Bits & Pieces

THEY SAID IT

“He’s a really talented horse,” said Darley’s trainer Peter Snowden after Denman won the first Group 1 race of the season, the $1million Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday. Snowden added that Denman (br c 3, Lonhro-Peach, by Vain)) was the best he had trained in his near two years at the helm of Woodlands/Darley.

 “We’ll do the best thing by the horse but there’s another one in him,” claimed Snowden. The plan at this stage is to go to the G2 Stan Fox (1400m) at Randwick on September 26, followed by the G1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 10. Denman’s sire Lonhro won both.

The Caulfield Guineas is known as the race that makes sires – and breeding is where the big money is – and that (plus the horse’s ability, of course) makes it hard not to keep going to the well. Denman was third at his first start at Flemington in December and is five from five since resuming with a Kilmore maiden win in June. TAB Sportsbet has Denman $4 favourite for the Guineas from the Golden Rose’s impressive runner-up Trusting at $7 and a trio at $12 – the filly Black Caviar, the colt Manhattan Rain and the gelding Tollesprit. We’re not sure whether there’s a list of quality gallopers who have won their maidens at Kilmore, but we know that Caulfield Cup winner Mummify is one of them as well!

 “He’s got the gears to smoke home, and that’s what he did,” said an impressed jockey Kerrin McEvoy of Denman. 

 “We gave him a start. We drew 11 and he drew three, and that’s about it,” was the excuse offered by Patinack trainer Jason Coyle after Trusting was beaten by Denman. The Tale Of The Cat-Legible colt is pretty special, too.

 “He’s got the potential to be a real topliner, this horse,” said jockey Danny Nikolic of Mic Mac, winner of the G2 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

 “I’ll stay on him,” claimed Nikolic, although Damien Oliver, back this week from suspension and expected to continue his relationship with Apache Cat, also trained by Greg Eurell, might have a thing or two to say about that – Oliver is three from three in Melbourne on Mic Mac (b g 4, Statue Of Liberty (USA)-Amandine, by Tertian (USA)).

 ”We didn’t have him tuned up for today … he’s going to bigger and better things.” – jockey Dwayne Dunn on impressive Caulfield Listed winner First Command (b g 4, Commands-River Serenade, by Hurricane Sky).

“I think that’s a realistic goal,” said trainer Lee Freedman when the G2 Salinger Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Derby day was suggested as a target for First Command, who is six for six after being gelded following a poor debut run.

“He is like a Rolls-Royce … It wasn’t the top grade today, but he looks as though he will measure up,” said trainer Jim Taylor said after unbeaten Hay List won again at Belmont in Perth on Saturday.

 ”He is one of the more exciting horses that I have ridden in my career,” said Hay List’s jockey Jason Brown. Brown, of course, rode Scenic Blast to win in Perth and Melbourne before Steven Arnold took over for that gelding’s three Global Sprint Group 1 wins. Hay List (b/br g 4, Statue Of Liberty-Sing Hallelujah, Is It True (USA)) has won three straight this time in and six straight overall, from 1000m to Saturday’s 1400m.

WE SAW IT

The Lee Freedman stable has had double joy over the past few days from the six-import package bought in England last October. Sound Of Nature (B g 7, Chester House (USA)-Yashmak (USA), by Danzig (USA)) won over 1230m at Geelong on Friday after flopping at Sandown in May at his only other Australian start;  and Trenchtown (b g 5, King’s Best (USA)-Barbuda (GB), by Rainbow Quest (USA)) won over 1600m at Bendigo on Saturday. He was unplaced in two starts in April-May.

Woodcutter (gr g 5, Daylami (IRE)-Cinnamon Rose (USA), by Trempolino (USA)) was fourth at Geelong over 1740m.

Others in the package, Timetable (b g 5, Observatory (USA)-Clepsydra (GB), by Sadler’s Wells (USA)), Measurement (b g 4, Viking Ruler-El-Libaab (GB), by Unfuwain (USA)) and Tomintoul Flyer (b/br g 5, Dr Fong (USA)-Miller’s Melody (GB), by Chief Singer (IRE)), either trialled or raced in April-May. Timetable has been nominated for races at Seymour (Thursday) and Flemington (Saturday).

Speed Gifted (b g 6, Montjeu (IRE)-Good Standing (USA), by Distant View (USA)), not part of the package but picked up from England at the same time, is to resume in the G2 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday. Speed Gifted was a most impressive winner over the same distance at the track at his only Australian start, in May.

While Freedman’s First Command was impressive at Caulfield, the Rod Douglas-trained Huxssen, who finished fourth to him, had the ‘be on me next time’ light flashing. Huxssen (Ch g 4, Hussonet (USA)-Musical Tones (USA), by Diesis (GB)) flew home late to finish only a length behind First Command. He has won four of 10, with two of the wins in the city.

