big,Makybe Diva ( 3).
$ 41 NZ bred horses have won the Cup since 1861.
# Sheila Laxon became the first lady trainer to win a Cup with Ethereal in 2001.
# The Northern hemisphere trainer stayers have been favourite 10 times in the last 18 years and none have been successful.
# Red Cadeaux is lining up for his fifth crack at the Melbourne Cup.
# Betting moves – Trip to Paris, in from $9 to $8.50; Red Cadeaux, out from $23 to $26; Excess Knowledge out to $26 from $23. And of Fame Game firming slightly hourly. Preferment was posted at $17 after hisCoxPlate run but he has firmed into $9.
# The unluckiest saddlecloth is No18 and the barrier draw which has not see a winner,also No18.
# Barrier 11 has been the most successful barrier winning the Cup from that stall seven times.
# Aidan O Brien is back with two runners,Bondi Beach and Kingfisher, the first time the Irish champion has had runners since 2008.
# Australasian trained horses make up seven of the top 11 spots with the TAB in early betting.
# Gust of Wind is trying to complete the Australian Oaks=Melbourne Cup double last achieved by that great NZ bred mare ,trained by the master Bart Cummings,Light Fingers.
# Preferment will join the legendary Phar Lap, and Efficient if he can win this race as he is a former winner of the Victoria Derby like the two others.
# British trained stayers have run second in eight of the past 16 Cups.
# The great Kiwi jockey Jim Cassidy retires after this carnival and he has won the Cup twice and rides Grand Marshall for Chris Waller.
Quotes from trainers from the Aussie press:
# David Hayes (trainer of Criterion and Almoomqith)in the press this morning: The quality of the locally-trained stayers now match the Internati0nals and that puts them on an even playing field. .. and he added: Our horses now have international bloodlines like the raiders so that has evened things out.
# Chris Waller (Preferment,Grand Marshall,Who Shot Thebarman): All my horses are well. Preferment,of the three, is the horse that stands out.He is a Derby winner.But then Who Shot Thebarman ran third last year,good credentials. And he added: Having horses from all around the world can only be good for Australian racing and the Cup.
# Willie Mullins(Max Dynamite) : The Cup is the biggest race in the world and to have a horse in the Cup is just fantastic ..I am very happy with the horse he has settled in well and all is OKay. And he pointed out that his horse beat Trip to Paris and Big Orange ever so easily in the Lonsdale Cup the last time they met.
# Lee Freedman ( Our Ivanhoe): I give him a good chance.
# Nick Williams (The United States and Team Williams with Coolmore in Kingfisher and Bondi Beach): I am delighted that The United States has made the field. He has drawn well, has the magical Moreira on, and has a light weight. I think he has a big big chance of victory.
# Ed Dunlop( Red Cadeaux and Trip to Paris) : Red Cadeaux has had a great preparasti0n and he is in wonderful condition. At the moment Trip to Paris is the best stayer in England. And he has that turn of foot which is needed in a race like the Melbourne Cup.
# Sir Michael Stoute (Snow Sky,topweight with 58kgs): He is an outstanding stayer and will appreciate the 3200 metres and the big track. Snow Sky ran a creditable fifth in the Caulfield Cup. He is a dual Group 2 winner this campaign in the Yorkshire Cup and the Hardwicke Stakes.
# Roger Charlton (Quest for More) : It is a great race and so wonderful to be part of it.: The stayer had no luck in the Geelong Cup and back home he won the Northumberland Plate decisively.
# Aidan O Brien (Kingfisher,Bondi Beach): Both are very good staying horses and they have settled in so well here.
# And the forgotten trainer this year, Godolpin s Saeed Bin Suror, with Sky Hunter and who has been close in the Cup on three occasions, with Central Park, Give the Slip and Beekeeper. Of Sky Hunter he said this: He is a lightly tried horse with potential.
# The European stayer Big Orange is the winner of the Gr2 Goodwood Cup and behind him that day were Quest for More and Trip to Paris.
# The other Japanese horse is Hokko Brave and his best win has been the 2013 2400 metres October Stakes.He ran unplaced in the Caulfield Cup but raced wide throughout which did not help.His work since has been solid at Werribee.
#
And my early tips for the Cup,but wary of the rain that is predicted so my tips could change tomorrow Preferment, Trip to Paris, Who Shot the Barman,and for odds The Offer.
SUNDAY
Oaks maybe
John O Shea said that he would adopt a wait and see atittude on whether his smart filly Ambience takes her place in the Victoria Oaks on Thursday at Flemington. Bookmakerss racted to the filly s fine win in the Wakeful Stakes by slashing her o dds to $4 sharing the second line with Jumeka and behind the talented David Hayes and Tom Dabernig filly, Sacred Eye. The filly was ridden very confidently by the Godolphin No1 rider,James McDonald. He settled her just behind the pace, brought her out to challenge inside the last 200 metres and she settled her rivals ever so easily easing down with McDonald to win by three and a half lengths. O Shea said that a decision on whether the three-year-old runs in the Oaks will be made once he has seen how she comes through this race. Her win was a sign that she will get 2500 metres.But firstly she has to show me that she has recovered from her run.
OPB suspended
Murray Baker has had his second setback with his stable rider OP Bosson suspended after his ride on Charmed Harmony in the Gr3 Guvera Stakes causing a chain reaction.When told of the suspension Baker aid he was unsure who would ride Turn Me Loose in the Gr1 Emirates Stakes this weekend but after that win in the Crystal Mile and the Seymour Cup he will have plenty of takers.
Also suspended
Tom Berry, Daiman Lane and Joe Assopardi were all suspended as well.Berry pleaded guilty to causing interference in the Mackinnon Stakes on the Waterhouse runner,Ecuador and gained a seven day outing which he will take after the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday. Lane also had a even-day suspensi0mn after his ride on the NZ owned mare Rising Romance,second in the Mackinnoin Stakes. Azzopardi was outed for 12meetings after his ride on the three-year-old Kia Ora Koutou in the Derby.
