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Between now and publication of the spring edition of The Thoroughbred magazine, due out late in September, we will give 10 lucky subscribers a copy of the brilliant new book, The Cup – the emotional and enthralling story of Damien Oliver’s win on Media Puzzle in the 2002 Melbourne Cup.

The Cup, beautifully written by American author Eric O’Keefe, captures all the drama surrounding that amazing race; from Oliver’s tragic loss of his brother Jason in a riding accident in Perth, to chilly mornings with the Irish Wizard, Dermot Weld, at The Curragh in Ireland.

This book is not just for racing fans; it is an enduring story that will captivate any reader. Encourage your family and friends to sign up to The Thoroughbred magazine – CLICK HERE for details.

The Thoroughbred’s in-depth Perth preview reveals the chances in the Quaddie legs and all races at Belmont on Saturday.

The best bet is in race six, and there are strong each-way tips in the first and the seventh.

To find out what our form analyst is tipping CLICK HERE

Coastal Music’s win in yesterday’s jumpers’ flat race at Bairnsdale (an event that was supposed to be a maiden steeplechase at Pakenham) is a victory for perseverance for horse, jockey and trainer, and for the powers of persuasion of the rider.

Kosuke Kawakami – “Everyone calls me Kosi” – convinced trainer Bruce Fullarton to go the extra kilometres after the meeting was transferred because he found out there would be only four starters, despite nine accepting, and Coastal Music (Ch g 6, North Reef (IRE)-Minute Maid, by Noalcoholic (FR)) must earn prize money. Even fourth place would be worth $525 – and, realistically, that would be the expected return because the horse was the $12 outsider.

The earn, however, was $6825, for a nose win after leading all the way over 3380 metres. The ‘also rans’ were those in the betting, Drumbeater ($3.10), Envisioning ($2f) and Oloprey ($2.30).

Kawakami claims 3kg over jumps, but on the flat yesterday had to ride Coastal Music at the allotted 68kg. The horse travelled well, but is not as well-travelled as the jockey – yesterday he drove six hours from his south-west Victorian base of Warrnambool to Bairnsdale in the east of the state, then six more back.

Bruce Fullarton, son of legendary jumps jockey Alec Fullarton, had four-hour trips to and from Bulla, on Melbourne’s northern outskirts, towing Coastal Music in a float bought from the proceeds of the owner-trainer’s best win: with Romany, in The Feline Hurdle at Moonee Valley in 1989, a race named for his famous father’s most famous partner in his illustrious career.

It was Coastal Music’s second win in 28 starts, but his first for the Fullartons (Bruce shares ownership with wife Georgia and daughters Tanya, Ramona and Cherie), who bought him at an Inglis sale about 18 months ago. They wanted a jumper and the gelding had his hurdling ticket.

Fullarton calls the horse ‘Bobby’, because he is a big chestnut like Phar Lap, who was given that name by his strapper Tommy Woodcock. The comparison ends there.

“I really didn’t want to go so far,” Fullarton said of the Bairnsdale expedition. “But the distance suited, so it was a necessity (in the horse’s preparation). I’m glad I did.”

So is ‘Kosi’, who also is glad he came to Australia from Japan in 2001 – so glad that he applied for permanent residency this year, hopes to get it soon and intends to call Australia home.

‘Kosi’, 26, originally went to Queensland to get a job in racing because there were no openings in Japan, learned to ride when based at Deagon -to the west of Brisbane – and rode track work at Eagle Farm and Doomben in Brisbane. He got his jumps riding licence during a four-year stint at Lindsay Park in South Australia, but because there were only a few jumping races in South Australia he moved to Warrnambool in 2007. His first winner was Boltcutter, in a maiden hurdle at the ‘Bool in February 2007. He had steeplechase wins on the same horse at Warrnambool and Casterton in July of that year.

He said Coastal Music was his sixth win, from about 215 rides over jumps and on the flat, and the second this season. The other was a hurdle on Interlocutor at Hamilton in March.

“I ride work mainly for Aaron Purcell,” he said. “I school his horses. I educated Gino Lad (Purcell’s winner of last year’s Grand Annual and Grand National Steeplechases who was sold to race in England after finishing sixth in Japan’s Grand Jump in April).