The eyecatcher at Sandown on Sunday was – surprise, surprise – Pentiffic in the Grand National Steeplechase (4530m) at Sandown. With Mazzacano a flop – raced at the rear, never challenged and was pulled out of the race before the last fence (stewards reported he had a sore back) – Pentiffic, the $1.75 favourite, was far too good for Sir Pentire and Mt Townsend. It’s onwards and upwards for Pentiffic (br g 6, Pentire (GB)-Sailing High (NZ), by Yachtie), probably to Japan for its Grand Jump next April.

Trent Wells, loving the ride, provided the quotes. “When I saw Mazzacano labouring like he was, I decided to grab the race by the balls,” he said of pushing Pentiffic to the lead well before the turn.

And, “I ordered my passport a couple of weeks ago and it looks like I’ll need it more than ever now … this horse is nothing but a bloody star.”

The GN Hurdle (4530m) went to $4 chance Desert Master, a recent addition to the stables of Robbie Laing in a three-way thriller from Juan Carlos and Yamanaura – it was a case of survival of the fittest, and Laing-trained gallopers excel there.

The trainer said he was given Desert Master (gr g 8, Desert King (IRE)-Pinqelle, by Toy Pindarri (NZ)) only two months ago. “I just knocked Brian (Cook, the owner) on the leg after the Australian Hurdle in June and said to him, ‘If you want to win the Grand National Hurdle, send him to me to train’.”

The GN-winning jockeys were in strife for celebrating before the post – Wells was fined $400, Adam Trinder on Desert Master $300.

Despite loud animal welfare protests at the gate, the good news out of the meeting was that there were no falls – two horses lost their riders (both unhurt). It was the GN Hurdle meeting last year at Flemington that accelerated the negative slide for the jumping branch of racing. The Nationals have been banished from Flemington and into the shadow of the big Saturday meeting, which has group racing on the flat, but the jumping sport is still going … for now at least, while waiting on another review when the season ends late next month.

Tavistock (b h 4, Montjeu (IRE)-Upstage (GB), by Quest For Fame (GB)), who had one win in four Australian starts for Caulfield trainer Mick Price last season as Lord Tavistock, won the G1 Mudgway Stakes (1400m) at Hastings in New Zealand on Saturday. He is back under the care of former trainer Andrew Campbell, who had recommended the Melbourne stint.

In the US, Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird (by Birdstone) flew again to win the $1million G1 Travers Stakes (2000m) at Saratoga on Saturday. The filly Rachel Alexandra, America’s darling, is to take on older males in the Woodward Stakes (1800m), at the same track next Saturday. The purse has been increased from $US250,000 to $US750,000 to get her to the barriers – no female has won the Woodward in 140 years. Rachel Alexandra (B f 3, Medaglia D’Oro (USA)-Lotta Kim (USA), by Roar (USA)) won the Kentucky Oaks and beat the boys in the Preakness Stakes before her two latest wins – the G1 Mother Goose by 19¼ lengths at Belmont Park and the G1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park in New Jersey against the best 3YO males.

In Singapore yesterday, Australian Steven Burridge trained four winners for the first time – he has 32 for the season, in sixth place in an international field topped by New Zealander Laurie Laxon (70), who had three winners yesterday, from Aussie Michael Freedman (42). Jockeys’ leader is local Saimee Jumaat  (78) from Brazilian Joao Moreira (47), Australian John Powell and South African Robbie Fradd (both 44). Other Australians in the top 10 are Danny Beasley (39) and Vlad Duric (33). 

In Macau, Australian Gary Moore (45 wins) collected his third trainers’ premiership when the season ended at the weekend. Moore’s brother John finished second in the Hong Kong premiership last season and is gearing up for another big year when the 2009-10 season starts on September 13. Their father  George was one of Australia’s greatest jockeys. Brazilian Manoel Nunes was Macau’s premier jockey with 112 wins.

And at the Wimmera meeting at Donald yesterday, apprentice Harry Hillier rode winners four straight – Carnegie Road, Chocolate Ruby, No Push Over and Flaming Moe – with the first and last for his master, Ballarat trainer Darren Weir.  Hillier claims 3kg in the city, 2kg in the country – he has 36 wins from 428 rides, starting in the 2006-07 season

WE’LL WATCH IT

Another turf great will join Phar Lap and Bart Cummings as an Australian racing Hall of Fame Legend at a dinner at Crown in Melbourne tonight All four candidates are in the Hall of Fame already, but in a racing first this year’s elevation is by public vote, a move that has caused controversy. All four will get there eventually, but the new method appears to favour those in the news more recently. Will it be champion jockey Scobie Breasley, who died in 2006? Will it be a horse (Makybe Diva, the 2003-05 winner, or Carbine, the great horse of the 19^th century, and remarkable sire and breed influence) or a trainer (Sydney’s 33-year premiership winner TJ Smith, who died in 1998)?

