Vale Pat Duff
Queensland Hall of Fame trainer, Pat Duff, who passed away on Saturday night aged 84. “Pat’s influence on and off track over the last 60-odd years has been simply remarkable,” Racing Queensland CEO Jason Scott told racingqueensland.com.au.
“His ability to train horses was there for all to see, but he also had a great skill in developing people. He will be sorely missed.” Pat won three Toowoomba trainers’ premierships and also finished second in the 1990/91 metropolitan trainers’ premiership behind the legendary Bruce McLachlan.
“He was a legend,” Australian Trainers Association (ATA) Queensland representative Cameron Partington said. “Just the respect people held for him with the way he conducted himself. That’s why we honoured him with the award that we put in place with the Pat Duff Trophy.
“While he was a member of the ATA for more than 40 years, he was also President up here for 20 years and served nationally as Vice President. He was as sharp as a tack right to the end, but his body just couldn't fight anymore (after a recent fall).”
Pat was highly regarded for his record mentoring apprentice jockeys, including the likes of Mick Dittman, Michael Pelling, Jim Byrne, and notably Mandy Radecker became the first woman to win a Brisbane metropolitan apprentice jockeys’ title in 2007.
Listed Kilmore Cup won by Cosmic Vega
Jockey Saffie Osbourne won her first race in Australia in fine style when winning Sunday’s Listed Kilmore Cup on Ciaron Maher-trained Cosmic Vega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). He won by 2l from Chris Waller-trained Zechariah (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}) with Leon and Troy Corstens and Will Larkin-trained Magnaspin (Magnus) in third.
“It’s like being back in England, covered in all this mud. It’s really nice getting the monkey off the back in a nice race… the key today was just to make sure he settled well. This horse has good form on soft ground back in Ireland, and being by Lope De Vega, they seem to flourish on it. He had heaps left in the home straight, it was just about getting the gaps at the right time,” Osbourne told racing.com. It was her ninth ride in Australia.
“It’s nice to reward his (Maher’s) faith in me.”
Spinal fracture confirmed for Cartwright
Scans have confirmed that jockey Luke Cartwright sustained a cervical spine fracture in a race fall at The Valley on Friday night. “Luke Cartwright remains at Royal Melbourne Hospital,” the Victorian Jockeys' Association said in a statement issued on Sunday morning.
“Scans have confirmed a cervical spine fracture. He is presently awaiting further imaging for assessment.”
Jockey Ray Douglas also remains at The Alfred Hospital, where he is undergoing scans for a vertebrae injury sustained in a fall at Healesville on Saturday.
Sierra Leone set for Karaka Million
Second in Saturday’s Listed Counties Challenge S., 2-year-old filly Sierra Leone (NZ) (Sun City) will be set for the Karaka Million 2YO. “It was a tough run, she was trying to foot it with the colt (Return To Conquer) the entire race and she was off the bridle and out of her comfort zone, but she was tough to the line,” trainer Hollie Wynyard told Loveracing.nz.
Hollie Wynyard | Image courtesy of Race Images
“When he quickened, she got left a bit flat-footed and a bit lost going right-handed for the first time, but when she got to the 200 and picked herself up, she’s found the line really well. She’ll just have one more run before the Karaka Millions, obviously she’s in now, so we’ll find a nice race in between and hopefully she’ll be peaking for that.”
She shares the same name with Group 1-winning 3-year-old colt Sierra Leone (USA) (Gun Runner {USA}), which is within the rules of both nations.
Telemon Stud’s Sun City, a son of Zoustar, has five winners and his oldest foals are 3-year-olds.
Tutta La Vita aimed at Pegasus World Cup meeting
Tutta La Vita (The Autumn Sun) is being aimed at the Pegasus World Cup meeting on January 25. “I was a little bit upset with my team because I wanted her to run in the Breeders’ Cup,” owner John Stewart told racing.com.
“But there is just not a lot of races for 3-year-olds in the Breeders’ Cup, so they have to race against the older horses. She had a little bit harder time acclimating with the time we moved her to the US, because we moved her from the winter your time to the summer our time and it gets pretty hot in Kentucky, so she lost some weight and some fitness.”
Stewart purchased the Group 1-placed winner for $3.2 million at the Inglis Chairmans Sale in May and she is now trained by Ignacio Correas.
Southside thrilled with The Meteorite
Southside Racing hailed the inaugural The Meteorite a great success. “Saturday was a great first chapter and arguably, the best Cranbourne Cup Day that l’ve ever been involved in. It had an atmosphere that I’ve never felt,” chief executive Neil Bainbridge told racing.com.
“I would say it is one of the biggest Cranbourne Cups ever. I haven’t done all the figures, but the crowd was up on last year and we do know from our catering manager that our bar sales were unbelievable, and, prior to the day, we’d never sold so many tickets for marquees and general admission.
“It was exciting and eventful. From the Meteorite point of view, I think it performed above the club’s expectations. Not only on the day, but in the lead-up with all the coverage and the support and the interest that the inaugural running of the race got was sensational. It sets us up for not only a great second leg at Pakenham in the Supernova, but for following years. I’ve never heard or felt a buzz at Cranbourne before like that.
Neil Bainbridge | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“People forget that Southside Racing was only put together on May 27 as a legal entity and we’ve merged two work forces and put two communities together and we’ve delivered with a sensational outcome on day one.
“Southside Racing is going to continue to grow its calendar and has put in a submission to Racing Victoria for us to run a Southside Carnival. There should be the Caulfield Cup Carnival, the Cox Plate Carnival, the Flemington Carnival and then the Southside Carnival.
“We’ve got 1500 horses (training) a day, We are the workhorse for the industry and we understand we have a responsibility to grow the sport and we are trying our best.”