“It’s a tough caper but I absolutely love jumps racing. I love the Australian way of life. People enjoy life here; there isn’t the stress of Japan.”

Kawakami said he had ridden a winner on the flat, but at 60kg his future was over the jumps. “At least I’ll give it a crack,” he said.

His next ride will be Mr Splinters for Oakbank trainer Merri Glatz in a hurdle at Morphettville on Saturday.

Coastal Music’s win was not as big a thrill as it would have been if there had been fences to jump, but ‘Kosi’ said, “I can’t complain.” Having trialled the gelding over the big jumps he hopes to be on him next start, probably in a maiden steeple at Hamilton next month.

“He hasn’t done anything wrong on him,” said Fullarton, indicating that the mount would be Kawakami’s. “He’s schooled him, he doesn’t fall off – he ran fourth (in a hurdle last month) at Sandown simply because the horse didn’t fall over or the jockey fall off!”

In the meantime, Fullarton will keep Coastal Music fit by lungeing him in the yard at his small property, swimming him in the Maribyrnong and chasing him from a car, to get him to gallop, in a paddock on his brother Ian’s Sunbury property.

Alec Fullarton, an original inductee into Australian racing’s Hall of Fame, either rode or trained at least one winner in all of the major jumps races from the 1930s to his death in 1964. Bruce, 64, said he did not ride in races – “My mother was adamant that we’d never become jockeys” – but rode slow work until he had a bad fall a few years ago. Now retired, he finds pottering around with horses “keeps me active”.

He has high hopes for a weanling Primus filly, another horse on the property; and, while she is being taught to race, that ‘Kosi’ and Coastal Music will keep jumping safely and strongly.

The fine winning run of jockey Clare Lindop and trainer Jeremy Gask has continued in England with the Australian pair combining to win an Open Handicap (1400m) at Wolverhampton overnight.

Lindop steered Gask’s stable favourite Chief Exec, at 20/1, to a comfortable two-length win on the all-weather track. Chief Exec, a 7YO son of Zafonic, gave Gask his first winner in England, over the same course, in February 2008.

The former Adelaide-based Gask has been training for the Horses First group from a property at Wiltshire in England’s south-west since late 2007. He has trained 22 winners in England, but recently has been running hot with five winners in the past 14 days, with three ridden by Lindop.

Two of Gask’s winners have been Australian imports – the former Adelaide sprinting mare Mrs. Penny (br m 5, Planchet-Respective, by Noalcoholic (FR)) and the middle-distance galloper One Way Or Another (b g 6, Carnegie (IRE)-True Blonde, by Naturalism (NZ)), who was trained by David Hayes.

Gask has three other former Australians who are shaping nicely. Catalan Bay (b m 5, Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE)-Kim Angel, by Serheed (USA)) has been second twice in three starts; Horseshoe Reef (b g 6, Encosta De Lago-Christies Beach, by Naturalism (NZ)), also has been twice placed on the flat as he prepares for a jumping career. The last of Gask’s “Aussie five”, Denton (b g 6, Montjeu (IRE)-Melora (NZ), by Sir Tristram (IRE)), who was trained by Lee Freedman, had his first run in England at Southwell on Tuesday, finishing eighth, over 1600m, on the all-weather track.

Lindop is in England on a six-week working holiday. She has been booked for further rides for Gask during the week, including One Way Or Another, on whom she won on at Haydock on June 20, at Ascot on Friday, and Catalan Bay at Salisbury on Saturday.

When Lindop returns for the spring, she will partner dual Derby winner Rebel Raider on his quest to win the 2009 Melbourne Cup at Flemington in November. Lindop became the first female jockey to win the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington, on Rebel Raider, last spring. No female jockey has been placed in the Melbourne Cup.

Melbourne’s Michelle Payne also is riding in England. She is yet to finish in a place in five rides, but on Thursday night at Warwick she will clash with Lindop in a 3YO Class 5 Handicap. Payne will ride Iasia (by One Cool Cat (USA)) for the Australian-born trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam; Lindop will be on the Gask-trained Flying Silks (by Barathea).

