Fastnet and Justify cross produces magic
Coolmore’s rising star stallion Justify (USA) sired his 23rd stakes winner and third bred from a daughter of fellow Coolmore sire Fastnet Rock.
The D.Wayne Lukas-trained Just Steel (USA) was successful in the Listed Edward Brown S. at Churchill Downs. The colt is from the brilliant Australian-bred mare Irish Lights, a victress of the G1 Thousand Guineas and G3 Thousand Guineas Prelude. Just Steel is a half-brother to the G2 Silver Shadow S. winner and G1 Golden Rose-placed Omei Sword (High Chaparral {Ire}). Furthermore, this is the family of the progressive G3 Queen Elizabeth S. victor Muramasa (Deep Impact {Jpn}).
Justify (USA) | Standing at Coolmore Stud
Just Steel joins the stakes winners Learning To Fly and Star Of Justice as winners from Fastnet Rock mares. The colt was a US$500,000 (AU$760,300) purchase by BC Stables at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Irish Light’s had a full brother to Just Steel sell to Mathew Robert for US$250,000 (AU$380,100) at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
International Group winner for Exosphere
The Oaklands Stud-based Exosphere has enjoyed a fruitful spring with Skybird flying the flag locally. Meanwhile on the other side of the world the stallion was represented by his third Group 2 winner when the French-bred Easter (Fr) was successful in the G2 Del Mar Seabiscuit H.
Exosphere has sired eight stakes winners in total. Easter is from Exceed And Excel mare Excellent Girl (GB), who was fourth in the G1 Prix Saint-Alary and is a half-sister to the Australian Group performer Fastnet Tempest (Ire) (Fastnet Rock).
The gelding is a half-brother to the G3 Prix Miesque victress Sweety Dream (Fr) (Dream Ahead {USA}). Easter has won six races including the Listed Lure S. at Santa Anita and finished fourth in the G1 Man O’ War S. at Belmont.
Ripcord to let rip in Winterbottom?
Luke Fernie will head towards the G1 Winterbottom S. with his exciting 3-year-old Ripcord (Written By). The progressive galloper was a sensational victor in the Listed Placid Ark S. giving Fernie the confidence to tackle the open age sprint.
“Obviously, the Winterbottom will be a massive step up from the other day but it will be good to see where he lines up in that class,” Fernie told Punters.
Luke Fernie | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
“He has the weight swing in his favour, so it will be interesting to see how he takes it. I have always thought he was really good but it might have been sugar-coated a little bit, there might have been some slow ones in front of him that made him look faster than what he was.
“We won’t know that until next week, but I have always thought he had a big motor.”
Progressive stayer heads Zipping Classic
Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young’s royally bred Muramasa (Deep Impact {Jpn}) will test his mettle in Saturday’s G2 Zipping Classic over 2400 metres at Caulfield. The in-form stayer has been unbeaten this preparation and claimed the G3 Queen Elizabeth S. at Flemington last start
“He won first-up which got his rating up and then we made a plan from there,” Young told RSN.
“Muramasa was dominant on Champions Day in the Queen Elizabeth, and when he got home, he ate up, he trained on brilliantly and galloped as strongly as he had done leading the Queen Elizabeth.
“On his work, I think he can win, but it is a step up in grade and he has come up in grade very quickly, so if he runs below par, we can give him a bit of freshen up as a we have a nice horse that we can aim towards the Ranvet and the Tancred S. in the autumn.”
Panthalassa retired
After a brave performance in Sunday’s G1 Japan Cup connections have announced Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) has been retired. The Yoshito Yahagi-trained galloper has been a top-class galloper in his 27-start career winning seven races including the G1 Dubai Turf and the G1 Saudi Cup.
Stud plans for the bold front-runner have yet to be confirmed.
Kah hearing continues
On Monday the tribunal hearing of Jamie Kah’s white powder saga resumed as reported by Punters. Barrister Damien Hannan representing Racing Victoria stewards slammed Kah declaring she should have known Ruby McIntyre was filming her actions with the unidentified white powder and declared a negative drug test Kah had provided in the first hearing on November 13, was irrelevant to the case, “Kah not having tested positive is irrelevant to the tribunal, (we {Racing Victoria stewards} are) are not suggesting she ingested anything illegal,” he said.
