'Huge appetite' for miEverest

Pre-registration signups for miEverest, The Everest slot that will be syndicated to the Australian public, have exceeded the 1000 unit-capacity in two days.

The innovative concept was announced on Tuesday, with micro-ownership company miRunners purchasing the GPI Racing Everest slot for $880,000 for the 2020 race and offering it for sale in 1000-units for $880. MiRunners CEO Steve Brown described the initiative as an opportunity for "the everyday Australian to get involved in the great race", and was excited to report on on the unprecedented positive interest.

"There is a huge appetite from the public to get involved in miEverest. The majority of those registrations are in teams, which aligns ideally with the spirit of miEverest to share the experience with as many people as possible," Brown said.

"Raceday attendance or not, we suspect there will be a brand new engagement dynamic in this year's race and a new type of Everest party around the country in October."

Those who pre-register will be eligible for a one-hour priority selling window before miEverest unit sales are opened up to the public at noon on Monday, May 25.

Queensland option

A Group 1 assignment in Queensland is in the offing for talented 2-year-old Not An Option (Not A Single Doubt) if he performs well at Randwick on Saturday.

Owned by a prominent group of New Zealand racing and breeding identities, including Cambridge Stud principals Brendan and Jo Lindsay, Not An Option will have his first start for new trainers Richard and Michael Freedman at Randwick in the Darley 2YO H.

He has been lumped with the topweight of 60kg, but his trainers are confident of a solid showing after his 1040 metre trial placing last week.

“It was a good trial,” Michael Freedman said. “He got back and made up a nice bit of ground. It looks a nice race on Saturday albeit he will be carrying a bit of weight.”

Not An Option is earmarked to head north to Queensland after this weekend where he will target the G1 JJ Atkins at Eagle Farm on June 6.

Tasmanian funding secured

Funding is in place for the TASBRED scheme when racing in Tasmania resumes.

The inaugural running of the $50,000 TASBRED 2 and 3-year-old races to have been held on May 3 will be re-scheduled. Initial discussions have suggested a move to the spring which will provide the opportunity for trainers to target these races. These races will be amended to a 3 and 4-year-old race for this year only.

“There is no doubt TASBRED has given the industry some new positivity over the past 18 months. We see the TASBRED feature races as an important part of the new TASBRED scheme and feel it is really important to give owners and trainers the best chance to target these races,” Tas Breeders’ Vice-President David Whishaw said.

The TASBRED nomination deadline for 2018-born foals has also been extended from Thursday, April 30 to Tuesday, June 30. The scheme offers $1.54 million in bonuses to eligible 2, 3 and 4-year-olds, distributed across 72 races, which includes the two TASBRED only races with prize money of $50,000.

June date

In-form sprinter Snitz (Snitzel) will make his next appearance in the Listed June S. at Randwick on Saturday week.

Trained by Matthew Dunn, the 5-year-old has strung together a winning sequence of four, including the Listed Takeover Target at his most recent appearance.

“He’ll run in the June S. and then on to the Ramornie H. He’s racing really well and the form around him has been strong,” Dunn said.

He was also pleased with the midweek trial win at Rosehill of the stakes-placed Snazz ‘N’ Charm (Snitzel) and two-time winner Lady Banff (Top Echelon), who finished runner-up in her heat.

“Snazz ‘N” Charm is ready to go to the races now, but Lady Banff is still a gallop short so she may go back to the trials,” Dunn said.

Title quest

Robbie Dolan will join Sydney’s senior riding ranks next season, but not before he hopes to successfully defend his apprentices’ crown.

Dolan rode 48 winners to lift the title in 2019 and has 25 on the board in his quest for consecutive premierships.

“With everything happening with coronavirus it became a lot more tricky to ride winners because it became a lot more competitive with everyone really relying on the city winners,” Dolan told Racenet.

“It was a goal of mine to outride my claim and then try to regain that apprentice title. "

Coyle flying solo

Jason Coyle didn’t have any intention of racing Air To Air (Smart Missile) when he purchased her as a yearling, but he’s got no complaints now about her earlier lack of popularity.

The Warwick Farm-based conditioner went to $75,000 to secure the filly at the Inglis Classic Sale and couldn’t subsequently find any takers for her and is now reaping the rewards as a solo owner of the promising 3-year-old.

“That’s the way a lot of mine work out. I buy with the intention to syndicate, but it’s a really hard market to sell horses with all the syndicators and big stables,” Coyle said.

Air To Air broke her maiden at Kembla Grange at her third appearance and then bridged the gap to much stronger company in style when third behind G1 Stradbroke H. contender Dawn Passage (Dawn Approach {Ire}) in the R. Listed Inglis Guineas.

“Class-wise, she managed it very comfortably and it’s nice to take a horse you think has the ability to a race like that and see it perform,” Coyle said. “Plenty of times they don’t convert what they’re doing at home to race day and I think she’s going to be more than handy."

Classics at Deauville

The G1 French 2000 Guineas and G1 French 1000 Guineas were moved to Deauville on June 1 instead of ParisLongchamp, as French racing undergoes a venue shuffle.

It follows the news that racing has been called off in France’s red zone due to coronavirus restrictions, France Galop announced on Wednesday evening.

Both 1600-metre Classics will be contested over a straight course. The complete schedule for French racing from May 25-June 1 has also been released, with the May 31 G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly also slated for Deauville.

Champing at bit

Leading New Zealand jockey Lisa Allpress was a step closer to doing what she loves best when riding at the Levin jump-outs on Wednesday.

The three-time premiership winner can’t wait for racing to return at the beginning of July and sits six wins clear in this season’s premiership with Kozzi Asano and Sam Collett heading the chasing pack.

“It was great to be back and blow a few cobwebs out,” Allpress said. “We’ve been really busy at home with horses and going to the track as soon as we were able to ride trackwork.

“It was so nice to catch up with the likes of Leah Hemi, Dylan Turner and Sarah McNab, just to name a few. Some of these people you’re used to seeing them three or four, or sometimes five times a week. It felt like going back to school after summer break.”

Allpress said a number of the horses were quite forward and believes racing could potentially look at recommencing sooner than the July 3 starting date, and she was disappointed with the overall length of time away from race day riding.

“I definitely think there has been an over-reaction and we could be back racing earlier,” Allpress said. “It’s very disappointing for a jockey where our only source of income is riding horses in a race”