Two runners
Sydney trainer Gai Waterhouse will have two runners in the Emirates Melbourne Cup,the Bendigo Cup winner The Offer and the Lexus Stakes winner ,Excess Knowledge. The United States has made the field and his stablemate,Almarah was withdrawn on Saturday afternoon. The Japanse stayer Fame Game has a tight hold on early betting for the Cup and he is rated by most bookies at $4 ahead of the Caulfield Cup runner up,Trip to Paris at $9 and the Chris Waller Zabeel four-year-old Preferment at $12. Horses with interest to New Zealander are: Who Shot Thebarman, $23; NZ bred Prince of Penzance,$101; and Gust of Wind, the John Sargent-trained mare,$35. The Te Awamutu mare Ponderosa Miss failed to make the final fieldand will now run in the Queens Cup.
Tarzino so good
The NZ bred three-year-old from Cambridge Stud, Tarzino outstayed his rivals in the Victoria Derby and gave Mick Price his first Derby win and also rider,Craig Newitt. The son of the Cambridge Stud sire,Tavistock, Tarzino took command off the home bend and he left his rivals in their wake with a truly outstanding staying effort. While Price has few stock of Tavistock in his yard he does know Tavistock as he had the son of Montjeu in his yard for a four=start campaign as a three-year-old. Newitt always had the Derby under control and it was only his one ride of the day deciding not to take another mount to be entirely focussed on the Derby, and so he was. He was always travelling well for me, said Newitt. To win the Derby is great asthis horse got beaten in a maiden race at Pakenham earlier in the campaign.
Cup fans
The grey son of Columbia, Blathwayt gained further admirers for the NZ Cup when he lasted a hard gallop to win the Feilding Cup. And following the win his odds for the Cup were slashed to $4 with the New Zealand TAB.The stayer beat Thorn Prince and Authentic Paddy with two other NZ Cups candidates, King Kamada and Benzini fifth and sixth.
Great win
During the week trainer Allan Sharrock commented when announcing that his apprentice would ride Kawi in the big race at Awapuni that if he did not put his young riders on then how could he expect other trainers to give them opportunities. In the past year or so Sharrock has watched Dylan Mo gain confidence and he put the lad on the stable star claiming that 3kilos. And he did a wonderful job,putting the top galloper just behind the leaders, bringing him out into the open soon after the home bend and then with a great finish claimed Mighty Solomon in a torrid race to the line with both horss giving little. The Tauranga Stakes will be the next run for Kawi and then head towards the Captain Cook Stakes and the Zabeel Classic. Mighty Solomon,so game in defeat, heads to Riccarton and he has firmed even further for the Couplands Bakeries Stakes.
Big win
That was a gutsy win by the Darren Weir trained three-year-old Mahuta in the Carbine Club Stakes. The three-year-old ran on the pace throughout and when fellow pacemaker Takedown tired Brad Rawiller took the Weir-three-year-old to the front and clear lead. Bassett came at him hard and in the final stags rhere wasa alate drive from Patch sdmas but Mahuta had enough in reserve tp win bya neck over patch Adams with Bassett a short half head away,third. Afterwards it was indicated that the three-year-old would now go for a spell and be aimed at the Gr Australian Guineas in the autumn. He is a progessive three-year-old, said Rawiller.
It was one of those good and bad wins for trainer
Successful Matamata trainer Graham Richardson has enjoyed a very good start to the season and win No10 came for the season when he produced the very impresive Stationary World for a strong win 0vr 1200 metres at the Tauranga meeting. The son of Thewayyouare, a half -brother to the smart Alllez Eagle, has now won his last two races for the season for Richardson,but this will be his last chance to win in New Zealand. He is off to Hong Kong now, said Richarson,pleased with the win but certainly disappointed to lose such a promising young galloper. He is off to where the money is now, said Rjchardson of the gelding ridden ever so confidently by Craig Grylls.
Looks for a good summer
The Savabeel five-year-old Gustavo looks in for a good summer for the Baker=Forsman stable after he returned to racing with a strong win over 1300 metres at Tauranga. The five-year-old had not raced since May, but he had had a trial and he looked very good when he got the better if a brave Jubilate in the final stages of the race.Gustavo has now been successful at six of his 16 starts for the leading Cambridge stable and he looks certain to ride to the best of class this season.
Good ride
Kiwi Jason Coollett kicked off what was a good day for the talented young rider when he brought the David Vandyke-trained two-year-old Yankee Rose home for a narrow but decsive win at odds of $31 and second was also a mildly supported runner, the Mat Smith trained Faraway Town. While the punters were caught off guard the trainer said that he gave the filly a good chance. .. Her work on Tuesday was excellent, he said. I was confident that she would make her mark in the field. It was a very good ride by Collett who is certainly making his mark in Sydney.
Narrow, but strong win
The Pentire mare Nigelissima came back to winning form for Emma-Lee and David Browne when she showed great fight to hold out a determined Highly Likely in the 2300metre race at Awapuni.The two mares sorted themselves out from the others and they ran together for the last 100 metres.But in a driving finish Nigelissima gained her third win from 18 starts. Emma-Lee Brown said afterwards that now the mare is back to form she may be aimed at higher races,like the Cups races of the summer. There could be a good win in a god Cups race for her, she said.
Smart win
Some decades ago trucker Peter Moran won a major jackpot at Te Aroha and he ventured into racing and one of his first ventures was with a very very good galloper in Panzer Chief. And at Tauranga those colours were to the fore on the three-year-old Pins filly Head Spin,trained by Peter Lock at Te Rapa. The filly has one of her owners Raewyn Armstrong and she has always wished to race a horse in the Panzer Chief jacket of scarlet, green and grey. Panzer Chief had won two races before the late Peter Moran purchsed him and he went on to win 16 more races for trainer,John Revell including the George Adams, Avondale Guineas,Great Northern Guineas and the Wellington Guineas. At the end of his racing career the son of Battle Waggon was sent to the US and he was successful there,too. Briefs
# Lee Freedman said that Disposition will tackle the Emirates Stakes this weekend after he had been successful in the Gr3 Guvera Stakes on the hands of Danien Oliver who had to sit and wait for that elusive tails run to gain victory. Freedman has won the Guvera twice with gallopers who have gone on and won the Emirates, Pontormo and Warned.
