Via Sistina will run in the G1 Cox Plate
Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) was in doubt for the G1 Cox Plate after dropping James McDonald on Tuesday and doing a couple of extra laps, but on Friday trainer Chris Waller gave her the go ahead. “Much happier than I was on Tuesday morning. She's had a good week, simple as that,” Waller told racenet.com.au.
Via Sistina (Ire) after dislodging James McDonald at Moonee Valley on Tuesday | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“The workout on Tuesday morning was going well until she parted with James, since then it's the coach's job, and our team's job, to counteract what happened. She recovered well and the feed bin has been impressive, she's licked it clean each and every night and day, that's first and foremost to say she's not suffering in any way.”
Via Sistina passed the Racing Victoria veterinary protocols on Thursday after Waller took her back to The Valley for a quiet outing. “I didn't want her to be traumatised by it, or have any negative effects to find out on Saturday when she went there that she would sweat up or be nervous in way. She just had a very quiet canter, one lap, she was great, recovery was good, this morning she just had a very quiet canter this morning and she's bouncing, she really is, she had a very thorough trot up yesterday with Racing Victoria and passed them with flying colours.”
Prognosis ready for G1 Cox Plate
Japanese trainer Mitsumasa Nakauchida is pleased with Prognosis (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) ahead of Saturday’s G1 Cox Plate. “I'm very happy. He looks fit and he looks and he looks very happy,” he told racenet.com.au.
“Hopefully, the ground will be Good (rated) tomorrow. Not holding, holding (sit) and sprint in the end, just go with the pace. I don't think it's an easy race, it's a very competitive race, see what happens and how he goes. I will leave it to the jockey, we will talk tactics but as soon as the gate opens I have to leave that to the jockey, I have to trust Damian (Lane) 100 per cent.”
Dee gets call up for G1 Cox Plate
Trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have booked jockey Michael Dee for Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in Saturday’s G1 Cox Plate. “I hardly ride for Gai and Adrian. They're not one of my regulars and I'm not one of their regulars, so I'm lucky to pick up the ride,” Dee told racing.com.
Michael Dee | Image courteys of The Image Is Everything
“I didn't know until basically just before the barrier draw, I think mainly because they were still undecided what direction they were going. I'm guessing we'll be in the first four or five at least, I'm not sure what Evaporate does. Pride Of Jenni obviously leads, Mr Brightside will hold a spot, we'll be thereabouts.”
Parr ready for G1 Spring Champion
Jockey Josh Parr will ride El Castello (Castelvecchio) in Saturday’s G1 Spring Champion S. “He comes through the most traditional path which is the Gloaming Stakes and he was able to win that quite impressively,” Parr told racingnsw.com.au
“I guess you could say there was a lot of hype around how Swiftfalcon finished and also Henlein looking for the 2000m. As strong as he was in victory there were a couple of others there that looked good too. I definitely a lot of respect for them but a lot of faith in my horse to go with it.” El Castello won the G3 Gloaming S. last start.
Tiny filly out to provide Payne with third Spring Champion
Rag Queen (D’Argento) cost only $15,000 as a yearling, she stands barely 15 hands, weighs less than 450kg, but trainer David Payne thinks she can give him his third G1 Spring Champion S. He has previously won the race in 2020 with Montefilia (Kermadec {NZ}) and in 2017 with Ace High (High Chaparral {Ire}).
Rag Queen as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
“Rag Queen's only tiny, there is nothing of her, but she is a talented filly, tries very hard,” Payne told racenet.com.au.
“I thought her run in the Gloaming Stakes (fourth behind El Castello and Swiftfalcon) was very good. She will appreciate the 2000m, she just keeps coming in her races and will be finishing off strongly. We are testing her for the Oaks in Melbourne and I think she can run very well against the ‘boys'.”
Around The Nation: Friday’s highlights
Friday was a busy one across the nation with five day meetings and three night meetings. At Queanbeyan, 3-year-old filly Sun ‘N’ Sand (Pride Of Dubai) won on debut for trainers Barbara Joseph, Paul and Matt Jones.
