Third for Tivaci
Never Been Kissed (NZ) notched up young Waikato Stud stallion Tivaci’s third individual winner this season when saluting at Hawkesbury on Thursday.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained debutant outlasted Winning Rupert colt Hamaki in the 1000-metre contest.
Never Been Kissed’s G3 Mannerism S.-winning grandam Tootsie (NZ) (Pins) is a three-quarter sister to the dam of the dual Group 1 winner Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel).
Tivaci will stand the upcoming breeding season at Waikato Stud for a service fee of NZ$12,500 plus GST.
Conrad gets the money for Maurice
Conrad gifted second season Arrowfield Stud stallion Maurice (Jpn) his third individual winner this season when winning on resumption at Hawkesbury on Thursday.
The Kim Waugh-trained gelding finished 1.2l the better of Foxwedge gelding Fox Fighter in the 1100 metre Class 1 affair.
Maurice (Jpn) | Standing at Arrowfield Stud
Conrad is out of a full sister to the G1 Thousand Guineas runner-up Hinting (Danzero) and a half-sister to three-time Group 1-winning sprinter Lucky Secret (Rubiton).
Maurice will stand the upcoming breeding season at Arrowfield Stud for a service fee of $44,000 (inc GST) after finishing seventh overall on the 2020/21 Leading Australian First Season Sires' standings.
Cummings open-minded
Godolphin head trainer James Cummings is keeping an open mind about what races star colt Anamoe (Street Boss {USA}) will contest this campaign.
Cummings told RSN on Thursday that the G1 Sires’ Produce S. winner is likely to be targeted towards the G1 Caulfield Guineas on October 9 after spiking a temperature.
Beldivian launches partnership
Beldivian (Vancouver), a close relation of the late G1 Cox Plate champion Maldivian's (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), three-quarter sister Belavynshi (NZ) (Savabeel) will mark father-son duo Mark and Levi Kavanagh’s first metropolitan runner since joining forces at the beginning of this season.
Maldivian, a three-time Group 1 winner raced under the watchful eye of Mark for all but one of his 30 career starts.
“We think highly of him, without wrapping him up too much, he’s got to do it first, his win the other day was quite good, so we want to give him the opportunity in a bit harder level,” Levi told Racenet.
“I thought it was impressive, he was back a little way and really finished strong, he’s going to take a lot of improvement from the run both physically and mentally."
Barrier a concern
Leading NSW-based hoop Tommy Berry has some reservations about Mo’unga’s (NZ) (Savabeel) chances in Saturday’s G1 Winx S. after the Annabel Neasham-trained entire drew barrier 12 of 14.
Mo’unga (NZ) | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
"I would've liked him to have fared a bit better in the barriers, drawing out where he has, has made our task a little bit more difficult," Berry told Racing.com.
"It just means I've probably got to ride him a little bit quieter than we first would have liked, but that's without speaking to Annabel (Neasham) yet."
Voorham to return
Talented South Australian-based apprentice Teagan Voorham will make her return from an eight-month injury layoff at Morphettville on Saturday.
The 25-year-old is booked for three rides at the meeting, two of those for masters Leon Macdonald and Andrew Gluyas.
“I’ve been back doing trackwork for about 10 weeks and the first day back felt a bit unnatural actually, but I am feeling good now,” Voorham told Racenet.
“I am definitely hungrier; I was before but after such a big break it makes me more so.”
Hit-and-run
Star WA-based rider William Pike is considering a hit-and-run raid on the Victorian spring carnival’s big three features.
Pike is planning a stay of just over three weeks in hope of riding in the G1 Caulfield Cup, the G1 Cox Plate and G1 Melbourne Cup.
William Pike | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
“In a perfect world, I would like to be there for the Caulfield Cup and stay there for a few weeks but with the changing COVID-19 landscape at the moment, I can’t really plan too far ahead,” Pike told NewsCorp.
“I will just continue to monitor the situation and will certainly endeavour to get across to Victoria when it is feasible.”
Sherwood stepping out
Cambridge-based trainer Tony Pike has confirmed that promising staying prospect Sherwood Forest (Fastnet Rock) will depart for Australia following his resumption in Saturday's 1300 metre Waikato-Bop Harness Racing 1300 at Cambridge Synthetic.
Pike said the 5-year-old gelding will contest a 1700 metre H. at Flemington on September 11 before plotting a path towards November's G1 Melbourne Cup.
"He's flying, he's going as well as he ever has. At his best, he's going to be competitive over there," Pike told NZ Racing Desk.
All going well, he’ll continue down a Cups path but if he doesn't measure up, there are plenty of options for him over there just below the top grade.