# Another big in for the Chris Waller stable at group 1 level and not with a well-backed runner this time,but the outsider Japanisme and that gave the Kiwi Sydney based champion trainer his third win in the event in the past three-year-olds,with the others being Zoustar and Brazen Beau.
SATURDAY
The Pumper calls it a day
Kiwi ace Jim Cassidy, or The Pumper as he is so well known in Australian racing circles, has always been unpredictable.And he dropped a bombshell on the Australian press late yesterday announcing that this Melbourne Cup carnival would be his last and a one leading paper put it Ring a Ding Ding, that s it for the King. Cassidy first hit the headlines in Australia when with great power he brought the stayer Kiwi home from last to first in the 1983 Melbourne Cup for Snow Lupton and thatcatapaulted him onto the Australian scene full time and to a wonderful,but at sometimes erratic career. And unlike some sportsman who retire and then make a comeback, The Pumper,said it is finished. No regrets, he said. I want to go out on my terms, I don t want to be told it is time to retire. For some time now the champion Kiwi has been asked about retirement and he has always batted away the question with his comment: When I know that the time is right.
Well he said he time is right now, pointing out that to be at the top of his profession for so many years he has had to go through the pain barrier on many many occasions and more so in the past couple of years.
Today Cassidy has some good rides including Pornichet in the MacKinnoin Stakes and Scadden s Run, an outsider in the Victoria Derby and his Cup mount on Tuesday is on the Chris Waller-trained Grand Admiral, a horse that gave the great Kiwi his 104th Group 1 win when taking out the Sydney Cup. Cassidy will also ride the Clarrie Connors filly,Dawnie Perfect in the Oaks on Thursday.
Will blinkers bring about better form
There is hope that blinkers will bring the NZ owned mare Rising Romance back into form which earned her that fine placing in the Caulfield Cup last spring. Her rider, Damien Lane, said that he rode the mare in work on Tuesday at Euroa and she worked with great zest. Hopefully the blinkers will switch her on as her work at home has been very good. said Lane. The mare has had four starts for the Dabernig-Hayes yard and her first two runs were sound and her last two disappointing including that 13th behind Mongolian Khan in the Caulfield Cup.. But in the market the mare is not fancied at $21.Until mid afternoon yesterday the O Shea stayer Magic Hurricane was favourite but he has been withdrawn. Said trainer,John O Shea of the Opie Bosson mount: Tests were shown that there was some inflammation in his blood and to win a race like the Mackinnon you have to be one hundred per cent fit. Godolphin will still have a runner in the event,Contributer, to be ridden by James McDonald and firming in favour with the withdrawal of his stablemate.
And the field has been further weakened with the withdrawal of the Lloyd Williams-owned galloper Fawkner.
All pass tests
Horses that are well in contention for the Melbourne Cup were tested yesterday (Friday) and all have been passed A Okay. Sky Hunter and Quest for Fame were tested on Friday and both,said officials,were passed fully fit for the Cup ahead. The trainer of Sky Hunter,SaeedBin Suroor said his stayer had worked strongly on Thursday and Friday and he was a happy horse. He said that the Godolphin stayer had been shod earlier in the week and he said the horse had been stepping short because of that. But being re-shod and all has been good, said the trainer. He also commented that he is keen for the run of the Godolphin-owned Elhamme in the Lexus in a bid to make the Melbourne Cup field. The stayer is rated $7 this morning and his trainer rates him as being hard to beat. He runs on the pace and this race will suit him, said Bin Suroor.
Loves the track and the Mackinnon
If there is a horse for courses like then Happy Trails has to be rated in the Mackinnon Stakes.He has won three times at Flemington and he is trying to go for his second win in the Mackinnon Stakes, having been successful in the big race last spring. And his other wins on the track have been the Emirates Mile and the Turnbull Stakes. His trainer ,Paul Beshara,says the horse has had little luck lately and he feels that back to his happy hunting ground will help. He just loves it here, it is a roomy track,big bends and it suits him, said Beshara.
Another boost for Tavistock?
Victoria Derby favourite Tarzino is poised to provide the Cambridge Stud sire Tavistock a further boost to his already successful stud career. Tarzino, the warm favourite trained by Mick Price, is from the second stock of Tavistock. He is also bred on the Tavistock-Zabeel cross that has already produced the likes of Werther,Imperial Lass, Diamond Valores ,Margin Trader and the boom Haselhoof. The three-year-old was bred at Cambridge Stud and was a $45,000 purchase out of the NZB Select Session at Karaka to a Sydney buyer. He was purchased on behalf of a client who not long after passed away and so the young horse was re-sold at the Magic Milllions sale and he went to the bid of the astute Mick Price. NZ bred breds have won the Derby six times in the past 10 years through Preferment,Sangster,Lion Tamer,Monaco Consul,Kibbutz and Efficient. The four NZ bred three-year-olds in the blue riband Classic this year include Extra Choice, by Redoute s Choice and the Savabeel colt Colonel Custer. Extra Choice was bred by the late Don McLaren and he has won three of his last seven wth that recent win in the Geelong Classic.
He was a $450,000 Readyto Run sale purchase and is from the Fusiachi Pegasus mare Bonaichi , who won a Bonecrusher at Ellerslie and this is also the female line of Bonanova. Colonel Custer cost $200,000 out of the Waikato Stud draft and he is prepared by Phillip Stokes and will be ridden by Craig Williams.
Moody fined
Peter Moody was fined $1500 when found gui lty of using Kelato Swelldown,a cooling clay poultice on Lady Tatia on the day of the race meeting at Pakenham on September 16.He pleaded guilty. He was one of three trainers fined that day by the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board.The others were Robbie Griffiths, fined $1000 for the use of Ibuprofen in a urine sample taken from racehrse Roman Fizz at Pakenham on July 17 and Archie Alexander, fined $500 for a positive to the same drug on a runner at Pakenham on July 23.
Mongolian Khan report
Murray Baker said that Mongolian Khan would return to New Zealand once he was given the go ahead from vets for the Caulfield Cup winner to travel. He won t be rushed back to racing, said the great Cambridge trainer. He can have time off and be back when he is ready.