In Scone, Matthew Smith trained 3-year-old filly Placid Pearl (D’Argento) became the 8th winner for her sire. Rodney Northam trained 3-year-old filly Quick Sharp (Bullpoint) won on debut, while her 5-year-old full brother Group 3-placed Sharp Shock made it two in succession at the same meeting for the same trainer. They are both out of Shamtastic (Shamardal {USA}) who has produced six winners.
In South Australia at Gawler, 3-year-old gelding Immortal Bliss (I Am Immortal) won on debut for trainer Peter Hardacre, and becomes the ninth winner for his sire.
The Sunshine Coast night meeting was opened with a win by trainer Stuart Kendrick’s 3-year-old gelding Italian Riveria (Shalaa {Ire}). Winner of two of his three starts at two, this was his first start at three.
Atzeni to ride Zardozi in the G1 Melbourne Cup
Hong Kong jockey Andrea Atzeni will return to Flemington to ride Zardozi (Kingman {GB}) in the G1 Melbourne Cup. “James called me yesterday and asked if I was happy to go back and ride her in the Melbourne Cup,” Atzeni told scmp.com.
Andrea Atzeni | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
“It’s a nice ride to get and it’s great to be in these sort of races. She gave me a great spin in the Caulfield Cup, I think she’ll stay and she goes on any ground. If we can get a good pitch, hopefully she can run a big race.”
“Riding for Godolphin and James in the Melbourne Cup is fantastic – I’ve ridden in it once but that was a long time ago. The break between the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup will do her good and hopefully she can be competitive in what I think looks like quite an open race.”
Kovalica under the radar for Cup
Owner Nev Morgan says Kovalica (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) might be outclassed in Saturday’s G1 Cox Plate, but the G1 Melbourne Cup is his final. “I know he is much maligned and people laugh at him, but he has won $3m and Chris doesn't hide him, he has been around in King Charles’, Doncasters, Golden Eagles and all those,” Morgan told racenet.com.au.
“We feel like this campaign he is showing something, it has been his best campaign in a while and he just races without luck. He has never told me, but I think it has been in the back of Chris's mind for a while. They had hardly pulled up in the Hill Stakes a few weeks ago and he rang me and said, ‘how about the Melbourne Cup?’
“I was like ‘are you sure?’ Chris is the boss and he said he had the sort of a profile where he could do it if he gets the right run because he has a turn of foot.
“When Nash Rawiller won the Queensland Guineas (in 2023) on him, he rang me the next day and he said it probably wouldn't win the Caulfield or Melbourne Cup that year, but he said as a five and six-year-old, he would be looking for that distance. Nash isn't prone to silly statements, so that has always been in the back of my head.”
Captured By Love out for redemption in Sarten Memorial
The G2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas was not an easy watch for the connections of 3-year-old filly Captured By Love (Written Tycoon), and co-trainer Sam Bergerson is hoping for redemption in Monday’s G2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial at Te Rapa. “It was a fantastic run and we were very proud of her efforts, but also pretty gutted at the same time,” Bergerson told Loveracing.nz about the way she missed the start by 6l then ran home for third.
Captured By Love | Image courtesy of Peter Rubery
“She seems to have come through it well and the barrier blanket goes on, we’ve gone back through the raceday barriers at Matamata and her behaviour was very good.” As for why she’s missing from the G2 Soliloquy S. against her age group, “Ken’s (Kelso) filly (Alabama Lass) is another swaying factor, we think she’s pretty sharp, but there are definitely some handy types in the Sarten too. She performed very well against the boys in the Guineas, so we thought we’d have another crack.”
Soliloquy’s strong history with Guineas
The G2 Windsor Park Stud Soliloquy Stakes has produced all of the last six winners of the G1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas, and Matamata co-trainer Ken Kelso would love to see that trend continue with his classy filly Alabama Lass (Alabama Express).
“She trialled at Matamata a couple of weeks ago and was quite impressive that day, and we’ve been more than happy with everything she’s done since then as well. She’s doing everything right. She’s eating well and working well. She galloped very nicely at Matamata this week. We’re really looking forward to Saturday,” said Kelso, who trains with his wife Bev.
“This race is going to be the test to see how far we’re going to get with this filly. Going up to 1400m is the next step in the progression. Hopefully it will give us a good idea of whether or not she’ll see out the mile in the Guineas at Riccarton.”
