Price-Kent Jnr babies to debut at Sandown
Cranbourne-based trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr will saddle a pair of 2-year-olds - one colt, one filly - in Saturday’s Ladbroke It! H. at Sandown.
The colt is Ouroboros (Harry Angel {Ire}) - a $200,000 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale purchase - who will debut for Trilogy Racing, while Down Low (Deep Field) - a $200,000 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale buy - races for Sheamus Mills and partners.
Neasham casts eye to autumn with Zaaki
Seven-time Group 1-winning trainer Annabel Neasham admits she would love to get her hands on the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. trophy with her dual G1 Champions S. hero Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}).
The 8-year-old was narrowly beaten by Think It Over (So You Think {NZ}) in this year’s edition of the $4 million race.
“There’s so many options for him, but the one race that I’m desperate to go one better in is the Queen Elizabeth,” Neasham told TDN AusNZ.
Zaaki (GB) and Annabel Neasham | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Zaaki has just come back into work and is pre-training at Blair Richardson’s property at Scone.
“He’ll have a couple of weeks there and then head back,” Neasham said.
“He had a good break, he was out in the paddock and put on weight very quickly when he spelled at Segenhoe Farm. He didn’t need any longer out or he was going to start looking like a broodmare.”
Golden Sixty for Hong Kong Mile hat-trick
Australian-bred, New Zealand-sourced gelding Golden Sixty (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) will be vying for his third G1 Hong Kong Mile during this weekend’s Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) meeting at Sha Tin. If successful, he will join Good Ba Ba (USA) (Lear Fan {USA}) as the only other horse to win three consecutive editions of the race (Good Ba Ba won four from 2007 to 2009 inclusive).
Jockey Vincent Ho, who is aiming to ride Golden Sixty on Sunday, exercised the gelding at Sha Tin on Tuesday and said all was looking aligned for another win.
Golden Sixty | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
“He felt good, it was a nice gallop,” Ho said. “I think he’s better than last time. I walked him around after and we’ve done enough. I can’t wait for Sunday.”
Capacity field for the revamped The Ingham
The $2 million G2 The Ingham, formerly the Villiers S., has attracted a capacity field at Royal Randwick this Saturday with 20 runners plus four emergencies, including defending winner Brutality (Shamus Award). The winner of the race will be ballot-exempt from the $4 million G1 Doncaster Mile in the autumn.
Randwick’s 10-race card is also supported by the prolific R. Listed Inglis Nursery for 2-year-olds, with the winner’s prizemoney in this instance qualifying towards to the order of entry for the 2023 G1 Golden Slipper, to be worth $5 million.
“The increase in prizemoney to $2 million for The Ingham see’s a high-class and capacity field headed in weights by Group 1 winner Huetor and a highly credentialled international performer in Sunshine Rising,” said James Ross, the Australian Turf Club’s executive general manager of racing and wagering. “The Inglis Nursery also continues to be a feature of this raceday and has a history of producing not only Golden Slipper winners, but star colts in future years.”
Jockey charges
Following an investigation conducted by stewards, betting analysts and investigators, Racing NSW has issued charges against Sydney jockey Tommy Berry and registered owner/punter Zaid Miller. In relation to Berry, the five charges relate to accepting considerations in connection with two horses in March, possessing a mobile phone in the jockeys’ room and engaging in conduct prejudicial to the image, interests and integrity or welfare of racing.
Miller also has five charges respectively relating to Berry, and these will be heard at Racing NSW head office on a date to be confirmed.
Further charges in a similar investigation have also been laid against jockeys Jordan Mallyon (two), Jack Martin (four) and Kayla Nisbet (two), along with registered owner/professional punter Jacob Hoffmann.
Maher eyeing third nursery victory
Ciaron Maher and David Eustace will rely on Bold Julius (Brazen Beau) to provide them with a third consecutive victory in the R. Listed Inglis Nursery at Randwick on Saturday.
The co-trainers saddled El Padrino (Street Boss {USA}) to victory in the race 12 months ago, while Acrobat provided the partnership with a first triumph in the contest in 2020.
