Levendi nears return
Levendi (Pierro), who hasn’t raced since he won the G1 Australian Derby last year, has been nominated for the G3 Kevin Heffernan S. at Sandown this Saturday.
The now 5-year-old needed surgery to remove bone chips from a knee with trainer Peter Gelagotis giving him a long recuperation, bypassing the 2018 spring carnival.
Levendi has been nominated for the G3 Kevin Heffernan S. at Sandown this Saturday
He was being prepared for a tilt at Sydney's autumn carnival earlier this year, but cracked a bone in his hip in a barrier trial at Warwick Farm in February.
Levendi finished fourth in a 990 metre trial at Cranbourne on Monday morning.
"There's a solid chance he'll run," Gelagotis said. "He's as bright as, didn't blow, didn't come up over the back and when we got home he got off the truck and was full of beans.”
Scone postponed
Racing at Scone has been put back a day with dangerous conditions forecast for areas of NSW affected by bushfires.
After originally clearing Tuesday's meeting to go ahead, Racing NSW stewards have postponed it until Wednesday.
"After taking further advice and reviewing the updated catastrophic weather forecast for Tuesday in the Greater Upper Hunter area, Racing NSW has determined that for the safety of all participants and horses the Scone meeting will not proceed and has been postponed until Wednesday," Racing NSW said.
The switch means a number of riding changes because Hawkesbury is racing on the same day. The apprentice only race at Scone will now be open to all available riders.
Stakes boost for 2YOs
Racing Queensland hopes to lift its winter carnival profile by substantially lifting prizemoney for its three main 2-year-old races.
The $2.25 million Future Champions’ Series will be aimed directly at securing the best late season juveniles from around Australia.
The Future races will be the $250,000 G2 Champagne S. at Doomben on May 9, the $1 million G2 Sires' S. at Eagle Farm on May 23 and the $1 million G1 JJ Atkins S. at Eagle Farm on June 6.
"In the process, the Future Champions’ Series will provide more than $1 million in prizemoney increases including $600,000 for the Sires' S. and $400,000 for the JJ Atkins," said Bell.
Brisbane Racing Club chairman Neville Bell welcomed the boost and said it would be a major step in the Sires' Produce S. regaining Group 1 status.
Quick trip home
Melbourne-based jockey Michael Dee is happy to be able to help out a long-time friend when he makes a fleeting trip back to New Zealand for Wednesday’s Riccarton meeting.
The former prominent Kiwi apprentice will ride three of the four runners for Matamata trainer and former jumps jockey Daniel Miller, including Sheezallmine (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}) in the G3 Lindauer Stewards’ S., though the initial reason for the hit-and-run trip is the Lisa Latta-trained Lincoln Raider (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) in the G2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile.
Michael Dee will head to New Zealand for Wednesday’s Riccarton meeting
“Lisa got on to my agent a few weeks ago about going over for the Coupland’s Mile and Dan told me he could have a few rides for me so it’s worked out well,” Dee said.
“Dan and I have been good mates for ages, way back to the show-jumping days, then we were at Te Akau together. It’ll be good to ride for him and they look chances, too.”
23 winners for Pharoah
Royal Act (USA) (American Pharoah {USA}) overcame a wide berth to triumph in his career debut at Del Mar on Sunday.
Quickly away from the stalls, he tracked a moderate early pace from third and continued to keep a close eye on the frontrunners until being given the cue by jockey Rafael Bejarano.
The victory represented the 23rd winner for American Pharoah. Nile River (USA) and Danon Pharaoh (Jpn) also won in Tokyo over the weekend for the Triple Crown winner.
Group 1 double
Melbourne Cup winning rider Craig Williams has continued his run of Group 1 success with victory aboard the Lee Freedman-trained Mr Clint (NZ) (Power {GB}) in the Singapore Gold Cup.
The victory was a second for Williams who claimed the race in 2016 on the Stephen Gray-trained Bahana (NZ) (Elusive City {USA}).
"Lee approached me for the ride in the Gold Cup. Lee was very confident he would run well even if his last run was so-so," Williams said.
"I have to say that I also took a lot of confidence from my first win on Bahana in the Gold Cup. Stephen Gray has become a very good friend of mine since, he and his owners are great people.
"It's quite something to come back and win the Gold Cup again, the same week I won the Melbourne Cup."
Griffiths on way back
Trainer Robbie Griffiths is a step closer to a return to the races after his first morning at the track on Monday.
The Cranbourne-based Griffiths was given the all-clear to resume stable duties on Saturday after undergoing an operation for a brain aneurism three months ago.
Griffiths had hoped to get the surgeon’s permission to attend Flemington, but got to see Halvorsen (Magnus) at the stable before the gelding's impressive win in the final race of the Melbourne Cup carnival.
Trainer Robbie Griffiths is a step closer to a return to the races
"I kept asking and I kept getting knocked back," Griffiths told RSN927. "They said the big crowds were way too much stimulus.
"It was hard for the biggest week of the year to be at home, but I'm very proud of the team and how they've conducted themselves for three months.”
No change mooted
Talented 3-year-old galloper Catalyst (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) is set to remain in the care of Te Awamutu trainer Clayton Chipperfield after his victory in the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton.
With Australian targets forthcoming, speculation was rife that Catalyst would be transferred to an Australian trainer.
However, The Oaks Stud’s General Manager Rick Williams was quick to quash those rumours and said it was his intention for Chipperfield to retain the exciting gelding.
“He has been in this game for 20-odd years,” Williams said. “He is 39-years-old, he’s a very experienced horseman. It is no surprise to me that if you give him a good horse he can do the job.
“My preference will be to leave him with Clayton. I have had a lot of offers from Australian trainers, but it’s not what I have done in the past and not the sort of person I am. He has done a great job.”
Poignant win looms
Emotions will run high for the Pitman family if Sensei (Dream Ahead {USA}) can complete a notable sprint double at Riccarton on Wednesday, but the likelihood of such a feat hinges on improved weather in Christchurch.
Sensei was one of the four winners Michael and Matthew Pitman produced on the opening day of the New Zealand Cup Carnival and the manner in which he annihilated his rivals in the Listed Pegasus S. puts him among the prime candidates for the G3 Lindauer Stewards’ S.
Sensei’s stable name is 'Jonny' in honour of Michael and Diane Pitman’s late son and on Wednesday he could get his chance to follow in the footsteps of another top Pitman sprinter, Coup Align (NZ) (Align) , who was the last horse to complete the Pegasus–Stewards’ S. double 10 years ago.
“It was on the 13th of November that we lost Jonny and that’ll be exactly six years to the day on Wednesday,” Michael Pitman said.
“Cup week is always a tough week for us because of losing Jonny at that time and I was pretty emotional when Sensei won the Pegasus and I’d say I’ll be the same if he wins the Stewards, but if the weather is not right I won’t risk running him.”
