Heathcote horses cleared
The Robert Heathcote-trained Startantes (Star Turn), Price Of Boom (Spirit Of Boom), Crymenotears (Spill The Beans) and Starvirgo (Zoustar) are free to race again after the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission confirmed their swabs to be free of Hemoplex.
The quartet were all scratched from races in Brisbane last Saturday after returning positive readings to the aforementioned Hemoplex, which contains small amounts of the banned substance Cobalt.
The Revolution rolls on
Russian Revolution has drawn level with The Mission and Heroic Valour atop the first-season sire standings by winners after the Michael Freedman-trained Insurrection broke his maiden status at Muswellbrook on Friday.
Russian Revolution | Standing at Newgate
The Newgate Farm stallion, who has now sired eight winners, has amassed more than double his nearest rival in first-season progeny earnings.
Whisper wound up
Paul Snowden expects Frankel (GB) filly My Whisper to prove awfully hard to beat when she attempts to land her fifth win on the trot in Saturday’s G1 Australasian Oaks at Morphettville.
Snowden, who trains the Yulong-owned 3-year-old in partnership with his father Peter, was full of praise for the way My Whisper savaged the line to take out the G3 Auraria S. at her most recent start.
More winners for Artie
Chayse 'N' Artie brought up Flying Artie’s 29th winner of the season by the way of his maiden victory at the Sunshine Coast on Friday.
The juvenile gelding finished the better of the Annabel Neasham-trained Swiss Exile (Pariah), who boasts a third placing to Coolangatta (Written Tycoon), and the Stuart Kendrick-prepared debutant Pocket Full (Rich Enuff).
Flying Artie, who will stand the upcoming breeding season at Newgate Farm for $22,000 (inc GST), is currently fourth on the second-season sire standings by winners after breaking a deadlock with Aquis Farm stallion Divine Prophet.
Flying Start, a 3-year-old gelding by Flying Artie, made it a hat-trick of wins when saluting at Alice Springs on Friday in a BM68 H.
One horse dead as truck rolls at Garloch
At least one horse has been killed in a truck crash on a notorious section of the Bruce Highway between Ingham and Cardwell.
The driver of the truck carrying six horses allegedly lost control of the north-bound vehicle coming out the top of the S-Bend, rolling and coming to a rest on its side in a cane field.
At least two people were understood to be in the truck and suffered minor injuries for which they were treated at the scene by Queensland Ambulance paramedics.
Hill riding the high
Jack Hill is hoping he can reward Cranbourne-based trainer Kevin Corstens for his continued support when he steps aboard Bon’s A Pearla (Bon Hoffa) in Saturday’s G1 Australasian Oaks at Morphettville.
The Victorian-based hoop, who is riding in arguably career best form, will retain the ride aboard the G1 Australian Guineas-placed filly after Brett Prebble opted to remain in Victoria to fulfil his commitments at Sundown.
Hill said the Ken King Thoroughbreds-owned Bon’s A Pearla is more than capable of gifting him and Corstens their maiden Group 1 victory.
Harley moven in a Derby direction
Dan Clarken says its all systems go for dominant G3 Chairman’s S. favourite Harleymoven (Foxwedge) ahead of his final tune up for next month’s G1 South Australian Derby at Morphettville.
Clarken, who trains in partnership with Oopy MacGillivary said Harleymoven is the most naturally gifted horses he’s trained since G1 Blue Diamond heroine Miracles Of Life (Not A Single Doubt).
He holds no fears about the dominant last start G3 Port Adelaide Guineas winner staying 2000 metres despite acknowledging that his pedigree suggests otherwise.
Brereton vulnerable in Brisbane
Peter Moody believes the G3 Maribyrnong Plate-winning Brereton (Zoustar) could be vulnerable on resumption in Saturday’s Listed Dalrello S. at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
The Pakenham-based horseman, who opted to steer Brereton clear of Sydney’s Heavy tracks in the autumn, said his talented Victorian Alliance-owned colt is the class runner in the race but that the local form lines must be respected.
Time Test colt on top
A colt by Time Test (GB) topped the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up Sale at 160,000gns ($294,000) on Thursday, with Michael O'Callaghan signing the ticket. The sale witnessed record turnover for Guineas breezers at 5,599,000gns ($10,293,172) for 158 sold from 185 offered (85%). The median was up by 22%, and the average by 18%.
Mystic Guide to Darley America
Last term's G1 Dubai World Cup hero Mystic Guide (USA) has been retired to Jonabell Farm in Kentucky, where he will stand the 2023 breeding season. A fee will be announced at a later date.
“The decision has been made to retire Mystic Guide due to a soft tissue injury,” Dan Pride, COO of Godolphin in America, said. “The timing unfortunately rules out his major summer and fall targets and as a result he will take up stud duties at Jonabell Farm."
Edgley escapes unscathed
Talented apprentice Hannah Edgley has escaped injury after a fall from the ill-fated Ben Brisbourne-trained Cheeky Peaky (Strategic Maneuver) at Geelong on Friday.
Queensland on the cards
John Sargent is willing to set Owen County (Dundeel {NZ}) for the G1 BRC Sires’ Produce S. and the G1 JJ Atkins S. should the talented juvenile extend his unbeaten record to two wins from as many starts in Saturday’s Clarendon S. at Hawkesbury.
The Randwick-based trainer said Owen County has taken immense improvement from his debut victory at Kembla Grange and will be a Derby contender in the spring regardless of what he produces on Saturday.
Depature date set
Royal Ascot-bound sprinter Nature Strip (Nicconi) will depart Australia on May 30 bearing his comes through his final jump out unscathed.
Nature Strip | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
The Chris Waller-trained geldings managing owner Rod Lyons said Nature Strip will have his final jump-out three days prior to his departure.
Silvano Colt tops BSA National Yearling Sale
The first day of the Bloodstock South Africa National Yearling Sale was topped by a R3.3 million (AU$290,600) Silvano (Ger) colt who went to Form Bloodstock.
Offered by Varsfontein Stud and already named Forest God (SAf), Lot 226 is out of the dual stakes winning, G1 Woolavington 2000-placed Touch The Sky (SAf) (Jet Master {Saf}).
Another pricy colt was Lot 211, Celtic Chief (SAf) (Vercingetorix {SAf}), a R3-million (AU$264,000) purchase by SRB Plattner Farming from the Mauritzfontein.
The highest-priced filly, Lot 73, by Vercingetorix (SAf) brought R1.4 million (AU$123,225) from Vermaak Equine from the draft of Ridgemont Highlands as agent.
