Golden Eagle barrier draw
The barrier draw for this Saturday’s $10 million Golden Eagle (1500 metres) at Rosehill Gardens took place on Tuesday evening, with the fourth emergency Kiss Sum (Shamus Award) drawing the rail. Should he not get a berth, the Peter Moody-trained Chain Of Lightning (Fighting Sun), the choice mount of Jamie Kah, will jump from barrier one in the 20-horse field.
Market fancy Light Infantry (Fr) (Fast Company {Ire}), a Maher-Eustace import, drew midfield in barrier eight with Jamie Spencer, while I Wish I Win (NZ), a Savabeel gelding for Waikato Stud, drew 14 with Luke Nolen.
Widest of the confirmed field is the Chris Waller-trained Hinged, a 4-year-old mare by Worthy Cause, who got barrier 20 with Kerrin McEvoy, while Frankie Dettori, confirmed on Tuesday for the Waller import Welwal (GB) (Shalaa {Ire}), drew barrier nine.
Begg frustrated for Cardinal Gem
Cranbourne trainer Grahame Begg has been left frustrated as his Choisir gelding Cardinal Gem, a winner of his last two starts, dropped a place down the order of entry in Saturday’s $10 million Golden Eagle. Ahead of him, the Chris Waller import Welwal leaped up the order when his handicap rating was lifted from 92 to 95, dropping Cardinal Gem to first emergency.
“If you want to make it an invitation race, do that, but please don't change the goal posts,” Begg said, as reported by the Sydney Morning Herald. “Our large group of Aussie battlers would like an explanation, please.”
Racing NSW confirmed that Welwal’s initial benchmark of 92 was ‘indicative’ and subject to change, and his official rating of 95 is concurrent with the horse’s rating when he arrived in Australia in August.
Begg will keep Cardinal Gem in Sydney until at least Wednesday when Golden Eagle scratchings might be clearer, before making a decision on starting his horse in the G2 Linlithgow S. at Flemington this Saturday instead.
Bowman staying in Sydney
Hugh Bowman is staying in Sydney this weekend for the Golden Eagle meeting, but on Tuesday he declared the on-song Sharp ’N’ Smart (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) the horse to beat in the G1 Victoria Derby. James McDonald will uptake the ride on the 3-year-old gelding, with Bowman relinquishing after two last-start wins on the trot, including victories in the G1 Spring Champion S. last weekend.
Hugh Bowman | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“He is a horse with a lot of class,” Bowman told Racing.com. “He is still learning his trade and lacks a little bit of race sense at times, but he did a really good job the other day wide on his own. But he got into a good, consistent rhythm which you need to do to win a VRC Derby.”
Sharp ’N’ Smart is a $3 favourite for the G1 Victoria Derby, narrowly heading Berkeley Square (Territories {Ire}) and Mr Maestro (NZ) (Savabeel) in the betting.
Mazu for the Nature Strip S.
The 4-year-old Maurice (Jpn) gelding Mazu was a gallant third in The TAB Everest this month, and co-trainer Peter Snowden has confirmed the horse will relish the 1300 metres of this Saturday’s $3 million Nature Strip S. at Rosehill.
“The last 200 metres of his races are getting to be the best part of him,” Snowden said. “We’re going to back his ability to front up again and put in a run like he did the other day, and it’ll put him pretty close.”
Mazu is now a winner of seven of his 14 races, with three additional placings. He has won close to $3.7 million and, tied equally with Lost And Running (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}), he co-leads the $6 million Sportbets Sydney Sprint Series.
Dettori confirmed for Eagle and Dance
Star European rider Frankie Dettori was confirmed on Tuesday morning for the $10 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill Gardens. He will partner the Chris Waller-trained import Welwal (GB) (Shalaa {Ire}).
“It’s a huge honour to be training Welwal for Al Shaqab Racing and we are delighted to have secured Frankie Dettori to ride him,” Waller said via a statement. “We feel Welwal has flown under the radar since landing in Australia and will perform better than his odds suggest.”
Frankie Dettori
Welwal is currently $15 in the TAB market, and the 4-year-old horse is yet to debut in Australia. He is lightly raced with just seven starts to his name in France, and he is a winner of three races, among them the G3 Prix de Fontainebleau at Longchamp back in April.
Dettori was also confirmed to ride the Kris Lees 6-year-old Hosier (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the Big Dance at Randwick's Melbourne Cup Day meeting.
Looking on the Brightside
After finishing seventh in last Saturday’s G1 Cox Plate, Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) is chasing redemption in the G1 Champions Mile (formerly the Cantala S.) at Flemington on November 5. Trainers Ben and JD Hayes revealed the 5-year-old gelding may contest the 1600-metre race after pulling up well on the weekend.