“It’s the image, it’s the manipulation of the powder and the suspicion it could be illegal.”
It was learnt during the hearing Kah had met Ruby McIntyre only six hours before the gathering.
Kah’s barrister Matthew Stirling maintained his client had no knowledge of the footage and said Racing Victoria stewards were attacking Kah’s “integrity and honesty in a cowardly and most disrespectful way.”
Judge John Bowman said the three-person VRT will process the closing submissions and a decision will be handed down at an unspecified later date.
Australian Trainers’ Association calls RV to discuss track protocol
The Australian Trainers’ Association has declared their intent to speak to Racing Victoria regarding track policy after Sunday’s Kilmore Cup meeting was abandoned after three races and Monday’s Ararat meeting was delayed due to several jockeys fielding concern over the track conditions.
October saw a meeting at Tatura abandoned after one race, while in November Yea and Mt Wycheproof lost meetings due to track conditions.
Victorian state executive Paul Maher confirmed the ATA had contacted RV to discuss how track protocol could be improved.
Victorian state executive Paul Maher
“We understand the frustration and disappointment of all concerned with Sunday. We also understand health and safety is paramount when these unfortunate situations arise,” Maher told Racing.com.
“We have been in contact with Racing Victoria to come up with a better plan going forward. We have communicated with them that we would like to sit down, but nothing has been locked in.”
Currently the tracks are rated by track managers with help from regional managers, if circumstances permit stewards can inspect tracks prior to the meeting. However, stewards generally inspect the track one or two hours before the first race once arriving on course.
Newhaven Park Country Championship Series dates announced
On Monday Racing NSW revealed the dates and venues for the 2024 Newhaven Park Country Championship Series. The series will carry a record $2.35 million in prizemoney in 2024, and will see seven regional qualifiers and two Wild Card races carrying $150,000 in prizemoney before it culminates in the $1 million final at Randwick on Saturday, April 6.
Lismore is set to hold the first qualifier on Saturday February 17, followed by Albury on Sunday February 18.
Tuncurry-Forster, Mudgee, Moruya, Tamworth, Coonamble, Scone and Goulburn will also hold qualifiers.
The Northern Wild Card will be scheduled for Scone Racecourse on Friday, March 22, and the Southern Wild Card to be held at Goulburn on Sunday, March 24.
One in Vermillion retired
This summer's GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. winner One in Vermillion (USA) (Army Mule {USA}) injured a fetlock in early November after a workout at Zia Park and has been retired from racing, according to a report in Daily Racing Form.
One in Vermillion reportedly sustained a medial fracture and has already undergone surgery, which was successful, but will not return to the races. Stud plans for the bay are still being determined.
One in Vermillion (USA) | Image courtesy of Sarah Andrew
Bred in California by Richard Barton Enterprises, One in Vermillion sold to Jonathan Kalman for US$26,000 (AU$39,500) at auction in Arizona as a yearling. Trained by Esteban Martinez, he brought wins in Santa Anita's Lazaro Barrera S. and Sunland Park's Riley Allison Derby to his Allen Jerkens start at Saratoga. He inherited that August 26 victory after New York Thunder (USA) (Nyquist {USA}) was fatally injured late in the stretch.
Chapel Stud announce fees
Planteur (Ire), sire of the outstanding stayer Trueshan (Fr), heads the trio of stallions at Roisin Close's Chapel Stud, where his fee remains at £4000 (AU$7700) for 2024.
Both Planteur and Bangkok (Ire), who has first foals on the ground this year, including four for sale at Tattersalls, are owned by Simon Davies's DalhBury operation, sponsor of the Coronation Cup at Epsom. Bangkok's fee is also unchanged at £3000 (AU$5700), while the fee for Hellvelyn (GB) remains at £2500 (AU$4800).