Back at Cambridge
The good three-year-old filly Sofia Rosa is back with the Marsh yard at Cambridge after her Sydney campaign.She will have a break for three weeks and then be back to be readied for a return trip to Sydney in the autumn,said Marsh.
Next run
The promising galloper The Bold One,a disappointment at his last run will be back racing,said traner,Alan Sharrock in the listed Levin Stakes on November 27. Sharrock said that he could find not reason for the failure last time and had a blood check made and nothing was wrong. There were no excuses, he said.
FRIDAY
On the chin
You just have to take the good with the bad.There are always Ups and Downs in racing and you just have to move on. So stated Murray Baker, obviously ever so disappointed with the withdrawal of his star stayer for the Emirates Melbourne Cup after that bout of colic. But the good thing is that the colic had been caught early.Imagine if the horse had contracted it during the night.By morning time it could have been disastrous. Said Murray: He can go home, have a good spell and be back for Sydney in the autumn. Meantime Dal Cielo runs for the stable this weekend in the Coolmore Stud Stakes and Turn me Loose will tackle the rich Emirates Mile later at the carnival.
Thriving
Meantime while the star Kiwi has been taken from the Cup the news is all good regarding the favourite for the Cup, the Japanese stayer Fame Game. News from his connections is that he has done everything right since that Caulfield Cup run and his progress since that run has been very pleasing.
Betting changes
Some notable betting changes for those running at Flemington this weekend:
Race One Bassett out from $2.80 to $3.20; Montaux in from $6 to $4. Race2 My Poppette, $6.50 to $4.60 .
Race 3 Disposition,$4.40 out to $4.50 and into $4; Artlee,$10 into $5.50. Race 4 Exosphere, $1.40 and very firm,unchanged. Race 5 Havana Cooler, $7 to $5.50; Ruling Dynasty,$7 to $5.50.
Race 6-Magic Hurricane,$6 to $5.50 out to $6; Flamingo Star,$8 to $7 after opening at $15. Race 7- Tarzino,$2.30 to $2.35;Kia Ora Koutou,$ 9 to $7.50.
Interesting
Earlier reports were that Kiwi James McDonald would ride Shards in the Victoria Derby after that last start third at Moonee Valley. But after he had ridden the pair in their trackwork on Tuesday for the John O Shea stable the No rider for Godolphin in Australia had a mind change,and asked to ride Etymology. Bowman was down to ride that colt and now he has been switched to Shards. Betting suggest that McDonald has not made the right call-Shards is quoted at around $13 while the other colt is around $18.But remember McDonald is a very good judge. It will be interesting.
Active
Chris Waller s men were active at the Tattersalls Autumn Sale and one purchase made for the Kiwi Sydney based trainer was the three-year-old Richard of Yorke, a son of Oasis Dream, from a Montjeu mare and the winner of two of his five starts for Luca Cumani.
Better showing
Expect a better showing by the European visitor Gailo Chop in the Mackinnon Stakes this weekend says his trainer,Antoine de Watrigant. The horse failed in the WS Cox Plate last weekend but the trainer said the horse was not suited by being crowded on the Moonee Valley track whereas he will be well suited by the roomy expanses of Flemington. The trainer walked Flemington earlier this week and he said he was greatly taken by the track and the sweeping bends and straight. Ideal , he said.
Marky Mark for Guineas
Blood tests not one hundred per cent had Moira Murdoch withdrawing her Gr1 winning colt Marky Mark,by Makfi, for this weekend s Carbine Club Stakes. The vet was not quite happy with the tests, said the Kiwi trainer. He looks brighter now .He is back on his routine and so he can stay and he will trial next week and then head towards the Sandown Guineas. Meantime Murdoch was overjoy by that run into third by Survived at Tauranga behind Stolen Dance . There are some nice options for him, said Murdoch.
In fine riding form
The former Hong Kong born apprentice in New Zealand, Kei Chong is making her mark already in her home land.The first female to be licenced in Hong Kong in the past 15 years has chalked up two wins at Sha Tin.During her stay in New Zeakand with Allan Sharrock she gained 45 wins mainly from the Sharrock stable.
With Bridgman
The smart New Zealand mare Ponderosa Miss is being stabled at the Pakenham yards of former New Zealand-based Kiwi Jason Bridgman. Ponderosa Miss is now sitting on 27th for the right of entry into the Melboune Cup and if she doesn t make the field she will run in the valuable Gr 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Saturday week at Flemington.
Joint venture
Interesting to note that three vets involved with the North -East China Identity, the Inner Mongolia Rider Horse Group have been in New Zealand for several weeks to gain further knowledge.The initiative is a joint venture between New Zealand s Primary Industries, the Equine Health Association and Equine Veterinary Association,Massey University and a number of vet practices and industry operations. The three visiting vets, will,next week, spend a two-week block course at Massey University followed by field work with local vets.
Kawi rider
The successful stable apprentice, Dylan No will have the mount on the Allan Sharrock star Kawi, when he resumes racing after his slight muscle setback at the Awapuni meeting this weekend. Kawi was given 62kgs in his race and Sharrock thought that a tough handicap when he is back off a break.So he has entrusted Mo with the mount. If you can t put your own apprentice on your own horse then it is hard to expect other trainers to give him mount, said Sharrock. Sharrock said that Kawi has been flying in his training. His work on Tuesday was outstanding.
Smart move
The Auckland Racing Club has taken swift action to defend the Group 1 status of two of its feature events. From 2016 the Auckland Cup and the Easter Handicap will be run at set weights and penalties. After recent dialogue with the Pattern Committee it is clear that both races are on the verge of being downgraded to Group 2, said ARC President, Paul Kenny. Both races are extremely important to the Auckland Club and therefore it is critical that the club is proactive in trying to secure their future in Group One races. We believe the move to set weights and penalties is the best solution in trying to achieve our aim.
