Daily News Wrap

First winner for Sooboog

Kitchwin Hills' first-season sire Sooboog scored his maiden winner on Wednesday when the Annabel Neasham-trained Jessica Rabbit took out the 1200 metre QTIS 2YO Maiden Plate at Doomben.

Starting as the short-priced favourite, the filly raced outside the leader for the trip before looming up around the bend and kicking clear in the straight, going on to win easily by 2l.

Jessica Rabbit was purchased by Aquis Farm for $250,000 at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale from the draft of Segenhoe Stud and is out of Bella Sunday (Sunday Silence {USA}), making her a half-sister to Group 1 winner Oohood (I Am Invincible) and Breakfast In Bed (Hussonet {USA}), who is the dam of dual Group 1 winner King’s Legacy (Redoute’s Choice).

COVID-19 Magic Millions update

Currently the Greater Sydney area is declared a COVID hotspot by the Qld Government and the border is closed to those who have been in that area within 14 days of travel since December 11.

Any NSW residents wishing to enter Qld must have resided outside of a COVID-19 hotspot for at least 14 days prior to entering and must apply for a border pass.

Magic Millions have provided a list, map and contacts of all NSW vendors and their yearlings available for inspection prior to the 2021 Gold Coast Sale.

Ready to blossom

After flashing home for second over 2530 metres at Flemington last start, Warrnambool trainer Symon Wilde believes Tralee Rose (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) is on song for Friday’s Listed Bagot H. over 2800 metres at the same track.

“She has been over 2500 metres in Adelaide and handled that well,” Wilde told Racenet. “We are really happy with her.

“She is lovely and fit and is eating up, all those indicators are very good.”

Yes Baby Yes set for Millions

The Leon and Troy Corstens-trained Yes Baby Yes (Dissident) will have her first-up run in the Listed Nudgee S. at Eagle Farm on Saturday, ahead of a date with the R. Listed Magic Millions 3YO Guineas at the Gold Coast on January 16.

“She is a versatile filly and she is also as tough as nails – it was her ninth start last preparation that she won the Group 2,” Troy Corstens told Racenet.

“I only gave her two weeks off really and she has just bounced through everything in style.

“She has now been floated up to Queensland and you wouldn’t have even known she had a float trip.”

Corstens said Saturday’s race will be a good test for the filly, who has never raced the clockwise way of going.

“Saturday will be her first way of racing that way around and it can be a bit of a transition for them to get used to it,” he said.

“She has had a couple of gallops going that way but it’s an entirely different proposition with the pressure of a race.”

Easy Eddie back for Pride

Joe Pride is no stranger to rejuvenating an old sprinter, however, the trainer said it would be an emotional victory if 6-year-old Easy Eddie (Super Easy {NZ}) were to return to the winner’s stall this summer.

The Group 1-placed gelding suffered serious illness this year which saw him almost ruled out of racing ever again, but Pride has managed to get him back and he will run in the Listed Christmas Classic at Canterbury on Friday.

“He was very sick and it looked like it could be it for his career,” Pride told Racenet. “He got pneumonia and after that he got bad colitis and it’s not often horses come back from how bad he was.

“Good athletes do and he has always been a good athlete, and he is a special horse to me.

“I own a bit of him myself and after the team has nursed him back to health, it would be an emotional win when the day arrives.”

Launceston in line to hold Guineas

With racing again deemed unsuitable to be held on Hobart’s Elwick track, Launceston is now in line to stage the Listed Tasmanian Guineas at their next meeting on January 8.

Racing was cancelled from Hobart on Sunday when there was found to be large loose plugs of grass following remedial works on the new Strathayr surface.

The damage could not be repaired in time for Wednesday and the meeting was subsequently called off again.

Seymour to be reconstructed

After ongoing issues since being renovated in 2015, Racing Victoria, Country Racing Victoria and the Seymour Racing Club have announced that the Seymour racetrack is set to be completely reconstructed.

Issues with the Seymour turf have lingered since a $6 million redevelopment back in the 2015/16 season and despite more renovations taking place at the start of 2020, recent inspections have found it still unsuitable to race on, prompting a full reconstruction.

"Like all within the industry and the local community we are incredibly disappointed and frustrated that the Seymour track has failed to live up to its potential," Racing Victoria Chief Executive Giles Thompson said.

“Clearly the intention when it was reconstructed in 2015/16 was to deliver a first-class racing and training surface for the north east and indeed the state of Victoria.

“That hasn’t happened though and whilst progress was slowly being made, the time has come to take more invasive action to address the track’s issues around stability and consistency of year-round performance.

“In making this announcement, I want to apologise to the industry, and more specifically those participants based at Seymour and the local Seymour community, that we didn’t get this right the first time around.

“We have a lot of great tracks within Victoria and Seymour deserves to be one of those for many years to come. That has always been our ambition and we will use the learnings of recent years to ensure that becomes a reality."

Strong hand for Tylers

Riverton trainers Kelvin and Aimee Tyler hold a strong hand heading into their home meeting on New Year’s Day, highlighted by a three-pronged attack in the Summer Cup.

They will be represented by seven-win gelding Kilowatt (NZ) (Shocking), Dr Velocious (NZ) (Haradasun), and Rosie Glow (NZ) (Shocking) in the Riverton feature and they believe they are all in with a winning chance.

“We have got three really good chances and I can’t really split them,” Kelvin Tyler said.

“They are all working well and have a bit of weight off their back, are on their home track, and they don’t mind a bit of rain.

“I couldn’t be happier with the three of them.”

Stakes target

Owner Joan Egan is having a week to remember after winning the G1 Zabeel Classic at Ellerslie with Concert Hall (NZ) (Savabeel) on Boxing Day, and on Wednesday the Graeme and Debbie Rogerson-trained Beauden (NZ) (Bullbars) won the Taupo Cup.

While the race and track doesn’t carry the same prestige as her earlier victory, the win was enjoyable nonetheless for Egan, and now Beauden will attempt to make it back-to-back wins in the Listed Marton Cup at Awapuni next month.

“Ryan said he just wanted to be there, even with the 62kg. He said he came down the hill and he wanted to run, so he let him run,” Graeme Rogerson said.

“I will ring Joan in a couple of days and we may head to the Marton Cup. He has won a lot of races at Awapuni.

“There are some nice races for him, he is certainly an Auckland Cup (Group 1, 3200 metres) horse. He is a good horse when he is right.”

Cup quinella for Pitmans

Trainers Michael and Matthew Pitman walked away happy men from Kurow on Wednesday after securing the quinella in the Kurow Cup courtesy of Carson River (NZ) (Swiss Ace) and Enzo’s Lad (Testa Rossa).

Carson River settled midfield for jockey Samantha Wynne before finding the one-one outside stablemate Enzo’s Lad. The son of Swiss Ace quickly found the lead when turning for home and distanced his rivals to win by 2.5l from the late closing Enzo’s Lad.

Matthew Pitman was delighted with the result and said it was good for the public to see Carson River’s true talents.

“Carson River has been showing for a long time that he can win some nice open class races. When he wins, he wins like a good horse,” he said.

“I thought Sam Wynne rode him really well today and he showed everyone what he could do.

“He should go on with it now and be a very nice Open Class 1400 metre miler. He will just target some other open class races over the summer period.”