Hong Kong double for Deep Field
Newgate Stud's Deep Field sired a race-to-race double in Hong Kong at Sha Tin on Sunday. Siring the winner of the Listed Hong Kong Derby with Voyage Bubble in Race 8, was followed by Supreme Lucky winning the Luger Class 3 H. for trainer Danny Shum.
Supreme Lucky was a $50,000 yearling purchase by McKeever Bloodstock from the 2020 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale when consigned by Millford Thoroughbreds.
Caroline Searcy presents Inglis Easter preview
Caroline Searcy's popular two-part Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale Preview airs on Sky Thoroughbred Central Monday, March 20 at 8.30pm AEDT and features regally bred yearlings by Snitzel, I Am Invincible and Zoustar, plus a brother to champion mare Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}).
Part 2 airs Monday, March 27 previewing Hunter Valley-prepared yearlings from Newgate Farm, Kia Ora, Middlebrook, Valley Lodge, Milburn Creek and Silverdale farm along with New Zealand's historic Cambridge Stud.
Replays on Sky Thoroughbred Central wil sit throughout the week including Sunday at 8am AEDT, Trackside NZ will too broadcast the preview.
Nugent faces lengthy time on sidelines
Victorian jockey Teo Nugent has a fractured C1 vertebra, following his fall from Florescent Star (Zoustar) in Saturday’s Listed Abell S. at The Valley.
Florescent Star appeared to clip the heels of eventual runner-up In The Boat (Nostradamus), sending Nugent to the turf, where he was concussed and transported to the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
Nugent was the fourth Victorian-based jockey to fall in the past three weeks, following Ethan Brown, Jamie Kah and Craig Williams.
“There’s no doubt, I think everyone is feeling it, including me,” Victorian Jockeys’ Association boss, Matt Hyland, said.
“It’s obviously a stable fracture (of the C1 vertebra) because they’re not doing surgery. He’s got a hard collar on.
“When he does go home, he’ll be in recovery mode and will have a fairly long recovery of at least three to six months.”
Racing Victoria (RV) stewards have adjourned their inquiry into Saturday’s fall.
Victoria has workload issues, says Melham
Group 1-winning jockey Ben Melham believes racing participants in Victoria, by and large, are overworked.
Melham took to Twitter to voice his concerns on Saturday night, following Teo Nugent’s fall at The Valley.
Melham said: “The elephant in the room needs to be addressed. Victorian workload on racing participants is far too high. Turnover and revenue is important, but not at the expense of people's lives. Fatigue kills! Hopefully, three near-death experiences in three weeks is enough...
“Race-riding requires mental clarity for split-second decisions.
“(Racing on) Wednesday twilight, Thursday night, Friday night, trackwork and trials 4-5 days a week.
“Racing 24/7, 365 days of the year. It’s not sustainable. If meetings aren’t scheduled, people simply can’t go.”
Victorian Jockeys’ Association (VJA) chief executive, Matt Hyland, responded, saying: “It’s certainly not a simple issue. The point that Ben makes is right, however, it’s not a one-size that fits all issue. There are jockeys at different levels of demand.”
Hayeses eye second Doncaster with Mr Brightside
Saturday’s The All-Star Mile winner Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) could be off to Sydney to defend his Doncaster Mile crown.
“It looks awfully tempting to head back up to Sydney and try for back-to-back Doncasters, which would put him in an elite bracket,” co-trainer, JD Hayes, told Racing.com on Sunday.
After carrying 50.5kg to win last year’s Doncaster Mile, Mr Brightside has been allocated 55.5kg in 2023.
Two runners for Begg in Australian Cup
In-form trainer Grahame Begg will launch a two-pronged attack on Saturday’s G1 Australian Cup at Flemington, with talented mare Lunar Flare (Fiorente {Ire}) joining her stablemate Nonconformist (Nicconi), who was an impressive winner of the G2 Blamey S. first-up.
“It will be a different story at weight for age, but he (Nonconformist) has performed well at weight for age before and at 2000 metres,” Begg said.
“She (Lunar Flare) likes Flemington, and she can be a big improver. I would never be surprised with what she can do.”
Jordan Childs rides Nonconformist, while Michael Dee will again partner Lunar Flare.
Alexanders launch ‘Project Pride’
Headed by Ballarat-based husband and wife team Archie and Annie Alexander, Alexander Racing on Sunday made history, launching Australia’s first LGBTQIA+ and allies-owned syndicated racehorse.
Titled ‘Project Pride’, the concept aims to further welcome the rainbow community into racing.
The filly, by Headwater from the winning More Than Ready (USA) mare Southern Girl, was purchased by Alexander Racing / Rogers Bloodstock for $100,000 at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale and she will race in the Project Pride jockey colours, reflecting the famous rainbow pallet.
“The creation of our Project Pride ownership experience is our way of bridging that gap and promoting inclusivity and diversity in the thoroughbred industry, and to race in the official Pride colours means we are literally going to fly the rainbow flag on the turf,” said Archie Alexander.
Project Pride owner ambassadors representing the LGBTQIA+ community include former North Melbourne AFL coach Danielle Laidley and partner Donna Leckie.