How about this
Moruya trainer,Steven Cummins will make his first visit to Rosehill Gardens this weekend since he was a young boy with his six-year-old Lion of Africa in the $40,00 TAB Highway Handicap, which has been a brilliant concept to attract only country trained Class 2 and 3 horses. This has enabled Cummins to race at horse at a metropolitan track for the first time. In fact he said that he has made a quick look at the directions of how to get to Rosehill to make certain there is no fuss. It is a great concept and I can not wait to be there, he said yesterday. Lion of Africa has not run worse than third at his last six starts.
On way to Couplands,hopefully.
Superavious will be at short odds in the first race at Gore today but there is much at stake for the quality mare. The six-year-old is entered for the Couplands Bakeries Mile at the NZ Cup meeting and trainer,San Bellew is hopeful of a win to assure his handy mare of a run for much bigger stakemoney than she competes for today. I have spoken to the handicapper and if she wins today she could get in the field on the minimum, said Bellew. She is at $81 at the moment fixed odds and so I have had a little bit of that.
Nashville ready for Riccarton
Harry Bull said yesterday that their star galloper Nashville is over a little setback which kept him from the Windsor Park Stud Stakes and he is on track for the Gr2 Couplands Bakeries Mile at the NZ Cup meeting. The smart galloper was out sat the Foxton trials earlier this week and from all performed well for second in his heat.
Doing well
Expect a better run from the star Singapore sprinter Super Easy in the Gr 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes on the weekend with the so in form Hugh Bowman the rider. The sprinter failed at his debut in Melbourne at Cranbourne but from all reports he has worked well since and the Freedman family, with Michael Freeman, the trainer, are happy with his progress. But he would need to run much better as he is rated at $21 in the early markets with the hot favourite, of course being the Godolphin three-year-old Exosphere, the mount of James McDonald for John O Shea and the $1.40 favourite. Also in the event is the Baker-Forsman three-year-old,Dal Cielo, who had failed at his last run,in the Caulfield Guineas after a fine third in a Prelude beforehand. He is at even longer odds than Super Easy,$41 with Opie Bosson the rider.
Last chance
It is the last chance for the NZ owned mares Bohemian Lilly (Kevin Hickman) and Thunder Lady (Sir Owen Glen) to make the Melbourne Cup field by winning the Gr3 Lexus Stakes at Flemington tomorrow. Bohemian Lilly, with Jim Cassidy to ride for Gai Waterhouse,is rated at $7 while Thunder Lady is longer in the market, $15 and with the favourite for the race being Excess Knowledge at $5.50 . One runner being watched with interest is the Saeed Bin Suror runner,for Godolphin, Elhaame,who is also chasing a place in the Cup field and is well backed this morning at $7.
Not in the shadow
Kiwi Jason Collett is certainly not in the shadow of fellow NZers James McDonald and James Cassidy in Sydney. In fact the young Kiwi is putting together a fine riding record and in fact in his last 11 race mounts he has booted four winners at a strike race of 36 percent.Tomorrow he has a good book of seven rides which includes Yankee Rose, the former NZer Telepathic and Fiftyshadesofgrey. Telepathic,trained by Chris aller for Gerry Harvey, is solid in the market at $2.80 this morning in the Blacktown Group Handicap.
Follow Bjorn
Bjorn Baker has starting to kick goals left right and centre after a quiet winter and he produces two sound chances in Sydney tomorrow, Lady Sniper, a winner at her last start,and Marvelous Ceramibo. He said that Lady Sniper has done so well this week and she will take some catching in the Lidoran Handicap in which she is posted at $5.
THURSDAY
Kiwi power
The Kiwis have been to the forefront this carnival and they excelled yet again in the Bendigo Cup. Michael Walker, riding as well as ever, was successful with a superb ride on the Gai Waterhouse stayer The Offer. The NZ bred Zabeel gelding Divan was second; Kirramosa, trained by now based Randwick trainer,John Sargent was third and the grey Maygove with Mat Cameron in the saddle for the Baker-Forsman stable, fourth . The Offer was succesful in the 2014 Sydney Cup and after that he was rated a grand chance in the Melbourne Cup of that year. But his form in the spring was ordinary so Gai Waterhouse turned him out after he had been one of the early favourites.. Before the Bendigo Cup of yesterday he was at $81 but he has now firmed into around $40 with most bookies in Australia.
Blood tests
Blood tests will decide whether the smart Kiwi three-year-old Marky Mark , by Makfi,will run this weekend in the Carbine Club Stakes.Trainer Moira Murdoch ordered the tests to be taken from the colt and she said in the press that she will commit to a start if the tests are fine. The three-year-old did work well for Murdoch on Tuesday and Kiwi rider Leith Innes will do the riding if the colt runs. If he doesn t take his p ace then he will be saved for the Sandown Guineas said the Waiuku trainer. Dettori in good mood
Reports from Kentucky have Italian born jockey Frankie Dettori in high spirits as he builds to his mount on the champion stayer and Arc winner Golden Horn in the Breeders Cup on the weekend. Dettori landed in Kentucky and went immediately to look at Golden Horn and he announced that the star looked wonderful. Dettori has good rides at the carnival and another top mount is the Wesley Ward-trained Undrafted,winner of the Gr1 1 Diamond Stakes at Ascot over Brazen Beau.
Not running
Chris Waller has pulled the plug on Beaten Up running in the Melbourne Cup and he said that the stayer would instead, contest the Queens Cup on the final day of the carnival. That moves Sertorius into 24th spot in the order ahead of The United States, Secret Number,Dandino and the Kiwi mare Ponderosa Miss. But of course they can be pushed back down with the winner of the Lexus Stakes on Saturday gaining entry if not already in the field.
Coolmore Stud betting
The star Sydney colt Exosphere has eased just slightly to $1.40 with most bookmakers in Australia as the countdown commences for the rich Gr1 Coolmore Stud Stakes on the weekend.The rest of the field are into double figures in the early markets with Keen Array at $11,Mogador at $10 and Counterattack at $14.
Missing
The Tasmanian star The Cleaner is missing from the field of the Mackinnon Stakes and it has been revealed that he has had blood problems. Blood tests taken from the free running stayer showed that his white blood count w as high and he has been treated with antibiotics. As well he will miss the Gr2 Emirates Mile but his trainer,Mick Burles said that he is hopeful to have the stayer back for the Sandown Cup before heading off back home.