Muramasa entered for Zipping Classic
Connections are hopeful that Muramasa (Deep Impact {Jpn}) will be cleared by vets for Saturday’s G2 Zipping Classic at Sandown. “He trialled up really well and he’s got to pass a trot-up in front of our vets and then be cleared by Racing Victoria vets and then we’re good to go. We’re really happy with him,” co-trainer Natalie Young told racing.com.
Muramasa | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
He was withdrawn from the G1 Melbourne Cup by stewards after some concerns were shown by vets following his compulsory pre-race CT scan.
Guru set for Guineas
Trainer Andrew Gluyas is setting Goldrush Guru (American Pharoah {USA}) for the G1 Australian Guineas at Flemington on March 1.
“He showed a lot of heart to stave them off for the length of the straight and he was quite strong at the line,” Gluyas told racing.com about his G1 Victoria Derby win.
Goldrush Guru | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“The Australian Guineas will be his test. We will find out how classy he is and whether he can show up at a mile. If he can, there's a lot more doors which will open up for him.”
Around The Nation: Sunday’s highlights
Kilmore’s Cup meeting headlined eight meetings around Australia on Sunday. Toby Lake trained 3-year-old filly Fieldelo (Deep Field) won on debut as did Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr trained 3-year-old filly Kiwiesque (NZ) (Derryn). At Swan Hill, Patrick and Michelle Payne trained 3-year-old gelding Checkthemenu (Pariah) won on debut.
On the Sunshine Coast, 3-year-old filly Booming Bianca (Spirit Of Boom) won on debut for trainers Toby Edmonds and Stephen McLean. Trainer Stuart Kendrick enjoyed a treble with Pink Cashmere (I Am Invincible), New Hampshire (I Am Invincible) and Nightstick (Toronado {Ire}).
Trainer John Keys won four races on the card at Hobart with Phere The Girls (Stratosphere), Happy Clan (Ilovethiscity), Turf Puzzle (Turffontein), and Johnnie Pinch (National Defense {GB}).
Winton Cup won by The Grey Goose
The Grey Goose (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) remains unbeaten this season with a win in Sunday’s Winton Cup. Now the winner of six of her 16 starts, the 5-year-old mare is trained by Jo-Ann Gordon.
“I thought this may be too short for her and the track has dried out, so I thought she might struggle. They do usually run off the front, but today, they didn’t go too hard and she sat there quite comfortably, in fact she was over-racing. It was a good win, really nice,” said Gordon.
The Grey Goose (NZ) | Image courtesy of Monica Toretto
“I was looking at the Southern Staying Series after Christmas, but I always thought a mile was her distance. We’ll just keep her shorter, around 1400 for a bit and go from there.”
Mixed trade at Goffs this week
Goffs chief Henry Beeby has lauded a memorable November Breeding Stock Sale that saw Godolphin pay €1 million (AU$1.6 million) for a Sea The Stars (Ire) colt in the foal session and Alex Elliott go to €725,000 (AU$1.16 million) for Shamardal (USA) mare Her Honour (Ire) in what proved to be an eventful Friday at Kildare Paddocks.
The curtain came down on the Breeding Stock Sale on Saturday, where the Kevin Prendergast-trained Profit Refused (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}) led the way at €45,000 (AU$72,000) to Rochestown Lodge Stud.
“What a week. Goffs November 24 will be remembered in many ways but mostly for the frenetic, electric and superb trade for the cream of the Irish foal crop we presented in our Foal Sale,” Beeby said.
Henry Beeby | Image courtesy of Goffs
“Our Breeding Stock Sale was never going to come anywhere near last year's truly historic sale which, of course, was headlined by the once in a generation Niarchos Draft. However, leaving that aside we are perfectly content with trade for the better mares we offered and enjoyed a vibrant trade fuelled by a truly international buying bench.
“Naturally we were disappointed not to secure a sale for Gouache, the dam of Goliath, but I repeat that we have total respect for the right of any vendor to value their stock as they see fit, and it is absolutely their prerogative to place whatever reserve they want and then let the market decide. On this occasion a sale was not possible although we will continue to work for the vendor, and it may be that a private sale is agreed in the coming days.”
Concentrating solely on the Saturday session, Beeby acknowledged that a 79 per cent clearance rate, €445,500 (AU$713,000) turnover, €7,816 (AU$12,500) average and €5,000 (AU$8010) median was a “sobering” experience.
Skinner adds Grade 3 win
C R K Stable's Skinner (USA) (Curlin {USA}), second as the favourite as a 3-year-old in last year's G3 Native Diver S., went one better in Saturday's renewal in a breakthrough performance.
The $40,000 (AU$61,500) Keeneland September yearling turned $510,000 (AU$784,000) OBS April breezer (:10 1/5) had made only one start since, finishing a very useful second sprinting in an optional claimer on the Breeders' Cup Friday undercard.
Skinner becomes the 63rd Graded/Group winner worldwide for leading sire Curlin. Bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, Skinner is out of 2012 G3 Rancho Bernardo H. winner Winding Way (USA) (Malibu Moon {USA}). The full sister to Graded winner Kauai Katie (USA) brought $82,000 from Solis/Litt in foal to Maclean's Music (USA) at the 2021 Keeneland November sale.
First Japan leg of Road To the Kentucky Derby won
Making his first start since breaking his maiden impressively over 1700 metres at Sapporo Racecourse in July, Natural Rise (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) swept widest of all into the long Tokyo straight and held off a late bid from Clay King (Jpn) (Nadal) to take out Saturday's Cattleya S. (allowance), the first of four races that comprise the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. Natural Rise picks up 10 Kentucky Derby points for the victory.