“There was a lot of Leica Falcon about that, wasn’t there?” said racecaller Greg Miles of Leica Larrikin’s barnstorming win in the $100,000 Slickpix Silver Bowl Series Final (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday.

There certainly was, with the familiar colours – the red with a blue cap of Corowa trainer Richard Freyer – flashing down the outside to win in the style of a promising stayer. Very promising.

And there should be, with Leica Larrikin (Br g 3, Nothin’ Leica Dane-Lady Peregrine, by Scrupules (IRE)) the younger brother of the 7YO bay Leica Falcon.

But there was a marked difference, too, as pointed out by Rick Freyer, representing his father’s stable. “This bloke’s always shown – from early 2YO (days) – a lot more than Leica Falcon. None of the family won before they were 4YOs, so this bloke has something up on Leica Falcon.”

Leica Falcon, of course, is one of the unlucky stories of recent Melbourne Cup history; recent racing history for that matter. He burst on to the scene as an early 4YO in 2005, winning four on end (two in the city) before finishing an unlucky fifth (from last on the turn) in the Caulfield Cup to Railings and a strong fourth in the Melbourne Cup to Makybe Diva (her third win). Since then injury, stem cell surgery, the equine influenza travel ban and sickness have restricted the Falcon to six more rear-of-the-field runs.

“It’s been a few years out of the winner’s circle, but Leica Falcon’s ready to get going in the next fortnight,” Rick Freyer said. Big and little brother are likely to run at Caulfield on July 18, the Falcon over 1400m and the Larrikin in a 2000m race for three-year-olds.

Of Leica Falcon, Freyer said: “Soundness hasn’t been a problem, only when he bowed his tendon there a couple  of years ago … it’s just so far back you can’t remember. He’s as good as gold. The next fortnight will be critical in his training as he speeds up.”

Leica Larrikin would have raced at Wodonga, not Flemington, if the races had been transferred earlier from their original venue, Wangaratta. “Dad was saying today if we’d known earlier, he (Leica Larrikin) wouldn’t have been here today,” Rick said. “Dad said, ‘Let’s hope he doesn’t disgrace us’.”

At $41, Leica Larrikin surprised almost everyone, beating Paddy O’Reilly and Slither.

“I suppose we’re not far from the spring now, but we’ll just have to monitor him to space his runs, but he’ll tell us,” Freyer said of Leica Larrikin. “You’d hate to miss the spring with him, but if he shows he needs to pop out (for a spell) he will.

“He’s a very exciting horse. He’s a lot better type than Leica Falcon … a lot smarter head and a good-bodied horse. He travelled three, four deep in the run and just kept on trucking, didn’t he? He’s like all the family – they just want distance, the whole lot.

“What more can you say. He won $61,000 (first prize). That’ll pay a lot of vet bills for Leica Falcon, I tell you.”

Leica Falcon has earned $460,000 from five wins in 16 starts ($290,000 came from the unplaced runs in the two Cups; some consolation; Leica Larrikin has one win from five starts for $65,000.

The Leicas are part of an amazing series of unbroken matings between Nothin’ Leica Dane (second in the 1995 Melbourne Cup after winning the Victoria Derby) and Lady Peregrine (winner of 13 of 70 starts when trained by the Freyer family) since 1999.

Alan and Margaret Eaton, now of Stokers Siding near Murwillumbah in Northern NSW but formerly from Gerogery, 30km north of Albury, own Lady Peregrine – a $1000 purchase as a yearling – and have raced her progeny, often with friends.

Here is the Nothin’Leica Dane -Lady Peregrine history:

1. 1999: foal stillborn.

2. 2000: missed.

3. born 2001: Leica Falcon.

4. born 2002: Leica Hawk. Colt who was put down after breaking his leg as a yearling.

5. born 2003: Leica Rose. Mare, four wins from 14 starts, earning $15,000. Still with Richard Freyer at Corowa.

6. born 2004: Leica Savant. Unraced mare who had tendon problems. In foal to Snippetson.

7. born 2005: Leica Larrikin.

