Hot on Kolding

Chris Waller has a strong hand in Saturday’s G1 TAB Epsom H. at Randwick and has given the nod to the favourite Kolding (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}).

“Kolding would be our pick along with Star Of The Seas, and the market backs this up,” Waller said. “Kolding has done a great job through the autumn and has come back very well in the spring.”

Stablemate Star Of The Seas (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) offers strong back-up as he tries to execute a long-range plan.

“Star Of The Seas has been set for the race for some time,” Waller said. “He has drawn a little bit awkwardly, but Michael Dee is a good rider under these circumstances, he has won a couple of Group 1 miles for the stable.”

No distance concerns

The regular rider of Mystic Journey (Needs Further) has no doubts the mare can see out a strong 2000 metres in Saturday’s G1 Turnbull S.

She steps up to the trip for the first time ahead of a crack at the G1 Cox Plate three weeks later.

"I think the 2000 won't be an issue at all," jockey Anthony Darmanin said. "She probably ran 2000 in the All-Star Mile, pretty much. I think she will be strong on the line.

Mystic Journey finished runner-up to outsider Gatting (Hard Spun {USA}) at her most recent appearance in the G1 Makybe Diva Plate S.

"I think the month between runs last start probably took a toll. Not taking any credit away from Gatting though because he won really well and was better on the day,” Darmanian said.

Easy to justify

Recently retired mare Enticing Star's (Testa Rossa) first date will be with the American Triple Crown winner Justify (USA).

Time was called on the 6-year-old by owner Bob Peters after her first-up failure in the G2 Golden Pendant at Rosehill.

Enticing Star won eight of her 11 starts, including the Listed Birthday S. at Belmont and she finished runner-up in the G1 Winterbottom S.

Strong hand

In-form trainer Mark Newnham will have two strong chances in the G3 Keeneland Gimcrack S. in Every Rose (Choisir) and Ashra Jahre (Heawater).

The former is the early favourite for the Gimcrack having recorded the fastest time of six 847m heats at the official 2-year-old trials last month.

"A month after she'd been in work she had a really good idea of what to do. She just picked it up straight away," Newnham said.

"About two weeks before the trials I started to give her gallops with some older horses because she was just more advanced than the other 2-year-olds.”

Ashra Jahre finished runner-up at the trials and Newnham said the filly had taken good improvement from the outing.

Williams gets call

Craig Williams has been confirmed as the replacement rider for the in-form filly Acting (NZ) (Savabeel) in the G1 Thousand Guineas.

The leading Melbourne jockey has been given the call-up after she won the G2 Guineas Prelude in the hands of Tommy Berry, who will be under suspension.

Due to an oversight, the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Acting was not originally among the declarations for the Thousand Guineas, but the late entry fee of $27,000 has been paid.

McEvoy pleased

Co-trainer Tony McEvoy has been happy with the progress of Deep Speed (Deep Field) ahead of his debut in the Listed Maribyrnong Trial S.

He has given the colt two recent Flemington jump-outs, including one on the straight course eight days ago, and said he’d enjoyed a good preparation.

"He trialled really nicely down the straight so he's had a good look and his gallops have been good," McEvoy said.

"I'm really comfortable with him. He's just got to take it all to the pressure of race day now. Nothing replaces race day. If he can turn up and take it all there he'll be right in the mix."

Enable draws nine

Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) will jump from gate nine in a 12-horse field as she bids for an historic third victory in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

The John Gosden-trained mare became the eighth dual winner of Europe's premier middle distance contest last season, and was kept in training as a 5-year-old with the aim to become the first horse to win the race three times.

While she endured a troubled preparation last year, her current campaign has been faultless as she has stretched her top-level tally to 10 with a hat-trick of Group 1 wins in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown, the King George at Ascot and the Yorkshire Oaks at York.

The Khalid Abdullah-owned superstar is the odds-on favourite to claim what would be a momentous success at ParisLongchamp on Sunday under Frankie Dettori.

Coyle rolling dice

Jason Coyle will start St Covet’s Spirit (Uncle Mo {USA}) in the G1 Flight S. and he’s surprised it’s drawn such a small field.

"With a 3-year-old spring filly, if you think they've got ability, I think you've got to try them in those better races," Coyle said.

"Given the size of the field there's probably not many people who agree with me.

"They're spring 3-year-olds. They've only had the 2-year-old season to dictate which are the better horses and anything that's lightly raced or has needed time are still very early in their careers."

Chiaretta breaks maiden

Well-related filly Chiaretta (NZ) (Makfi {GB}) showed she has inherited her share of the family ability when coming from well off the pace to break maiden ranks in the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run November 20-21 at Te Rapa.

“We were always going to go back and knew the pace would be on,” trainer Stephen Marsh said. “You just don’t know if they can make up that much ground in a nice field like this.”

Chiaretta is a half-sister to stakes winning mare Members Joy (Hussonet {USA}), who is in turn the dam of Group 2 winner Pure Elation (I Am Invincible).

Marsh is weighing up between the G2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial S. at Te Rapa on Labour Day or the G3 Soliloquy S. on October 26 as Chiaretta’s next target.

Feature targets

Cambridge trainer Frank Ritchie will have two runners on the last day of the Hawke’s Bay Spring carnival and has headed south in high spirits.

Group 1 performer Dawn Patrol (Dawn Approach {Ire}) will line-up in the G3 Red Badge Spring Sprint and has been installed favourite for the race by TAB Bookmakers after closing late to win at Counties last start.

“I am very happy with him. He has done very well recently. He has pulled up well from his previous start and has worked nicely,” Ritchie said.

Meanwhile, stablemate Fiscal Fantasy (Skilled) will contest the G1 Livamol Classic.

“I think she can get some of the money with the right run. Her problem has often been that because she is so small, she can’t push her way out,” Ritchie said.