Berry OKay
Tom Berry reported yesterday that he will ride at Flemington on the weekend after a course of physio to fix his injured neck and shoulder injured when he fell at Randwick last weekend. He has a good book of mounts for the first day of the Cup carnival including Ecuador in the Mackinnon, Iron Boss in the Derby and the Sydney filly Slighty Sweet in the Myer Classic.
Blinkers on
The form of the NZ owned mare Rising Romance, now with the Hayes-Dabernig yard, has not been the best but David Hayes is resorting to blinkers to get the best out of the Ekraar mare. The mare worked in the blinkers yesterday and her rider,Damian Lane was rapt in her effort. He told David Hayes that she felt great and the mare came off the Euroa training track keen for more. Rising Romance has had four runs for her new trainers with her best effort being that close second behind Fawkner in the Makybe Diva Stakes. But she ran below par in the Caulfield Cup.
OPB s mount favourite
OP Bosson s mount in the Mackinnon,the John O Shea trained Magic Hurricane is the favourite at present for the big race with James McDonald, the No1 Godolphin rider in Australia,opting for Contributer. The Metropolitan Handicap winner is posted at $5.50 ahead of the Chris Waller import Flamingo Star at$8 while Contributer is at $9 and the NZ owned mare Rising Romance posted at handy figures, $21 and even longer with some bookmakers..
New rider
The much improved stayer Blathwayt, now one of the better backed runners for the NZ Cup at Riccarton, will have a change of rider this weekend in the Feilding Cup with Jonathan Riddell unable to make his book weight so the in form northerner, Danielle Johnson takes over. For his trainer, Alby MacGregor Blathwayt hs shown excellent form over ground with his record past 1600 metres being six wins and six placings from 14 starts. His form this season has been good as he builds to Riccarton including a rattling good win at the last day of the Hastings carnival and then a strong third at Otaki under 60.5kgs. The grey has thrived said his trainer,so much so that he took him to the jump outs on Tuesday. He does well between races, explained MacGregor.
Good win
That was an impressive win by the well bred Snowdrop at the Ruakaka meeting for Tony Pike. The daughter of Pins and that wonderful racing filly and Oaks winner, Daflodil showed great speed to jump and lead and then showed grit when challenged hard by Fully Funded towards the end. She broke 1.10 for the 1200 metres and Innes rated her a nice filly with a future. It as a good day for the Pike yard as it produced two winners earlier in the day, Sacred Wind and a filly from the Eight Carat family, Eight Points who won easing down by five lengths and looks to have a future.
The Pharoah well
The great US galloper American Pharoah has drawn gate four for the Breeders Cup Classic at Keeneland on the weekend and the Bob Baffert champion is ready to extend his wonderful raving record before stud duties call at Coolmore s Ashford Stud,Kentucky. His rider is again Victor Espinoza and the pair have been successful eight times from nine outings with the second coming at the last run by the champ,in the Travers when given little or no peace near the lead. He will be attempting to be the first Triple Crown winner to take and a Breeders Cup race.
Briefs Briefs
# The smart Australian spribter Il Cavallo, who will stand at Stud at Chequers next spring, may head to Riccarton after a strong win on Tusday. He could go down for the Pegasus, said Mark Fraser-Campin after the Te Aroha trial. The trip away could do him the world of good, he added with the stallion being aimed at the Raikway Handicap and the Telegraph.
# Ray Thomas had in the Daily Telegraph this morning that Airdan O Brien is looking at the Sydney Championships next autumn,And why not, the stakemoney is superb.
# Tony Pike reports that Allez Eagle came through his fine placing to Julinsky Prince in the Windsor Park Stud Stakes in wonderful order.The horse now goes to Ricccarton for the Couplands Bakeries Mile and Pike said he will also send sprinter Shelford south and maybe, he said, Slice of Cake for the 2000 Guineas.
# And further Riccarton news I see that Graham Richardson has in mind sending his smart filly Strada Cavallo around in both the Guineas races at the NZ Cup meeting with those plans already in hand for the Sarten Stakes winner,Serena Miss for the Rogerson stable.
WEDNESDAY
Kiwi at Bendigo
Top Kiwi jockey Mat Cameron has answered the call from Murray Baker to re-unite with the grey stayer Maygove in today s Bendigo Cup. Cameron won the Wellington Cup on the stayer and the ace Cambridge trainer feels that the Kiwi will help the stayer to return to winning form.Maygrove has been solid fourths at his last two runs in Australia and on average with betting agencies in Australia he is at $6 in the market with the John Sargent mare Kirramosa and the Team Hawkes stayer Leebaz disputing favouritism. One mover in the market has been the Lloyd Williams owned stayer, Divan up in class, but well backed into $7. Williams has a good record with his horses in the Bendigo Cup having taken the event with Gallic in 2004 and with Tanby in 2011. The two fourths gained by Maygrove lately have been in the Geelong Cup and the Bart Cummings. He looks well weighted in the $300,000 event with 54kgs and going the same distance of the Wellington Cup,2400 metres, but with the Wellington Cup,next year,back to 3200 metres.
Now at Pukekohe
Leading lady rider Kelly Myers is now based at Pukekohe so that she is closer to her boyfriend, Army Officer Sean McCullough who is based at Papakura. She said she is looking forward to the new move and she said once settled she will visit different training tracks to gain support from trainers. I am looking forwad to the change and there are many opportunities for me in the north, said the former based rider at Awapuni.
Gate No1
The champion stayer Golden Horn has drawn Gate One for the rich Breeders Cup at Keeneland this weekend with Frankie Dettori in town to take the ride on the brilliant Arc winner.And then it will be a rush to the airport for the Italian born champion jockey to head to Melbourne to take the mount on Max Dynamite in the Melbourne Cup. Aidan O Brien and Ryan Moore will be on hand with in form Found and Moore will also have the mount on Time Test in the Breeders Cup Mile.