Guineas tests for Marsh stable this weekend
Stephen Marsh has nine 3-year-olds still nominated for either the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas or G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas at Riccarton next month, and six of them will contest Group races during the Labour Day long weekend. Love Poem (Snitzel), Sexy And I Moet (Pierro) and Hitabell (NZ) (Embellish {NZ}) all run in the Saturday’s G2 Soliloquy S. “She was obviously stakes-placed a few times at two, so it was really good to see her come back and put away a pretty talented field of maidens the way she did first-up,” Marsh told Loveracing.nz about Love Poem.
Stephen Marsh
Kiwi Skyhawk (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) runs in Saturday’s G3 War Decree S. and Super Photon (NZ) (Super Seth) and Erin Go Bragh (NZ) (Vadamos {Fr}) will run in Monday’s G2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial.
Fasig-Tipton breaks records on conclusion
The Fasig-Tipton October Yearlings Sale smashed its previous records for gross and average and produced its lowest buy-back rate in 11 years when it concluded its four-day run in Lexington Thursday.
“All in all, I am somewhere between thrilled and ecstatic with the results of these four days,” Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, Jr. said at the close of business Thursday evening. “The consignors continue to bring us higher quality horses each and every year and it is reflected in these results and these statistics.”
Through four sessions, 1122 yearlings grossed US$58,575,500 (AU$88.4 million), surpassing the auction's previous record gross of US$55,426,400 (AU$83.5 million) set in 2022. The average of US$52,206 (AU$78,700) was another highwater mark for the auction, breaking the previous record of US$50,388 (AU$76,000), also set in 2022. The median price of US$20,000 (AU$30,000) was fourth highest in sale history.
A pair of colts topped Thursday's final session of the October sale when bringing matching US$500,000 (AU$754,000) final bids. Megan Jones, bidding alongside trainer Danny Gargan, made that bid to acquire a colt by Curlin (USA) from the Eaton Sales consignment, just eight hips after Case Clay, bidding on behalf of Wathnan Racing, paid that amount for a Not This Time (USA) colt consigned by Hunter Valley Farm.
Throughout the four-day auction, four horses sold for US$500,000 or over and three were by Hill 'n' Dale stallion Curlin. Bloodstock agent Alistair Roden made the week's highest bid when purchasing a colt by that sire for US$550,000 (AU$829,000) on behalf of Mark Breen. In all, 69 yearlings sold for US$200,000 (AU$302,000) or over, up from 53 at the 2023 auction.
Pinatubo tops conclusion of Part 2 at Arqana
Domestic buyers dominated the concluding Part 2 session of this year's October Yearling Sale at Arqana on Thursday where a Pinatubo (Ire) filly offered by the La Motteraye Consignment sold to Emeric Guétin on behalf of Ecurie des Charmes for €125,000 (AU$204,000).
Pinatubo is just three winners off Sergei Prokofiev–who has 21–in a wide-open first-season sires' championship in Britain and Ireland. From just seven runners in France, he has sent out four individual winners, including some highly touted performers.
The aggregate was up almost 10 per cent on this corresponding day of trade last year to €4,514,500 (AU$7.4 million) while the average climbed 23 per cent to €32,953 (AU$53,700) and the median jumped by €6000 to €28,000 (AU$45,700).
Just three yearlings managed to break the six-figure mark on the day, with the threesome completed by a pair of Toronado (Ire) fillies at €120,000 (AU$196,000) and €100,000 (AU$163,000) respectively.
Territories sold to India
Group 1 winner and sire Territories (Ire) has been sold to continue his stallion career at Poonawalla Stud Farms in India next year, according to published reports. The deal was brokered by bloodstock agent Ajay Anne.
The Godolphin runner and son of Invincible Spirit (Ire), who stood for £10,000 (AU$19,600) this year at Darley's Dalham Hall Stud, won the Prix Jean Prat at the highest level for Andre Fabre.
At stud, he has sired 17 stakes winners, nine of them Pattern scorers. His current flagbearer is G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest winner Lazzat (Fr), while Territories has also sired Group 1 winners Rougir (Fr) and Regional (GB). He shuttled to Australia between 2017 and 2021 siring Group 2 winners Berkeley Square and Navajo Peak, and Group 3 winner Live To Tell.