8. born 2006: Leica Divorce. Alan Eaton said the filly was broken in, but was a “bit of a wind-sucker”. Is on his property and might go to a local trainer.

9. 2007: slipped.

10. born 2008: filly foal.

11. 2009: foal due in the spring.

Eaton said yesterday he was unsure whether Lady Peregrine, rising 20, would go to Nothin’ Leica Dane (B h 1992, Danehill (USA)-Leica Pretender, by Sir Tristram (IRE)) in the spring. “We’ve got to sit down and work it out,” he said. Lady Peregrine is on the Eatons’ property with her latest filly and Leica Savant and Leica Divorce.

At this stage, the Eatons have heard nothing from Richard Freyer about whether Leica Larrikin would be entered for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups – he will turn four before they are run, as did Leica Falcon in 2005. “All he’s said is he (Leica Larrikin) just loves running,” Eaton said.

“The Cups? That’s up to Richard.”

BITS & PIECES

WE SAW IT

The form from heat three of the Winter Championship (1400m) at Flemington four weeks earlier stood up in the Listed $200,000 final over 1600m on Saturday, when  Gold Salute beat Benelli (2), Famous Roman (3) and Delayedreaction (4) – on June 6 it was the same quinella with Delayedreaction fourth and Famous Roman ninth (he was then sixth in heat six at Flemington on June 27).

Overseas, Ireland’s Sea The Stars (B c 2006, Cape Cross (IRE)-Urban Sea (USA), by Miswaki (USA)), trained by John Oxx and ridden by Michael Kinane won the Group 1 Eclipse Stakes (2000m) at Sandown Park in England at the weekend. He is the first horse since Nashwan (1989) to win the 2000 Guineas-Epsom Derby-Eclipse treble.  

Ialysos, the ‘Greek Freak’ (Br h 2004, So Factual (USA)-Valotta (GB), Polish Precedent (USA)), trained by Luca Cumani at Newmarket, flopped behind Australia’s Scenic Blast in the Golden Jubilee Stakes  at Royal Ascot. At Sandown he was the first leg of a quick double for Cumani and French jockey Christophe Lemaire – Ialysos won the opener over 1000m and Acrostic (Ch g 2005, Toubougg (IRE)-Royal Dream (GB), by Ardkinglass (GB)) won race two over 1800m.

Victorian Michelle Payne’s ride at Windsor today for Newmarket trainer John Berry, Stardust Memories, is expected to be scratched because of muscle soreness in her back. Payne won’t miss out, however – she has been booked for three rides at the meeting, all for different trainers. Her first ride in England, Superior Duchess for Victorian-born Jane Chapple-Hyam, who trains at Newmarket, ran fourth of five over 1600m at Doncaster on Friday.

And in the US, the home-country favourite, 2/1 chance Gozzip Girl (Dynaformer (USA)-Temperence Gift (USA), by Kingmambo (USA)) won the $US700,000 Grade 1 American Oaks (2000m) on turf at Hollywood Park, Inglewood, California, today (AEST time). Australian Glen Boss finished last on New Zealand’s Puttanesca (Ch f 3, Bertolini (USA)-Tesoro (NZ), by Prized (USA)).

Trivia question: who won the first race held by the Brisbane Racing Club race at Eagle Farm? Answer, below.

WE’LL WATCH IT

We’ll keep an eye out later in the year for Gold Salute and another Flemington winner, Pacino, as they Western Australia’s spring and summer riches.

Mornington trainer Mark Riley said Gold Salute would be set for the $200,000 Group 2 Liston (1400m) at Caulfield on August 15, then could go on to Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) in Perth in December.

After Pacino won the Dulcify Handicap (1800m), Caulfield trainer Clinton McDonald said the gelding could go to the $100,000 Northam Cup (1600m) on October 25. Pacino (B g 5, Bianconi (USA)-Yarra Dreaming (NZ), by Nassipour (USA)) has won four of 32 starts and earned more than $250,000, but is best known as the trackwork partner at Caulfield of Weekend Hussler, the injured champion trained by Clinton’s father Ross McDonald.