Bold Julius | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“He’s not as obvious as Acrobat was but I like the way he’s progressed into his trial and out the other side, so it (win) wouldn’t be a total surprise,” Maher told Racing.com.
The colt has had two trials in Sydney for a fourth at Warwick Farm over 800 metres on November 18 before a third placing 11 days later at Canterbury over 898 metres.
“We’ve had a bit of luck in this race and he trialled pretty well the other day and was very good through the line,” Maher said.
St Lawrence remains unbeaten
St Lawrence (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) retained his unbeaten record when he landed the Evergreen Turf H. at Sandown-Hillside on Wednesday.
Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, the 4-year-old gelding pulled away impressively in the closing stages to beat State Squad (Lucas Cranch {Ger}) by 3.8l and stretch his unbeaten record to three.
Formerly trained by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, for whom he won once, the son of Redwood (GB) was moved to Maher and Eustace when he was purchased by Ozzie Kheir.
“He was a little workmanlike his first start in Australia but the step up in trip, experience of racing here and the big track he appreciated,” winning jockey Johnny Allen said.
“He’s a nice moving horse so he got across the ground (Good 3) pretty easily, he handled the conditions no worries.”
Justamaiz out to win second Waikato Cup
Justamaiz (NZ) (Guillotine {NZ}) will have to overcome an interrupted lead-up and an unfavourable weather outlook if he is to land another G3 Waikato Cup on his home turf on Saturday.
Trained at Te Rapa by David Greene, the son of Guillotine (NZ) won the Group 3 in 2019 and his trainer is hoping to regain his crown this weekend.
“He’s in good order and obviously had a slightly different preparation than normal. He missed a run in the Counties Cup due to the track and had to go back to a mile and he was a bit one-paced second-up,” Greene said.
Justamaiz (NZ) | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
“We needed to get more miles into him and I think he’s coming in at a nice spot, but it would have been beneficial for him to have had a run over ground before stepping up to a mile and a-half.
“He’s a genuine stayer and normally I would have no concerns about him running the trip, the main concern is the weather forecast as he’s a good track horse.”
The Astrologist eyeing a Gold Rush
Six-year-old gelding The Astrologist (Zoustar) has drawn well once again in barrier five for this Saturday’s G3 Gold Rush at Ascot. As a last-start eighth of 16 in the G1 Winterbottom S. at the same track, the horse's co-trainer, Troy Corstens, said the low draw in that event was his undoing.
“We thought we had the ideal gate (barrier two) in the Winterbottom and it really hindered us in the end,” he told Tabradio. “He couldn’t get a clear crack at them and he’s one of those horses that needs to wind up and get into gear and in a real dog fight.”
The Astrologist | Image courtesy of Racing Wagering Western Australia
The Astrologist will meet nine of his Winterbottom rivals in the Gold Rush, a field that includes Kementari (Lonhro) and Vilana (Hallowed Crown) for Godolphin, and locally rated Elite Street (Street Boss {USA}) and Stageman (Written Tycoon).
Arqana concludes
Indices remained above average, as a record-breaking Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale concluded in Deauville on Tuesday.
Despite more horses on offer, demand remained strong at 80 per cent with 740 head sold of 926 offered. The gross breached the €50-million (AU$78,264,800) mark for the first time, totalling €56,800,500 (AU$88,909,500). The overall average of €76,757 (AU$120,100) was up 27 per cent and the median increased 15 per cent to €17,250 (AU$27,000).
Tuesday's session posted a clearance rate of 83.5 per cent, as 127 sold from 152 for an aggregate of €714,500 (AU$1,118,400). The median was unchanged at €3500 (AU$5500), and the average improved 23 per cent to €5626 (AU$8800).
Lot 866, the 3-year-old Save The World (Fr) (Frankel {GB}), was knocked down for €52,000 (AU$81,400) to BBA Ireland. Part of the Haras d'Ombreville draft, the bay is unraced and out of the G3 Fred Darling S. second Jellicle Ball. (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).
