Waller thinks Switzerland as good his other five Coolmore winners
Trainer Chris Waller is ready for a clash of titans in Saturday’s G1 Coolmore Stud S. and believes his colt Switzerland (Snitzel) is as good as his other five winners. “He's right up there with the best of them, as simple as that,” Waller told racenet.com.au.
Switzerland | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“A lot of the other colts have announced themselves in the race, he's shown he's certainly got some pretty good talent.” Waller’s previous winners are Zoustar (2013), Brazen Beau (2014), Japonisme (Choisir) (2015), September Run (Exceed And Excel) (2020) and Home Affairs (2021).
“He's a quick horse but he does things right. He settles, he's pretty versatile, he's good enough to win the race.”
Yulong’s Coolmore pair might become one
Yulong isn’t sure about running Growing Empire (Zoustar) in Saturday’s G1 Coolmore Stud S. since he’s been up a long time already. “Much like the conversation around Via Sistina, you can go to the well one too many times,” Yulong Managing Director Vin Cox told racing.com on Monday.
“He is a 3-year-old colt, he is not as seasoned as some of the biggest sprinters around the place. He ran exceptionally well in The Everest and ran exceptionally well in the Manikato, is it time to draw stumps and maybe take aim at the Autumn? Or do we go just one more time and have a crack at the Coolmore?” Growing Empire has had four starts this spring for two wins and two Group 1 placings.
First Settler (Written Tycoon) will be taking his place in the race, and has had only two starts this campaign, winning the G2 Danehill S. at his last start.
New Zealand’s Group race abandoned after horses slip
The spate of bad luck with New Zealand tracks continued at Te Rapa on Monday, with the abandonment of racing at the Hamilton venue following several slips. “We had the report from Sam Weatherley following race one regarding his horse moving around the final bend. An inspection was carried out following that race and all parties were happy to continue on,” stipendiary steward Brady Jones told Loveracing.nz.
“Prior to race three we had a brief shower of rain and we had reports from Joe Doyle and Warren Kennedy that both of their horses had moved rounding that final bend, probably from the 500m right through to the 400m, and they felt their mounts were shifting.
“We conducted a further inspection following that and found little pieces of movement, nothing glaringly obvious. The riders went back and had a meeting amongst themselves, and they reported to stewards that they didn’t have the confidence in the track to ride competitively on it, so the meeting has been abandoned.”
A formal announcement for a new venue for the G2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial is yet to be made.
Moreira believes in Golden Eagle hope Ascoli Piceno
Jockey Joao Moreira knows how good Ascoli Piceno (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) is because he’s beaten her in Japan. “I did beat her in a Group 1 race over there and it took a really good horse to get her beaten,” Moreira told racingnsw.com.au.
Joao Moreira | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“I think I’m on the right horse. I’m extremely confident that she’s more than capable. You don’t need the real Group 1 winners there to come over here and win Group 1 races. The quality of Group 1s over there is so high. Obviously some factors are going to play a big role in it, sometimes you get a bad gate or you get stuck in a race. If everything goes all right she is a big winning chance.” She has won four of her six starts.
Celestial Legend sent for a spell
Trainer Les Bridge has sent dual Group 1 winning 4-year-old entire Celestial Legend (Dundeel {NZ}) for a spell and will aim him at the autumn. “Celestial Legend is not running in the Golden Eagle, he's going for a spell. I don't think he is right so I'd prefer not to push on with him,” Bridge told racenet.com.au.
“I'd prefer not to go into details but the horse is fine and he will go out for a good eight-10 weeks spell. If I get him out early, then we can give him a break and get him back for autumn.”
Broadsiding to skip Derby for more commercial options
Last season’s Champion 2-year-old Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot {GB}) will skip the G1 Victoria Derby in favour of more commercial options. “I'd have loved for us to run the horse in the Derby but considerations need to be made for the horse's prospects at stud, in his next life,” trainer James Cummings told racenet.com.au.
