Cigarette likely cause of Cranbourne fire
The races at Cranbourne on Saturday were delayed for around 15 minutes after a fire was started by an abandoned cigarette. The fire, outside Trios function centre, situated adjacent to the home turn, sent a blanket of smoke over the track. Southside Racing, operators of Cranbourne and Pakenham racecourses, evacuated marquees near the fire as a precaution.
“It's disappointing it happened to the neighbouring property, Trios, full credit to emergency services, who were on the scene immediately and put the fire out straight away,” Southside chief executive Neil Bainbridge told racenet.com.au.
“Everyone was safe and sound.” A second unrelated grass fire adjacent to the carpark behind the racetrack, less than an hour later, was also quickly contained by firefighters.
Al Maher gains 40th stakes winner in Listed AJ Scahill Cup
Jockey Lucy Fiore teamed up with trainer Peter Fernie to win the Listed AJ Scahill Cup with 7-year-old gelding Sentimental Hero (Al Maher) by 3.22l from Daniel Morton trained In Good Order (American Pharoah {USA}) with Susan Olive trained Red Sun Sensation (Awesome Rock) in third.
“I didn’t believe he could win today so I don’t know about the Perth Cup. But yeah he went fantastic, a brilliant ride. Thanks to Luke and all his staff who’ve been helping out today,” said Fernie.
Sentimental Hero becomes his sire’s 40th stakes winner, and was coming off three runs in stakes company for two placings. His career record is seven wins and 10 placings from 25 starts with earnings over $413,000. He was a $50,000 purchase by Andrew Inglis at the 2024 Inglis July Digital Sale from Peters Investments.
Listed Carbine Club of WA Stakes won by Aztec Ruler
Perth’s Listed Carbine Club of WA S. was won by trainer Stefan Vahala’s 5-year-old gelding Aztec Ruler (Universal Ruler). Ridden by Chris Parnham, Aztec Ruler won by 0.3l from Simon A Miller trained Valour Road (Frost Gian {USA}) who loomed down the straight and looked the winner until Aztec Ruler flew late to just nab him on the line. Luke Fernie trained Devoted (Xtravagant {NZ}) was third.
“He’s been knocking on the door. The horse definitely grows a leg with Chris,” said Vahala. “We love him so much, we would’ve been happy with second.” He will go to the Gold Rush next but needs a re-handicap to make the field.
Unbeaten in two starts at two, Aztec Ruler won the Listed Bunbury S. in March this year and this was his second black type win. He now has seven wins from 20 starts with earnings over $620,000. He was purchased by his trainer for $40,000 from Quanah Park at the 2021 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale.
Five more mares in foal to Too Darn Hot added to Tatts
The inaugural Southern Hemisphere Session catalogue, featuring an octet of mares in foal to Group 1 sire Too Darn Hot (GB), was released by Tattersalls Online and Inglis Digital on Friday. A champion first-season sire in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, the Darley stallion will not shuttle to Australia this year.
Set for December 11-12, the sale features the previously announced Group-placed duo of Know Thyself (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Sedaka (NZ) (Savabeel) and the lightly raced Crimson Coronet (GB) (Zoustar). The five new additions to the catalogue are as follows:
Too Darn Hot (GB) | Standing at Dalham Hall Stud
Frankel (GB)'s winning Believeinmiracles (Ire) (Lot 1), who is a granddaughter of G1 Oaks heroine Light Shift (USA) (Kingmambo {USA}); Belle Isle (GB) (Pastoral Pursuits {GB}) (Lot 2), who has a No Nay Never (USA) filly at foot, and is already the dam of G3 Cornwallis Stakes hero Abel Handy (Ire) (Arcano {Ire}) and the group-placed Woody Creek (GB) (Zoffany {Ire}); and South African Champion 2-Year-Old Filly and Grade 1 winner Cloth Of Cloud (SAf) (Captain Al {SAf}).
Kingman (GB) mare Good Liza (Fr) (Lot 6), a winning half-sister to multiple group winner and German Group 1-placed Grocer Jack (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and the stakes winner Ghislaine (GB) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) is joined by winner Newton's Night (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (Lot 7), who is a full-sister to Grade III winner and stakes producer Dress Rehearsal, the dam of stakes winner and G3 Prix d'Arenberg third Treasure Isle (Ire) (No Nay Never).
Waller’s dramatic day at Penshurst
Drama at Penshurst on Saturday when jockey Zoe Waller’s rein became tangled around the leg of Mylitlestarthatcan (Panzer Division) and the pair fell. Both Waller and the horse were okay. Waller then won the next on the card on Frose (Frosted {USA}), but the meeting was abandoned after the sixth race due to deteriorating track conditions.
