Nicconi starts new season with a bang
Beginning in style, Nicconi sired a treble on the first day of the season on Monday. Eterea, for Matt Cumani, and Tread Softly, for Ben and JD Hayes, both prevailed at Sportsbet-Pakenham Synthetic. Meanwhile, Don’t Say It came home in front for trainer Tayarn Halter at Darwin.
Nicconi finished fourth in last season in the Australian General Sires’ Premiership, with his progeny accumulating over $17 million in prizemoney. His 127 winners included two stakes winners, but arguably his biggest achievement came via star sprinter Nature Strip with his win at Royal Ascot on the G1 King’s Stand S. earlier this year.
Justify filly cruises at Del Mar
Justique (USA) (Justify {USA}) won her first start in remarkable fashion at Del Mar on Sunday afternoon (local time). Trained by John Shirreffs, the 2-year-old gave her rivals a several length lead from the gates in the 1100 metre Maiden Special Weight race.
Normally giving away that much ground would normally spell disaster, especially on a dirt surface over a sprint trip. However, the filly was allowed to cruise back into the race under jockey Victor Espinoza and, after she got the hang of things, he was able to sit up and let her stride home past her rivals in a casual fashion.
Justify (USA) shuttled to Coolmore Australia for three seasons but will not be returning this year.
Plans laid for State Of Rest
Newgate’s Henry Field all but confirmed an engagement for State Of Rest (Ire)(Starspangledbanner) in this year’s G1 Cox Plate, seeking back-to-back wins after he edged out Godolphin’s Anamoe (Street Boss {USA}) in last year’s renewal.
The international Group 1 winner has been campaigned globally to great success from his Irish base by handler Joseph O’Brien, with victories including the G1 Saratoga Derby Invitational S. in the US, the G1 Prix Ganay in France and most recently the G1 Prince Of Wales’ S. at Royal Ascot.
Before quarantine for the Cox Plate is considered, he will first head back to France for a tilt at the G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois (1600 metres) in Deauville.
“That’s definitely the plan… It’s 90 per cent likely that he’ll come for the Cox Plate,” Field told RSN Radio.
Freedman’s Cups campaign
Anthony and Sam Freedman have laid out their planned assault on the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups. The two horses they are taking aim with, Delphi (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Realm Of Flowers (So You Think {NZ}), will be aimed at the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups respectively.
Last seen when trailing them home in the G1 TAB Australian Cup, Delphi has since been gelded. Realm Of Flowers, meanwhile, was forced to overcome a severe infection before a return to racing could be considered.
“She just got an infected knee joint,” Sam Freedman rold Racenet. “She was pretty lucky to pull through and was in hospital for a little while and it was touch and go.
“She’ll run in Sydney on Saturday week in an 1800-metre race,” he added. “Then she’ll head towards the Metropolitan and onto the Melbourne Cup.”
The co-trainer also noted that the gelding operation has worked as hoped for Delphi.
“He was just a busy sort of horse, so we gelded him and he’s come back a bit more relaxed,” he said. “It wasn’t too late to geld him and he’s lightly raced so it was worth doing.”
Mark Walker plans ahead for Group 1 winners
Te Akau’s head trainer Mark Walker has set out tentative plans for his stable stars Entriviere (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) and On The Bubbles (Brazen Beau).
The trio will all head to the open 1100 metre handicap at Ruakaka this Saturday, before taking on the G2 Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa.
“They are all going well and we felt there should be a reasonable track up there at Ruakaka and then its three weeks into the Foxbridge Plate,” Walker said.
Imperatriz | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“Just in case it might be quite wet for the Foxbridge, they will at least have had a run on a decent track and a bit more fitness under their belts.”
The three could then head to New Zealand’s first Group 1 of the season, the Tarzino Trophy, in September, but Walker was wary of planning too far ahead.
“We’ve got a bit of time yet and we are just taking it one race at a time and obviously the weather will have a bearing on what we do,” he said.
“At this stage, all three will run on Saturday and into the Foxbridge and then we’ll make a call on the Tarzino after that.”
Price pleased with stable stars
In their first jump-outs for the preparation, stables stars I’m Thunderstuck (NZ) (Shocking) and Illation (So You Think {NZ}) pleased their co-trainer Mick Price at Cranbourne on Monday morning.
“I think I’m Thunderstruck and Illation are good horses going super,” Price told Racing.com.
“I’m Thunderstruck went up where there was no room, so he got held up a little bit, and Illation was beautiful, he was around the outside of them and seemed to handle the ground, he’s going good,” he added.
“I don’t think there is a lot between them. I’m thinking and hoping Illation can be a group 1 horse.”
I’m Thunderstruck took out the Golden Eagle last year after victory in the G1 Toorak H., but Price noted that his rating means the unbeaten Illation is unlikely to take the same path.
He is likely to start in a 1400-metre race at Caulfield at the end of this month, on the same day that I’m Thunderstruck will begin his preparation in the G1 Memsie S.
Coolangatta trials smoothly
Star filly Coolangatta (Written Tycoon) hasn’t been seen since running third in the G1 Golden Slipper but on Monday she took another step towards her intended return to action next month, impressing in a Cranbourne jump-out.
She completed the 800 metres smoothly under Jamie Kah, with co-trainer David Eustace pleased as he watched on.
“She just naturally rolled to the top without having to be asked to do that and Jamie just sat on her, she trialled nicely, but wasn’t asked to do anything too much,” Eustace told Racing.com.
Next month’s G1 Moir S. is the filly’s first major target, according to Eustace.
“She’ll have another trial and then probably run in the McEwen, which is three weeks prior over 1000 metres, which is ideal, and then the Moir and then the Manikato,” he added.
Go Wandji sticking to his territory
A surging victory under topweight earned Go Wandji (Wandjina) a comparison to the great Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) from veteran rider Larry Cassidy last weekend.
However, trainer Tom Dougall has decided that the 5-year-old gelding will stick closer to home, ruling out interstate travel for this spring.
His win last Saturday at Eagle Farm saw him notch an eight victory from 11 starts.
Mental health and wellbeing workshops for breeders
Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA) have announced a series of in-person workshops in Nagambie and Scone, continuing on from the development of the Stud Staff Support Line (SSSA) which was launched in 2021 to provide free, 24/7 counselling services to anyone within the breeding industry.
TBA has teamed up with Pip Baker, a respected mental health educator, to facilitate the workshops, while there will also be two webinars allowing remote participation.
“The feedback we have had from farms is that issues around mental health continue to be a challenge in the workforce and this has only increased since the start of COVID,” said Tom Reilly, chief executive of TBA.
The topics covered in the workshops include: avoiding burnout, signs and symptoms of anxiety and depression, effective feedback strategies, and the benefits of positive psychology and habit creation.
Ms Baker said: “Mental health problems continue to increase significantly. Early intervention and prevention strategies can help stem this tide and prevent problems from worsening."
The first workshop will be held at Nagambie Rowing Club, Victoria on August 4.
Racing SA CEO Nick Redin resigns
Nick Redin has resigned as CEO of Racing South Australia and will remain in his role until November 25 to ensure a seamless transition for his successor.
“Announcements like this one are always bittersweet. While we know we are losing a quality leader, after 14 years at Racing SA Nick now has a terrific opportunity outside of our industry that he wants to pursue and we wish him nothing but the best in doing that,” said Racing SA Chair Rob Rorrison.
“Nick’s period as CEO has not been without its challenges. He took over and immediately had to deal with the issues around the COVID-19 pandemic and the role he played at that time was pivotal in ensuring racing was able to continue."