“For that reason, the horse is going to refrain from running over a mile-and-a-half, which is a shame for him, because I really think he could've won that race (Victoria Derby). It's something we'll never know, for this VRC Derby, but he's bursting to run again and he'd be nevertheless well-placed in one of the weight-for-age races on the final day.
Broadsiding | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“We might be leaning towards the Champions Stakes at the moment, but he could easily run in the Champions Mile… we'll look at both of those options. We'll have a think about which one will suit him the most, but he pulled up beautifully from that run in the Cox Plate… and he would look beautiful at Flemington. On a beautiful big spacious track in Melbourne Cup Week when the eyes of the world will be watching.”
Melbourne Cup third acceptances including Via Sistina
Saturday’s brilliant G1 Cox Plate winner Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) remains in the G1 Melbourne Cup after third acceptances closed on Monday with 35 horses remaining in contention. Okita Soushi (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) moved to 17th in the Melbourne Cup order of entry after Racing Victoria's chief handicapper David Hegan announced a 1kg penalty after he won the G2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup.
“Under the set weights and penalty conditions of the Moonee Valley Gold Cup Okita Soushi carried the minimum weight, but the commanding nature of the win and his performance rating dictates a penalty must be allocated,” Hegan told racenet.com.au. Jamie Kah has been booked to ride him.
Group race opportunity for Kennedy
Apprentice Jaylah Kennedy will ride Berkeley Square (Territories {Ire}) in Wednesday’s G3 Bendigo Cup. “It's a tough time of the year, the spring, so you take every ride you can get,” Kennedy told racenet.com.au.
“But I feel like I'm riding well enough and giving them all their chance, it's just a matter of getting on the best one on the day. Even just to be out and riding on these big days with the great atmosphere, it's an unreal experience.
Jaylah Kennedy will again partner Berkeley Square in Wednesday's G3 Bendigo Cup | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“(Berkeley Square)'s definitely going well and it will be interesting to see him at 2400m. If we get a tempo and he switches off the distance isn't going to be an issue but, at the same time, he's racing really brilliantly. He's a pretty big boy and he needs his room. Hopefully, we'll get a good guideline on what his distance range could be for the rest of the prep.”
McLellan stood down after fall at Quirindi
Racing NSW stewards reported that jockey Darryl McLellan was dislodged from his mount shortly after the start of Race 3 at Quirindi on Monday when riding 3-year-old gelding Maven (Trapeze Artist) who was on debut.
“Darryl hit his head after falling but has been examined and is showing no signs of a concussion. For precautionary reasons, Darryl was stood down from his remaining riding engagement and will require a cog test prior to being cleared to ride. He will be examined again prior leaving the racecourse.”
Around The Nation: Monday’s highlights
Monday saw only two meetings, Quirindi in NSW and Benalla in Victoria. At Quirindi, trainer Jason Deamer’s 3-year-old filly Rose Water (Calyx {GB}) won on debut. A half-sister to Group 3 winner Parry Sound (Pierro), she is out of Group 1 winner Aqua D’Amore (Danehill {USA}) and is looking like a bargain buy at $45,000 for Gary Mudgway Bloodstock at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale.
At Benalla, 3-year-olds won the first two on the card, being The Rock Dancer (Fastnet Rock) and Spirit Of Jo (Impending).
UK jockey Stott to ride in New Zealand
British hoop Kevin Stott achieved his biggest moment in racing in the colours of Cambridge Stud’s Brendan and Jo Lindsay at Royal Ascot four years ago on Hello Youmzain (Fr), and now he has made his way to their homeland for a riding stint. “That was the best day in my life in terms of riding career,” Stott told Loveracing.nz. “Unfortunately, it was during the pandemic, so there were no crowds.
“It is something that I will never forget, obviously your first Group 1 is massive, and I was lucky enough to ride another Group 1 last year on a very good horse. I have ridden some very nice horses and have a lot of experience all around Europe and all around the world.