Trainer Brian Mayfield-Smith is generally conservative when talking about his horses, so when he says Gran Sasso, the All Victorian Sprint Series Final winner, is up to Group 2 races such as the Gilgai Stakes and the Salinger Stakes, both 1200m over Flemington straight course, the gelding’s progress is worth looking at.

Gran Sasso (B g 4, Dehere (USA)-Lady Soffel, by Rubiton) has struck a purple patch (three in a row) now he is no longer striking himself – he was gelded during his last spell.

Next look is likely to be around a turn in either the Listed Monash Stakes (1100m, wfa, Caulfield, July 18) or the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m, wfa, Caulfield, August 1) rather than the Listed Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m) up his favourite straight course on August 8.

After that? “I’ll give him a few weeks’ break,” Mayfield-Smith said. “I’ll send him down to the water walker (with Matthew Williams at Warrnambool) and he’ll be out in the paddock and boxed at night, and then I’ll set him up for something half way through the spring.

“(The water walker) will maintain his muscle tone so he’s still feeling good, but having a rest mentally and physically at the same time.”

Trainer and jockey (Chris Symons) said Gran Sasso would be even better when he could ping off a pace much faster than the slow tempo of his recent wins.

Premiership update: Corey Brown (81) got two closer to Hugh Bowman (81) in Sydney’s jockeys’ race with a double at Rosehill on Saturday, but Brown will miss Wednesday’s and Saturday’s meetings; and Peter Snowden (77) moved closer to Gai Waterhouse (78.5) on the trainers’ premiership when Deutsche won.

In Melbourne, Damien Oliver’s win on Gold Salute was his 66^th for the season, one more than Craig Williams, who had three seconds at Flemington. Neither Lee Freedman (64) nor David Hayes (62), the top trainers, had a winner.

Dean Holland remains a chance to overtake Nick Hall in the Victorian apprentices’ premiership. Holland’s win on Leica Larrrikin was his 30^th. Hall has 32. Ibrahim Gundogdu, next on 26, has had a run of 42 outs in the city.

On Friday (early Saturday AEST), pay-TV will show the big clash between Australia’s Scenic Blast and Takeover Target, and South African and European sprinters, in the Group 1 July Cup (1200m) at Newmarket in England.

On Saturday, there is a Listed race at Belmont in Perth (the Belmont Classic, 2200m) and racing returns to Toowoomba in Queensland with the running of the Listed Weetwood, 1300m, and the Listed Toowoomba Cup, 2100m, at a twilight meeting with new lights on the new synthetic (cushion) track. They will race at Doomben, Randwick and Sandown (transferred from Moonee Valley).

Answer: Crossthestart, on Saturday, after the merger of the Brisbane Turf Club and the Queensland Turf Club to form the BRC. Jim Byrne was the jockey, Bevan Laming the trainer.

When Paul Messara, son of thoroughbred breeding supremo John Messara, decided his vocation in racing was to become a trainer, there were a lot of doubters, including the old man.

It was a risky move by the young Messara, who after completing a degree in business, set his sites on the horse business. He didn’t take, as expected, the opportunity to follow his father into the established and settled confines of the family-controlled breeding giant Arrowfield Stud.

It is common knowledge that the elder Messara would have preferred his son to have discovered another source of income in racing or marketing, other than the hard slog of training. Former top trainer Dr. Geoff Chapman, who tutored Paul for a couple of years on the Gold Coast, claims John Messara offered him $100,000 to talk Paul out of his desire to train racehorses. Whether Chapman was being mischievous or not, the point was made.

In many ways, Messara, aged 31, was on a kicking to nothing if he didn’t make it as a trainer. Any doubts are starting to fade into the background following recent results, including a double at Eagle Farm last Saturday.

The win of the flashily coloured Battlefield in Saturday’s Listed Ascot Handicap (1200m) was not just a triumph for the lovers of “pretty” horses, but also for Messara and his fledgling operation at Scone.

Importantly, Battlefield (ch g 2005, Choisir-Charming Charge, by Rory’s Jester) was a horse sourced and purchase as a yearling and not just another “hand-me-down” from the rich stocks of Arrowfield Stud – Messara paid $300,000 for the chestnut youngster with the flaxen mane at the 2007 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.