King’s horse wins at Kembla Grange
Gilded Water (GB) (Fastnet Rock), owned by King Charles III, was successful at his Australian debut at Kembla Grange on Saturday. “This is the first time I've ridden in these colours, so it is pretty special to win this race,” jockey Jason Collett said.
“Gilded Water is still lightly raced, and he tends to climb a bit in action, so I just tried to keep him balanced. I thought we had the whole straight to get there and this horse can stay. He was always going to run the 2000m right out.”
Around The Nation: Saturday’s other highlights
At Wyong, 3-year-old gelding Majestuoso Phoenix (Lope De Vega {Ire}) won on debut, and jockey Sam Clipperton rode a treble on Coto De Caza (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}), Pasima (Pierro) and 3-year-old colt Revolt (Russian Revolution). Michael Heagney rode a treble at Inverell on Nipper Bee (Supido), Power Beau (Brazen Beau) and Everlasting Kiss (Justify {USA}).
Cleverly named Refusetobeenglish (Churchill {Ire}) won on debut at Cranbourne. The name comes from a quote by Winston Churchill, “We have always found the Irish a bit odd. They refuse to be English.” Refusetobeenglish is out of Irish Fling (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}), while Churchill’s 3-year-old gelding Winston won at Tatura.
Jockey Ethan Brown rode a treble at Cranbourne aboard Harry Got Styles (Harry Angel {Ire}), Nadal (Xtravagant {NZ}) and the Listed Cranbourne Cup on Globe (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}). Jockey Austin Galati rode a treble at Esperance on Royal Accolade (Reward For Effort), Boozeroo (Sessions) and Elite Fighter (Fighting Sun).
Australian mare Youngstar’s juvenile winner in Japan
G1 Queensland Oaks winner Youngstar (High Chaparral {Ire}) has begun her broodmare career in fine fashion with her first foal 2-year-old colt Eri King (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) remaining unbeaten with his third win on Saturday.
Sold to Katsumi Yoshida for $1.4 million at the 2020 Inglis Chairman’s Sale, Youngstar is a half-sister to G1 Flight S. winner Funstar (Adelaide {Ire}). Of note, Youngstar’s half-sister 3-year-old filly Starphistocated (Churchill {Ire}) won at Wyong on Saturday.
Goliath ready for Japan Cup challenge
Looking to build a stable that can compete at the highest level not only in the U.S. but all over the world, John Stewart will compete in Sunday's G1 Japan Cup with his newest acquisition, the gelding Goliath (Ger) (Adlerflug {(Ger)}. Stewart purchased a majority interest in Goliath after he won the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at odds of 25-1. Since, he has won the G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris Stakes at ParisLongchamp Oct. 20 as a prep for the Japan Cup.
“My goal is I want the best horses racing all over the world,” Stewart said. He announced a fan giveaway on social media and ended up overwhelmed by the response.
Japan Cup raiders set to change recent history
Three of Europe's top 2400-metre gallopers face an 11-strong local challenge in Sunday's G1 Japan Cup, looking to snap an 18-year run of success for Japanese-based horses.
While it has become next to impossible for the raiders to walk away with the Tokyo spoils, that was not always the case. In the first 17 renewals, horses from overseas prevailed on no fewer than a dozen occasions, including theretofore unprecedented consecutive winners for Sir Michael Stoute with Singspiel (Ire) and Pilsudski (Ire) in 1996 and 1997, respectively. Since then, only Falbrav (Ire) in the shortened Japan Cup at Nakayama in 2002 and Alkaased (USA) in 2005 have since been able to solve the race for the raiders.
Woodbine woes continue
A five-horse spill during the opening race of Woodbine's Friday card landed jockeys Justin Stein, Edgar Zenteno, and Da-Sean Gaskin in a local hospital while Woodbine communications reported that all horses involved walked off okay.
More wild cards for Tattersalls December
Two more wildcards have joined the bumper Tattersalls December Mares Sale with Listed winner Sakti (Ire) (Caravaggio) set to sell on Tuesday as Lot 1771B and maiden winner Naughty Eyes (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) catalogued as Lot 1486D on Monday.
Listed wild card added to Arqana
Listed Prix Herod heroine Glamis Road (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) (Lot 190) is one of two wildcards that were added to Arqana's Vente d'Elevage on Friday. The sale runs from December 7 to December 10 in Deauville.
The second new wildcard is the Listed-placed Vasda (Ire) (Shalaa {Ire}) (Lot 226), who is part of the Coulonces draft. Trained by Joseph O'Brien, she is rated 98 and is out of the stakes-placed Regina Mundi (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}). The 4-year-old filly is also a half-sister to five stakes horses, among them G3 Prix d'Aumale heroine Rocques (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}) and the Listed winner Mea Domina (Fr) (Pivotal {GB}), who was also second in the G3 Gladness S.