“We just want to see how he is over the next week, but at this stage I think we will be dropping back to the mile,” Hayes told SEN’s Giddyup. “I think he is good at 2000 metres, but just not against the best.”
Mr Brightside (NZ) | Image courtesy of Darren Tindale
Mr Brightside was fourth in the Champions Mile last year, beaten just a narrow margin by Superstorm (Sebring). With the race now a weight-for-age contest, Hayes said the gelding would be right among it.
“He has shown he is up to that class,” the trainer added. “I think over a mile he has got that better turn of foot.”
First winner for Tosen Stardom
Three-year-old gelding Shuriken was a debut winner at Casterton on Monday, at the same posting the first winner for his sire, the Woodside Park Stud resident Tosen Stardom (Jpn). Trained by Symon Wilde at Warrnambool, Shuriken won by 1l with Dean Yendall aboard, defeating the hot favourite Bon’s Your Back (Bon Aurum) into fourth.
Tosen Stardom has just two crops of racing age on the track to date, with Shuriken among 86 live foals born from that first crop. So far, the stallion has had 20 runners in Australia, with horses like Sutadamu, She’s A Hot Cod and Raging Climax additional placegetters.
During his race career, Tosen Stardom was a winner of both the 2017 G1 Toorak H. and G1 Emirates S., and he’s standing at Woodside Park this season for $7700 (inc GST).
McCann to Telemon Stud
Ahead of the upcoming sales season, Queensland’s Telemon Stud has appointed experienced horseman Mark McCann as its stud manager. McCann, along with his wife Sarah, will oversee the farm’s Magic Millions and Inglis Classic Sale yearling drafts for January and February respectively.
“Mark’s appointment comes off the back of significant investment in both our infrastructure and bloodstock over the past few years,” said Dan Fletcher, Telemon principal. “We’re delighted to secure someone of Mark’s standing in the industry, and we know Mark and Sarah will be integral to us as we pursue our ambitions.”
Telemon Thoroughbreds is the home of sires Jungle Cat (Ire), Sun City and Sidestep, and McCann is looking forward to two very good drafts in his new role.
“There are some exciting yearlings heading to the sales next year and, with the quality coming through, I believe it is only the beginning,” he said. “The farm itself is recognised as producing many top-class horses and we look forward to building on that record.”
Blackbeard retired
Ballydoyle’s top Irish juvenile, 2-year-old Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}), was retired on Monday ahead of his tilt at next month’s Breeders’ Cup. Trainer Aidan O’Brien declared the horse "a little off" after exercise, with x-rays subsequently showing a bone chip in his near-fore.
Blackbeard won six races in four starts through his juvenile season this year, including the Group 1 pair of the Middle Park S. and Prix Morny. He was the only European 2-year-old this season to post two wins at Group 1 level.
Blackbeard winning the G1 Prix Morny at Deauville | Image courtesy of Coolmore
“He’s a typical No Nay Never, strong, early maturing and very fast,” O’Brien said in a Coolmore statement. “He ran every month from April to September, and he improved and improved from one race to the next.”
In Blackbeard’s absence, Ballydoyle will press on to the European 3-year-old season with another son of No Nay Never (USA), the 2-year-old Little Big Bear (Ire), a winner of the G1 Phoenix S. this year.
Avondale trials called off
After just one heat, a full card of trials was called off at New Zealand’s Avondale track on Tuesday morning with the surface deemed unsuitable. Cambridge trainer Tony Pike, with nine horses affected, was critical of the track’s management, as reported by NZTM.
“They let it get too firm,” Pike said. “It was a Good 2 yesterday morning, so they aerated it and put 2mm of water on and it got a bit shifty on top.”
The only winner of the morning proved to be a Zacinto (GB) colt trained by Danny Walker and Aaron Tata who won his 2-year-old catchweight trial over 600 metres.
Cleary disqualified and fined
Racing NSW concluded an inquiry on Tuesday into the conduct of licensed stable foreman and registered owner in the Canberra region, Benjamin Cleary. The investigation was in response to a complaint raised to Racing NSW by registered owner Jim Stafford, who logged concerns about Cleary’s conduct in the offer and sale of three racehorses, Here Comes Kermit (Wanted), Baby Elise (Zoffany {Ire}) and Kosciuszko Express (Snitzel).
The inquiry opened on August 16, with a total of 12 charges issued on September 2. Cleary was subsequently found guilty of all 12 charges on evidence submitted and, in Tuesday’s stewards' report, was disqualified for a period of five years and three months and fined $1500.
Cleary’s disqualification will commence on November 26 and expire on February 26, 2029.