The fact the colt is a son of Choisir, who stands at Coolmore Stud, a long-time Arrowfield rival, is most significant in that it shows the independence of mind and attitude of Messara. At the same time, it must be acknowledge that Messara is a public trainer operating from a magnificently appointed farm – the Arrowfield Training Centre – adjacent to Arrowfield Stud at Scone, and some of the horses under his care come through the Arrowfield system.

Messara believes Battlefield, who is the image of his dam-sire, Rory’s Jester, has what it takes to make a mark in better races. The colt’s next run is likely to be in the Listed Ramornie Handicap (1200m) at Newcastle on July 15, after which he will be sent for a short spell before preparing for sprint races at the latter end of the Melbourne spring carnival.

The past few weeks have been important for Messara. Not only has he found a possible sprint star in Battlefield, but also he has a serious spring contender in the Arrowfield-owned Rogano (b c 2006, Redoute’s Choice-Singles Bar, by Rory’s Jester), a brother to the Arrowfield-based young sire Not A Single Doubt. Rogano scored brilliantly at his debut last week at Randwick and the colt is likely to be set for the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Derby Day.

Messara also has a potential Oaks filly in Savoia (b or br f 2006, Charge Forward-Dowry, by Bahhare), his other winner, over 1400m, at Eagle Farm last Saturday. The filly’s dam won the 2004 Group 1 South Australian Oaks (2500m, Morphettville) for trainer Murray Baker, so it is safe to expect she has a future over longer trips in the new season.

Messara said that he was likely to miss the spring with Savoia, preferring to aim for the staying races for fillies next year in Sydney and Brisbane.

Footnote:

The Messara double was two parts of a riding treble for Sydney apprentice Daniel Ganderton. He also won the Queensland Cup (3200m) on the Cape Breton (b g 2002, Peintre Celebre (USA)-Lihir (NZ), by Grosvenor (NZ)), trained by Danny Williams.

The former Tasmanian, who is indentured to Gai Waterhouse at Randwick, has been in the news lately for his feisty attitude towards the Sydney stewards, but there is little doubt he is a rider of great promise. 

Steven Arnold, who flies out of Melbourne on Wednesday night aiming to win the Group 1 July Cup (1200m) on Scenic Blast at Newmarket on Friday (12.10am Saturday, AEST), said he would “be looking to probably hold him up a bit longer this time” because Newmarket was a more testing track than Ascot, where the pair won the Group 1 King’s Stand (1000m) last month.

Just how testing is shown by The Thoroughbred’s UK correspondent Emma Berry’s photo of Scenic Blast, with trainer Dan Morton riding, working with fellow Australian Takeover Target (jockey Jay Ford is in red) on the straight track at Newmarket on Friday.

Arnold, who turned 35 last week, said: “I will get there Thursday morning and have a look at the track Thursday afternoon. I haven’t walked the course, I’ll do that Thursday afternoon.” He said he had been in constant touch with Morton, and the vibes were strong.

 ”Dan said he (Scenic Blast) is really good. He’s very happy with the way he’s going; he’s holding his form well. Obviously it’s another hard test. It’s quite a testing track at Newmarket, a bit up and downhill and rises quite steeply in the last furlong.

“He’s run second in the mile Guineas (at Caulfield to Weekend Hussler). He’s not a weak horse, he’s quite strong (but) I’ll be looking to probably hold him up a bit longer this time. If we hold up and go when we want to go, he’ll still be hard to beat.”

British bookies obviously think so. They have Scenic Blast at around 11/8, and he is likely to start shorter if Paco Boy (5/1, a 1600m Group 1 winner at the Royal Ascot meeting) and Fleeting Spirit (7/1, second in the King’s Stand) don’t run – their trainers have indicated they are unlikely starters.

The Group 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes (1200m) winner at Ascot, Art Connoisseur (6/1), and South African JJ The Jet Plane (9/1), somewhat of a failure in the Golden Jubilee (a battling fourth after looking to drop right out), are next in the market ahead of Takeover Target (10/1), who missed the Golden Jubilee because of an elevated temperature.