The Australian Horse of the Year for 2008-09 will be named, too. Scenic Blast should nose out Theseo and Maldivian.

Former Coolmore rider and Irish champion Kieren Fallon returns to English racing on Friday at Lingfield and Kempton after 18 months sidelined over using cocaine. Fallon’s old job is safely held by Johnny Murtagh, but other top stables are interested in using him, including Luca Cumani. Fallon rode Yeats to seventh place in the 2006 Melbourne Cup, and rode a winner at the Cox Plate meeting a week earlier.

Saturday is a Group 2 day at Flemington, headlined by Manhattan Rain getting the chance to live up to trainer Gai Waterhouse’s claim that he is the best 3YO colt in Australia when he runs in the Danehill Stakes (1200m) – he has to beat the best filly, Black Caviar, if he is to live up to the Waterhouse hype. Blake Shinn will be down from Sydney to ride Sires’ Produce winner Manhattan Rain and stablemate Swift Alliance in the G3 Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes (1200m). 

The other Group 2s at Flemington are: the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) with Predatory Pricer, Typhoon Tracy, Rebel Raider and C’Est La Guerre entered; and the Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) – trainer Peter Moody has nominated Typhoon Tracy for the Let’s Elope, too. The G1 winner had her first defeat in six starts when third first up to Predatory Pricer and Whobegotyou in the G2 Liston Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 15.

The G2s at Randwick are the WFA Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) and the Furious Stakes (1400m) for fillies.

Belmont has the Listed Farnley Stakes (1400m). They also race at Morphettville and Eagle Farm.

Melbourne Cup weights will come out on Wednesday. English entry Mourilyan (b h 2004, Desert Prince (Ire)-Mouramara (Ire), by Kahyasi (GB)) firmed to $26 after winning a Listed race over 1400m at Goodwood on Saturday. Mourilyan is trained in England by Gary Moore (not the Macau-based Moore) and by South African Herman Brown elsewhere.

Spring markets – TAB Sportsbet offers these odds (all in):

Caulfield Cup (2400m) October 17

$8 Predatory Pricer

$13 Whobegotyou

$15 Shocking, Speed Gifted, Vigor

$17 Viewed, Rebel Raider

$21 Gallica, C’Est La Guerre,

$26 Daffodil, Roman Emperor, Nom Du Jeu, Efficient, Tuesday Joy

$31 Vision And Power, Zipping, Jolie’s Shinju, Maldivian, Schiaparelli, Zagreb, Baughurst, Hissing Sid, Raffaello, Red Ruler, Precedence

Cox Plate (2040m) October 24

$5.50 Whobegotyou

$11 El Segundo, Predatory Pricer

$12 Maldivian

$14 Mic Mac

$16 Black Piranha, Jolie’s Shinju

$18 Denman, Heart Of Dreams, Theseo, Typhoon Tracy

$21 Zipping, Trusting, Vision And Power

$23 Racing To Win

$26 Ortensia, Onemorenomore

$31 Tuesday Joy, Efficient, Viewed, Manhattan Rain, Black Caviar

Melbourne Cup (3200m) November 3

$12 Profound Beauty, Rebel Raider

$14 Efficient, Viewed

$16 Changingoftheguard, C’Est La Guerre

$21 Roman Emperor, Precedence, Speed Gifted, Vigor, Tuesday Joy

$26 Schiaparelli, Zipping Master O’Reilly, Shocking, Mourilyan

$31 Whobegotyou, Ista Kareem, Daffodil, Leica Ding, Unsung Heroine

We’ll also watch what develops at Sydney’s Warwick Farm, with Inglis acquiring 9.5 hectares (23.75 acres) of land at the racecourse from the Australian Jockey Club. Inglis managing director Mark Webster said the move gave the bloodstock company an option, should it be necessary to relocate from Randwick.

“Newmarket (Randwick) has not yet been put up for sale, nor has a decision been made to relocate within any particular time frame,” Webster said. “The AJC board’s vision for the future of Warwick Farm was also important in making our decision, and I congratulate them for committing to invest more than $25 million to revamp and revitalise the Farm’s training and race day facilities.”

More than 800 horses are trained at Warwick Farm, about 25km west of Sydney. Darley and Patinack are the two biggest stables. Webster said Inglis’ new site could accommodate 1000 stables, 4000 more than Newmarket.