Sargent is happy
John Sargent was on hand to watch his two fine mares ,Gust of Wind and Thunder Lady,workout at Flemington on Tuesday and he was ever so happy with their work,especially that of Gust of Wind, fourth in the Caulfield Cup at her last run.The Oaks winner of last season and her run in the Caulfield Cup was eye catching and Sargent believes she will be much better suited by Flemington and also that Chad Scofield has ridden. SAfyer the work Sargent decided against sending the mare around in the Mackinnon on Saturday saying that she had done enough to be ready for the Cup on Tuesday. Thunder lady will go around in the Lexus and hopefully, said Sargent, she can make the Cup field through the back door. Both mares are very very well, he said this morning.
Fine win
That was a fine win by Stolen Dance at Te Rapa on Labour Day and now her trainer,David Greene is looking at the Gr 3 Eagle Technology Stakes at the Pukekohe meeting on November 28. She won well and she now can step up to the best class, he said.
Another investigation
It has been announced by Racing Victoria stewards that Mt Gambier trainer,Stefan Jokic has had his galloper,Jack Attack, return a positive to cobalt after he had been in fifth spot in a race at Hamilton mid September. Thus he has become the seventh trainer in Victoria to be investigated after their horses have returned elevated cobalt readings and that group includes Peyter Moody,Dan O Brien and Mark Kavanagh.
Great few days
A Group 1 win by JulinskyPrince in the Windsor Park Stud Stakes capped off a great week for The Oaks Stud stallion,Darci Brahma.He sired winners in all three venues in New Zealand on the weekend Risque in the listed Armadillo Stakes at the Riccarton meeting; No More Tears in the Soliloquy Stakes at Ellerslie and Julinsky Prince at Trentham. He is also the sire of Fortaleza who finished a strong third in the Wellesley Stakes.
Lane booked
Local rider Damian Lane has been claimed by Roger Charlton for his stayer Quest for More in the Melbourne Cup. Quest for More has raced already at the carnival when he beat only one home in the Geelong Cup after covering so much extra ground. And the bookmakers do not rate the English stayer with most having him around $80. Lane has been in fine riding form and was successful on the three-year-old filly Stay With Me in the $500,000 Caulfield Classic but Michael Walker will be back in the saddle in the Oaks.
Fee has risen
I note that Whitsbury Manor Stud,the home of the shuttle stallion Showcasing in England has had his fee lifted to a very handsome 25,000 pounds for the 20126 breeding season in the NH. Showcasing has really hit the high spots both in Europe and Down Under and he stands at Haunui Farm at a fee of $10,00 plus gst and serving a limited book of mares said Mark Chitty, chief at Haunui.
And also good news for Haunui
While the demand for Showcasing has buoyed the spirits of those at Haunui another shuttle sire,Iffraaj just keeps finding the headlines after his daughter Serena Miss had beaten a very strong field in the Sarten Stakes at Te Rapa and Turn Me Loose had run his rivals ragged in the Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley. I will take a weekend like that any time of the year, said Chitty. The champion sire of three-year-olds last year Iffraaj stands at $15,000 plus gst and he has a limited,strong book,too,100 mares.
The Te Akau team for Riccarton
Stephen Autridge has been fine tuning his three-year-old team for the NZ Cup meeting and he said yesterday that he has a string representation for both the 1000 Guineas and the 2000 Guineas. His colts for the 2000 Guineas are likely to be the very promising Xtravagant and Scrutinize with a maiden, he said, Bishop Rock, still being considered. Xtravagant won the Wellington Guineas ever so stylishly last time and Scrutinize did his trip no harm with that solid placing in the Sarten Stakes at Te Rapa. It looks likely that he will have three fillies on hand for the 1000 Guineas,Risque, Special Memories and Princess Davone. Mat Cameron will have the choice of mounts and then Autridge said he would go looking for riders for the other two.
NEWS BRIEFS
# The brilliant Sydney colt Exosphere has been posted ever so short in early betting for the Coolmore Stud Stakes and he is listed with one agency at $1.40 Trainer John O Shea said the handsome colt had settled in well in Melbourne and he said he is unconcerned about the colt not having raced down the straight six. He is a big,relaxed colt, said the Godolphin No1 trainer.
# Interesting to see that James McDonald has chosen Contributer in the Mackinnon Stakes and that Opie Bosson has been booked for Magic Hurricane. McDonald has also gone for Shards in the Derby ahead of stablemate Etymology.
# That great trainer, the late Bart Cummings will be honoured at Flemington and on Tuesday his son Anthony and grandson James will carry the 2015 Emirates Cup and the 1965 Light Fingers Cup in a special parade down the Flemington straight.
# News in the Sydney press today is that Royal Ascot are hot on the heels of Chris Waller to have Winx race at the carnival next year.
# The ace Brazilian rider Joao Moreira has been booked for The United States in the Emirates Melbourne Cup. The Moone Valley Cup record breaker is sitting 26th in order and Lloyd Williams has decided against running him this weekend and is just hopeful of gaining a place in the field.
# Reports from Werribee are that Fame Game has thrived since controversial run in the Caulfield Cup when he finished fast for sixth.From reports the connections of the great stayer say he has improved this past week or so. The Japanese stayer is a firm favourite at $4 and he wil lbe a terrible result for bookies if he wins the Cup on Tuesday.
TUESDAY
Will make the field (Melbourne Cup news)
It does look as though multi millionaire Lloyd Williams will have four runners in the Emirates Melbourne Cup with the Moonee Valley Cup winner,The United States being given a hefty 2.5kgs rehandicap pushing him into 26th place in the order of entries after second acceptances were taken yesterday. Greg Carpenter, the chief handicapper for Racing Victoria said that the win by The United States was explosive and in race record time. The rehandicap was half a kilo more than given to Prince of Penzance when winning the Moonee Valley Cup last year and 1.5kgs higher than given Precedence when he won in 2013.
Bookies may be ducking for cover
I would say that a win by Mongolian Khan in the Melbourne Cup would not be the best result for the NZ TAB, but spare a thought for bookies in Oz. It has been reported that the Japanese stayer Fame Game has been backed ever so heavily since that run in the Caulfield Cup and weeks before that in straight out betting,multis and doubles. And it has not been just from big bettors that have the bookies worried, the rank and file punter has been attracted to the great Japanese stayer.