Arnold is not concerned that he has not ridden at Newmarket and that the only time he has been on Scenic Blast in England was in the King’s Stand.

Asked how he felt about the Ascot win, he said: “Sensational. Just because I don’t jump around doesn’t mean I’m not excited. It’s my nature, so you don’t change it just to ‘carry on’. It was probably as good as it gets for me so far (it was his 16^th Group 1 win, his third on Scenic Blast after the Lightning Stakes and Newmarket Handicap up the Flemington straight early this year). I suppose to go overseas and, obviously, to such a traditional track, and to win was a great thrill.”

Arnold said he found “the whole experience good over there”, as did Morton. “They couldn’t do enough to help … I really enjoy the racing, but you’d need some sort of trainer or contract to entice you to go (full-time) because it’d be pretty hard just to lob there and try and take on the good jockeys.”

Scenic Blast is his ticket this year, and he wants to keep the association going. “He’s a top class horse and he’s proving that,” he said. “I believe he’ll go to Japan after this next run. He’ll stay and do his preparation at Newmarket and they’ll take him over from there.”

The Sprinters Stakes (1200m) at Nakayama on October 4 is the stable target, and it comes with the chance of a $US1million bonus for a horse that can win three Group 1s in three countries as part of the Global Sprint Challenge – the Lightning and the King’s Stand wins have set up Scenic Blast’s bonus bid.

Arnold rides for the Lloyd Williams-John Sadler team in Australia. “I have to work out Japan, but I think it’s actually on a Sunday. It might even be the day after the Turnbull so I could possibly ride here and go straight over, so there shouldn’t be much of a clash.”

The Group 1 Turnbull (2000m) is at Flemington on October 3, and could be on the agenda for Williams’ 2007 Melbourne Cup winner Efficient as he tries to win another Cup the next month – asked what he had lined up for the spring in Melbourne, Arnold thought for a bit before saying: “I’ve sort of got the Lloyd Williams’ horses … Efficient, a couple of nice babies there, I haven’t got anything locked in … I’m still here (contracted) with him.”

Meanwhile, Friday’s work at Newmarket by Scenic Blast and Takeover Target was almost a carbon copy of the previous week. The Racing Post (www.racingpost.co.uk) reported that the sprinters pleased connections with their effort over the final 400m of a 1200m workout.

Morton told the paper: “He (Scenic Blast) felt great, and they were going a bit quicker than last time so he was concentrating a bit more. My bloke’s pretty laid back and he’s shaping as if he’s improved since Ascot. There are no excuses now.”

Takeover Target’s trainer Joe Janiak said: “That will have put him right and he’s in good form and ready for the kill.” Ford said: “He’s a top-notcher and is going real well.”

The race will be shown live on pay-TV.

The Thoroughbred’s in-depth Perth preview reveals the chances in the Quaddie legs and all races at Belmont on Saturday.

The best bet is the 1000m dash, race six, and there are strong each-way tips in the races either side of that.

To find out what our form analyst is tipping CLICK HERE.

Norwegian, a close relation to The Thoroughbred Magazine Club’s filly Belleluia, continued his impressive form with a solid win at Morphettville last Saturday.

The promising 2YO is bay gelding by Testa Rossa from Midnight Sun, a daughter of Desert Sun and Song Of Norway. Belleluia is by Bel Esprit from Song Of The Sun, a sister to Midnight Sun.

Norwegian won his first race at Mornington in May. In Adelaide,under the impost of 57kg,he raced on the pace before striding clear for a decisive win with Brian Park in the saddle. While Norwegian is likely to miss the spring in preference for a spell, the gelding looks to have a bright future.

We also wait with interest the return of Wilander (by Exceed And Excel from Scandinavia, a half-sister to Song Of The Sun) in the early spring. The Lee Freedman-trained 4YO won the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield last spring, and Freedman is aiming the sprinter for the same race.

Meanwhile, Belleluia is spelling well at Eliza Park. She has grown and put on condition, as trainer Robbie Griffiths expected. The filly is due to return to pre-training at the end of this month.

