Bits and Pieces

Stephen Howell’s washup from a big weekend in racing, and a look towards the next one – whether you’re seeking reasons/excuses or some mail from left field, read on …

THEY SAID IT

“I spent most of my juvenile delinquency in Dalby and Jondaryan.” -  Reward For Effort’s jockey Luke Nolen, the Victorian half of the Blue Diamond winning team, on his youthful Queensland experiences. The other half, or course, is true-blue Queenslander Peter Moody, the trainer, now based at Caulfield. It was their first Group 1 together since Moody plucked Nolen from bush tracks about five years ago and, in the jockey’s words, “shook some of the talent out of me”. It was their first Group 1 win together – Moody has eight others, Nolen two (Wonderful World, 2006 Caulfield Guineas; and El Segundo, 2007 Cox Plate).

“I copped a few good sprays … a couple of Group 1 sprays.” - Nolen on Moody.

“When he has copped a Group 1 spray, he’s been back the next morning. A few others haven’t.” – Moody on Nolen.

WE SAW IT

Dwayne Dunn’s Diamond luck ran out after four straight wins (2005-08) in the million-dollar Group 1. He rode this year’s winner Reward For Effort to win the Preview, and said at the time the colt was a top-five hope in the Diamond. Dunn was warming the saddle for Luke Nolen, who was suspended. Come Saturday and Dunn was on Darley and trainer Lee Freedman’s second choice, Maka Ena ($21), who flew home for third – Kerrin McEvoy rode the stable elect, Come Hither ($8.50), who came last.

Looking back on last month’s Preview, Dunn said of Reward For Effort: “He gave me a feel like Undoubtedly (his first Diamond winner).” And of Reward For Effort’s future, which is likely to include a shot at the Golden Slipper: “Hopefully he can win another race.” (Dunn’s four winners have not won again.)

Swiss Ace was last in to the barrier and was first out from the widest gate (18) to cross and lead the field in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate. Run down in the straight, he fought back to win. No wonder Sunshine Coast jockey Ken Pope, with his first Group 1 win, responded thus when asked if he was the most famous Pope in the world for a day: “Well, I would hope so … in Melbourne and Queensland anyway.”

Pope will stick to the established pattern as trainer Mick Mair, also a Queenslander, leaves Swiss Ace in Melbourne for the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap up the straight 1200m at Flemington on March 7 – he’ll be down to ride the Secret Savings entire fast work on the Tuesday before the race, as he did with the Lightning Stakes seventh and Oakleigh Plate win.

Lightning winner Scenic Blast was fifth without luck in the Oakleigh Plate – he was buffeted and galloped on -  and will be better suited back at Flemington in the Newmarket.

WE’LL WATCH IT

The Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1600m), headline race at Caulfield next Saturday, is the Redemption Stakes for three of racing’s biggest names – Weekend Hussler (he has to win to justify his Asian Mile Series trip to Dubai and Hong Kong), Light Fantastic (he has to get to the line to justify owner Bob Scarborough’s insistence on stretching him past sprint trips) and El Segundo (who has to run nicely and with no sign of soreness to show he can have another crack at the Cox Plate in the spring). Alamosa and Niconero complete the handful of Group 1 winners nominated.

The racing pattern and the wind will be talking points at Caulfield next Saturday, after leaders and on-pacers dominated all bar the last race.

Rostova’s preparation for the Sires’ Produce Stakes, a Group 2 race over 1400m at Flemington on March 7, is under the microscope with the fallen filly likely to get the chance to redeem her Blue Diamond fifth when $2.70 favourite after, apparently, swallowing her tongue. Plans are to run her with her tongue tied and with a crossover noseband on.

Rosehill this Saturday puts forward the filly with her reputation intact, Sydney’s Group 1 Golden Slipper favourite More Joyous (B f 2, More Than Ready (USA)-Sunday Joy, by Sunday Silence (USA)), in the Group 2 Silver Slipper. And it has a swag of super three-year-olds running in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) – noms include Youthful Jack, Mic Mac, Rebel Raider and Darley’s Desuetude, Caymans and Sousa.