Still down the list
That good staying mare from Te Awamutu Ponderosa Miss has moved up the list for the Cup since the second acceptances but she still has a long way to go to make the field . She now sits in 29th spot while the NZ owned mare Bohemian Lilly is on 33.
Still so much interest
But there is still so much interest from New Zeakand.Mongolian Khan sits in No1 spot and also certain to make the field are the NZ owned and to be ridden by a Kiwi,Criterion third on the list, the Zabeel stayer Precedence (Chris Waller),10; Who Shot thebarman, raced by the O Leary clan and with Chris aller, 14 ; Gust of Wind, trained by John Sargent, 16 ; and then of course Waller also has Beaten Up and Grand Marshall in the top 26.
Latest betting
Fame Game, as expected is the hot favourite for the Cup at $4 and with some bookmaking firms even a little shorter.Then: $7.50 Trip to Paris, $8 Mongolian Khan, $13 Who Shot Thebarman, $15 Amralah, Criterion,Max Dynamite, Preferment, $17 Almoonqith, Bondi Beach,Hokko Brave, Our Ivanhowe, Snow Sky, $21 Dandino, Gust of Wind, Hatnell,Kingfisher The rest $26 and better.
Criterion so well
David Hayes, the senior partner in the training of the NZ owned Criterion said the big chestnut came through his Cox Plate second to Winx in wonderful order. And he said that he feels the stayer is over the odds in the markets. You know he has won the Caulfield Stakes and been beaten by a freakish mare in the Cox Plate so I feel he is a better chance than the odds being posted. And Hayes said that had the horse just lost a little pace inside the last 500 metres before recovering he would have been closer to the mare.
Shinn back this Saturday
The suspended Blake Shinn will be back riding at Flemington third weekend and he says he has a good book of monuts for the Group 1 events.His mounts, he said ,include Lizard Island, a 12 to 1 chance in the $1.5m Victoria Derby, the promising Hellbent in the Coolmore Stakes and the Chris Waller-trained Amicus in the 1600 metre Myer Classic. And of course he rides for Waller in the Melbourne Cup, on the NZ owned stayer Who Shot Thebarman, who ran third in the Cup last year. He has been building up nicely, said Shinn earlierthis week.
Booked
Craig Williams has been booked to ride the smart young galloper Mogador in the Group 1 Coolmore Stakes at Flemington on Saturday with the hot favourite for the event being the John O Shea-Godolphin runner,Exosphere, the mount of Kiwi James McDonald. Mogador will have fans after that strong second behind the very smart Keen Array in the Blue Sapphire Stakes at Caulfield.
Bosson in demand
OP Bosson is in great demand with Australian trainers and he has some choice mounts on the weekend at Flemington as the countdown has commenced for the Cup where he rides of favourite stayer and Caulfield Cup winner,Mongolian Khan. And it is interesting to see John O Shea claims the Kiwi for two of his runners,Magic Hurricane in the Mackinnon Stakes and Knoydart, in the Linlithgow Stakes. He will ,of course, ride the Baker-Forsman runner , the three-year-old Dal Cielo in the Coolmore Stud Stakes and last-start winner at Caulfield ,Miss Rose de Lago for Dannny O Brien in the Myer Classic. And Brent Stanley has also claimed the successful Kiwi, for his runner,Red Alto in the Victoria Derby.
Also a top book
And also for Flemington this weekend,Hugh Bowman, has a super book including two for Chris Waller,Flamingo Star in the Mackinnon Stakes and Royal Descent in the Myer Classic. Flamingo Star looks an improver with Waller and last start ran fifth, solid late, in the in the Toorak Handicap and the extra distance will suit. And I have been told that blinkers go on. His ride in the Victoria Derby is the three-year-old John O Shea trained colt, Etymology, third in the Caulfield Classic at his last start. And the ace jockey from Sydney will also partner the speedster from Singapore for Michael Freedman, Super Easy.
Unease
While a major promotion was being held in Melbourne for the Cup carnival Victoria detectives were investigating the worrying saga of shots being fired at the home of the Racing Victoria Chief steward,Terry Bailey. It has been reported that at least six rounds from a semi automatic gun were let loose at his home when Bailey and his family were inside.
Briefs from NZ racing on Labour Monday
# Graeme and Deb Rogerson made headlines six years ago when they won the 1000 Guinas-2000 Guineas double with the brilliant filly Katie Lee.Now they have another filly for the task, Serena Moss,a brilliant winner of the Sarten Memorial at Te Rapa and now having her odds slashed for both events. 99 per cent sure we will go for the colts race, said Debbie. The filly is a daughter of Iffraaj, who has enjoyed a wonderful season yet again for Haunui Stud..and the sire of Turn Me Loose.
# Meantime the filly who had been near or at top of the market for the 1000 Guineas,Serious Satire jarred up in the Sarten Stakes finishing well back in the field and she now,said trainer,Stephen Marsh, can go to the paddock for a short break before resuming in the late summer and autumn.
# Serena Miss beat the colts,Amarula and Stradivarius in the Sarten and they will both head to Riccarton for the 2000 Guineas as will Al Baba, who ran fourth after being slow away so his run was eye catching.
# Canterino will take on Stakes company at his next start following that strong win at Te Rapa yesterday in the Skycity Hamilton 2100 . Co trainer,Peter McKay, said the stayer would likely contest the Metropolitan Handicap on the first day of the Cup carnival at Riccarton and then run in the NZ Cup.
# The Carters produced a very smart young galloper in Arizona Blizzard to win at Te Rapa and Tim Carter , his co trainer, said the horse had improved his mental state. It is his mind we have to train, said Carter. And he is getting there.
# Saintly Ripa is bred to be good being by Rip Van Winkle from that very good race mare,Saint Ceceile and she was impressive winning at Te Rapa. She is a lovely filly and we have thought a lot of her for some time, said Nigel Auret, who trains the filly in partnership with his son Fraser and he bred the filly and races her with his wife, Adaire.
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