Oops. When will I learn that it is not all over until it is all over? This time I’m talking about the Hong Kong trainers’ premiership that, on Wednesday night, was won by Caspar Fownes with 68 wins to Australian John Moore’s 65.

To quote from this site on May 6: “Darren Beadman will ride for fellow Australian John Moore in Hong Kong again next season after helping Moore to this season’s training title.

“thethoroughbred.com.au is not jumping the gun … despite there being 14 meetings until this season’s last, on July 1 – Moore, with a lead of 11, is certain to win the premiership from another Australian, last year’s winner John Size.”

At the time it was a logical conclusion to draw. But, remember Stainvita? The 8-11 favourite was so far ahead coming up the straight in the Kambrook Handicap at Sandown in Melbourne on July 22, 1978, that the race was as good as over … until he put his foot in a hole, fell and broke his shoulder, and was put down. Jockey Roy Higgins also hurt his shoulder. Fortunately, Roy recovered and is still going strong, aged 71.

None of Moore’s strong stable put its foot in a hole in Hong Kong, but the trainer’s run appeared to stop as quickly as Stainvita. Moore had led by as much as 18 – and would have been shorter than Stainvita in running – but was overrun by the rampaging Fownes, who had 25 wins in the final month.

Fownes collected his second title in three seasons, prevented Moore from winning his sixth (and first since 1995), and relegated last year’s winner Size to third spot with 61 wins – Australian Size has won the crown in five of his eight seasons in Hong Kong.

Moore trained two winners at the last meeting, at Sha Tin, but Fownes had three. Size, who went into the meeting with a faint chance and what looked like the strongest hand of the contenders, had none.

Fownes, 41, took over from his father Lawrie in 2004 after 18 years as his assistant. Moore, 59, who took over in 1985 after assisting his father, the former great jockey George Moore, was philosophical about his fadeout: “Regardless of the championship, this is my best season ever – six Group Ones and we’ll fall only a couple of hundred thousand short of $HK100 million (almost $Au20 million) in stake money and Viva Pataca (the stable’s star) has won Horse Of the Year,” he told Alan Aitken of the South China Morning Post. 

Aitken also must have been tempted to go the early crow, because he wrote: “Historically, Moore was home and hosed as the championship, as always, displayed a very strong ‘lead bias’.”

Moore’s $HK100m season put him well clear of the chasing pack, headed by Size ($HK63m) and Fownes ($HK56m), thanks largely to the rich Group 1 wins of Viva Pataca, Collection, Inspiration and Dim Sum. Moore’s winners-to-runners ratio was better, too – he had 457 starters, Size 456 and Fownes 548.

The other Australian training in Hong Kong, David Hall, had 27 winners in his fifth season for $HK28m in stakes.

South African Douglas Whyte won his ninth championship – 96 wins and $HK80m – with only Australian Brett Prebble (79, $HK65m) anywhere near him.

Zac Purton, who rode successfully in Queensland and NSW before going to Hong Kong in 2006, finished strongly to be third on 43 wins, for $HK37m in stakes. Last year he was 11^th with 29 and $HK22m.

Boom first-year apprentice Matthew Chadwick, a local who rode in Queensland only last year, was fourth, also on 43 wins and with $HK31m. Australia’s champion Darren Beadman was fifth (41, $HK65m) despite missing many meetings because of injury and suspension.

Other Australians (or with ties to Australia) who rode for part of the season were: James Winks 10 wins, $HK9.6m; Jeff Lloyd (the South African who rode in Sydney and intends to settle there after finishing in Hong Kong) 9, $HK8m; and Western Australia’s young champion William Pike 0, with four seconds in 31 rides over the final four meetings, and $HK0.8m. All the Australians will return next season, starting September 13.

Next season’s title tips? No more early crowing; ask late, very late, next June. In the meantime, Moore talks extensively of his plans in the winter edition of The Thoroughbred magazine, which will be out soon and can be read online at thethoroughbred.com.au from the middle of the month.

NOTE: Jockeys and trainers earn about nine per cent of stake money in Hong Kong, with the $Au worth about $HK5.