“I had always really wanted to come down and see New Zealand. I have been to Australia, America, Dubai, Qatar and Bahrain, and I thought I would come down here and have a look. A good friend of mine got in touch with Bruce Sherwin who then got me in touch with a few people out here.” He was due to have his first ride at Monday’s meeting at Te Rapa, which was subsequently abandoned.
Rob Waterhouse keen for Tattersalls Horses In Training Sale
With over 100 horses boasting Timeform ratings of 100 or greater in a catalogue that includes high-quality drafts from Coolmore, Juddmonte and Shadwell, is it any wonder that buyers flock from all over the world to get in on the action at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-In-Training Sale?
Speaking about the appeal of the sale, Rob Waterhouse, giant of the bookmaking industry in Australia and husband to the legendary trainer, said, “The reality is that Europe–in particular Britain and Ireland–is much better at producing stayers than we are here in Australia. That's the long and the short of it. I am sure that it is all to do with climate–it's easier to produce sprinters in a hotter climate. Europe produces great stayers and we're dreadful at it!”
Gai and Rob Waterhouse | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Neither Rob nor Gai will be in attendance at Tattersalls, but the team will be in safe hands in the shape of Claudia Fitzgerald, bloodstock manager for the stable, and leading bloodstock agent Johnny McKeever.
“We're lucky to have Claudia Fitzgerald who goes over there on my wife's behalf,” Waterhouse said. “She does a great job at inspecting the horses and is assisted by a good Irishman in Johnny McKeever. They do a great job for us. We're lucky enough to keep a significant database of British, Irish and French form, which is a bit different to Timeform and Racing Post, but similar. We go through that database and try to find the ones that are of a certain standard. From there, we target the ones we like on type.”
Fierceness to retire to Ashford Stud
Champion juvenile and Grade 1 winner Fierceness (USA) (City of Light {USA}) will join the ranks at Ashford Stud upon his retirement from racing, the farm announced via release Sunday.
The champion juvenile from 2023 is a leading GI Breeders' Cup Classic contender and will likely be one of the favorites at post-time. Of the others, Coolmore will have two other rooting interests as well with Sierra Leone (USA) (Gun Runner {USA}) and City of Troy (USA) (Justify {USA}) in the race. That group accounts for three of the first four in the wagering.
Trainer Todd Pletcher said that no decision had been made as to the horse's retirement, and that running him at four was certainly in the discussion. “I don't think any decision on his retirement is going to be made until after the Breeders' Cup, and I'm sure we'll have discussions as to what is the best route for the horse. He was a fantastic 2-year-old that has carried it on to three and is physically improving, so I would think that a consideration of a 4-year-old campaign will be in the discussions.”
Saudi races upgraded to Group 2
The Sports Boulevard Riyadh Dirt Sprint and Longines Red Sea Turf Handicap will be run as Group 2 contests for the first time in 2025, it was announced by the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia (JCSA) on Sunday. Both races take place during the Saudi Cup meeting, which is scheduled for Saturday, February 22 as part of the 2024/25 Riyadh season.
The Riyadh Dirt Sprint, won this year by Japanese raider Remake (Jpn) (Lani), will see its prize-money boosted to US$2 million (AU$3 million), while the Red Sea Turf Handicap, which went to the Aidan O'Brien-trained Tower Of London (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), will once again be worth US$2.5 million (AU$3.8 million).
Listed winner added to HIT sale
The 2-year-old Square D'Alboni (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), an impressive winner of the Listed Prix Isonomy at Chantilly on Saturday, has been given a wildcard entry to the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale. Consigned by Imperium Sales, he will be offered as Lot 1129G on Wednesday, October 30. The Ralph Beckett trainee is unbeaten in three starts since finishing ninth on his debut at Doncaster in July, having been gelded before his first run.