Interested parties can purchase five and 10 per cent shares.
New stakes winner for Wootton Bassett
Hours after winning the G1 Golden Slipper S. with Shinzo (Snitzel), Coolmore’s great day continued in France, with shuttle sire Wootton Bassett (GB) logging a new stakes winner when 3-year-old colt American Flag (Fr) blitzed his rivals in the Listed Prix Omnium at Saint-Cloud.
Trained by Yann Barberot, American Flag won by 3l in the hands of Christophe Soumillon.
Wootton Bassett covered 188 mares in Australia in 2021, and 169 mares last spring, and his first Southern Hemisphere yearlings will go through the ring next year.
‘J-Mac’ to miss Tancred meeting
James McDonald has again felt the wrath of Racing New South Wales stewards, with the star jockey suspended for five meetings for a careless riding charge, which occurred during Saturday’s G3 Epona S. at Rosehill.
McDonald, who was somewhat controversially free to ride on Slipper Day after having a careless riding suspension reduced, pleaded guilty and will be sidelined after Wednesday's Randwick-Kensington meeting. He is eligible to return for the opening day of The Championships (April 1).
At the same meeting, Hugh Bowman was fined $5000 after he pleaded guilty to two counts of excessive whip use in the Golden Slipper and Birthday Card S. and illegally using the whip in consecutive strides prior to the last 100 metres in the Slipper.
Meanwhile, Damien Oliver received an eight-meeting careless riding suspension for his ride aboard Amenable (Lonhro) in the G2 Alister Clark S. at The Valley.
Nature Strip on target for fourth TJ
Champion sprinter Nature Strip (Nicconi) has pleased trainer Chris Waller since the gelding’s unplaced effort in last month’s G1 Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington.
The 8-year-old contested a three-horse Rosehill jump-out last week.
“Really happy. He had a good, solid hitout over 900 metres,” Waller said.
“We let him run a nice 300 (metres) without pushing him and he was awesome.”
Nature Strip won’t run again before the G1 TJ Smith S. at Randwick on April 1, a race he has won for the past three years, however, he could be given a final exhibition gallop to top off his preparations for the feature sprint.
Stanley to team up with Neasham
Apprentice jockey Jett Stanley - the son of Caulfield Cup-winning rider, now trainer, Brent Stanley - is set to join the all-conquering Annabel Neasham stable in Sydney.
“It’s very exciting. Annabel had a chat with my boss Mitch Beer and it all went from there,” Stanley told News Corp.
“It’s a great opportunity and one I’m really looking forward to.
“I’m very grateful for the opportunity I’ve been offered and it’s one that you take with both hands and hopefully I’ll make the most of it.”
Stanley will have his indentures transferred to Neasham on April 1.
Weatherley recovering after life-threatening birdcage incident
Trainer Darryn Weatherley was recovering in hospital on Sunday after he was kicked by Ess Vee Are (NZ) (Shocking) following Saturday’s Listed New Zealand St Leger at Trentham.
Weatherley was adjusting the winner’s dress rug when the 4-year-old struck him on the upper thigh with sufficient force to knock him to the ground.
Weatherley suffered damage to an artery in his left leg, but the speedy reactions from a raceday veterinarian and ambulance personnel managed to stem the bleeding.
“Darryn had gone to the back of the horse to straighten up the dress rug as it had slipped to one side,” Weatherley’s wife Louise explained on Sunday morning.
“He’s normally a very relaxed and unaggressive horse, but he still had his blinkers on and was understandably a bit stirred up from the race, and he took fright when Darryn pulled on the rug and he double-barrelled him.
“Thank heavens there was a duty vet nearby and when he realised what had happened he whipped off his tie and applied it as a tourniquet above the wound, which is probably what saved Darryn’s life.
“Once they had assessed the situation and stabilised Darryn, they took him to Hutt Hospital and he had surgery to close the wound.”
Wallace mulls options with Pennyweka
Trainer Jim Wallace is undecided about his next move with Saturday’s G1 New Zealand Oaks heroine Pennyweka (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}).
“She has pulled up very well, she cleaned up (Saturday) night and she is nice and bright this (Sunday morning),” Wallace said.
“She is a little bit tired but is walking freely and looks good.
“I think she has a lot of physical improvement to do yet. My gut feeling is we should give her a break and think about somewhere down the track but those decisions won’t be made until we get together and have a chat about it.”
Tasmanian juvenile winner for Bolt D’Oro
Former shuttler Bolt D’Oro (USA) had a 2-year-old winner on Sunday, with the Gary White-trained Bobble scoring at the third time of asking.
Bobble finished over the top of her rivals in Race 1 at Hobart - a 1200-metre 2YO H.
A Grade 1 winner in the US, Bolt D’Oro covered 104 mares in his lone season in Australia at the now-defunct Spendthrift Farm.
Scone meeting rescheduled
Sunday’s Northern Country Championships Wild Card meeting at Scone will be conducted on Monday (March 20), after a temperature in excess of 40c was forecast for the region.
The winner of Race 7 on Monday will receive the final spot for next month’s $500,000 Country Championships Final on day one of The Championships at Randwick.
