Vale David Merrick
On Monday, Widden Stud announced the death of long time employee David Merrick. Stud Manager at Widden for 33 years, Merrick was honoured with multiple awards for his dedication to the Thoroughbred industry, including the prestigious Murray Bain Award in 2018 and the Thoroughbred Excellence category of the 2019 Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards.
“His deep commitment to Widden Stud and the Australian thoroughbred industry is a testament to his fidelity, and the one-on-one relationships he enjoyed with clients and staff reflected the respect and trust he earned from all who had the privilege of working with him,” said the Widden press release.
Vale David Merrick with a foal | Image courtesy of Widden Stud Australia
“David was known for his total involvement in every aspect of the business at any time of the day or night, year after year. His unwavering dedication not only to Widden Stud and its people, but to the greater Australian thoroughbred community, will never be forgotten.
“David leaves behind his wife Jean King, and daughters Georgia and Amory. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.”
TTR will publish a full obituary in the coming days.
Vale Margaret McDonald
Trainer Clinton McDonald made the sad announcement that his mother, Margaret, died on Sunday aged 76. Margaret McDonald was from a big racing family with her grandfather Fred Hoysted being the trainer of Rising Fast (NZ) (Alonzo {GB}) and her father preparing the great Manikato (Manihi).
She was married to trainer Ross McDonald, who died in 2014, who trained Champion 3YO Weekend Hussler (Hussonet {USA}).
Savaglee heads to Australian Guineas
The Oaks Stud will campaign their Group 1-winning 3-year-old colt Savaglee (NZ) (Savabeel) in Australia. “We knew they (Here To Shock and Bosustow) were good horses and it is always hard for a 3-year-old at weight-for-age. It was a hell of a race and I am very proud of the horse,” Rick Williams told Loveracing.nz about his third in the G1 BCD Sprint on Saturday.
“He went a little bit keenly once Babylon Berlin crossed him. He usually drops the bit and relaxes nowadays, but he was a little bit fierce and just got held up a for a while in the straight, which was probably the difference of running second.
Savaglee | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright Race Images
“He would never have beaten the winner, who was brilliantly ridden by Nash Rawiller and sat outside us, and older horses can lean on you a bit and dominate 3-year-olds. It was his first time against the older horses, so it was a good experience for him, and I am sure he will improve off it.
“I am certain now that he prefers a mile to 1400 metres and we are going on to the Australian Guineas, there is no reason not to go. The form analysts are telling me we are right in the mix. I think he has dropped down to third favourite, but the bookmakers don’t worry me, I am quite sure he will go over there and he will be right in it.”
The Playwright set for Blue Diamond
Trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott confirmed their 2-year-old filly The Playwright (Written By) will head to the G1 Blue Diamond next. “She worked up nicely (on Saturday morning). She’s going to head down to Melbourne and head for the Blue Diamond,” Bott told racing.com.
The Playwright | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“She worked the Melbourne way (on Saturday morning) and I thought she handled it really well. She’s a nice, tough, honest filly and what you see is what you get. She’s there and puts herself in contention and she’s pretty tough to get past.
“We’ve got no issues going back out to the 1200 metres and no issues with a strong, high-pressure Blue Diamond, she’s capable of that.”
Strideaway on song for Magic Millions Perth
Trainer Neville Parnham has 2-year-old filly Strideaway (Alabama Express) spot on for Saturday’s Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic. “I can only say that she’s come on from that performance,” Parnham told racingwa.com.au.
“She wasn’t screwed down for that run, she’d already qualified for the race. I didn’t have her screwed down for her first up run and I’m expecting more improvement.”
Maharba heads direct to Newmarket
Last start fourth in the G2 Rubiton Stakes, 4-year-old gelding Maharba (Pride Of Dubai) will head to the G1 Newmarket Handicap next. “He's come through it very, very well,” trainer Grahame Begg told racing.com.
Maharba | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“The race never profiled well for him with all the speed coming out of the race, it was very much a sit-and-sprint affair. But he's come through it well and he will wait and go to the Newmarket. He will have a month between runs. I don't feel stepping him out at 1100 metres again (in an Oakleigh Plate) second-up in between is the right recipe for him.”
Portelli’s quartet set for Goulburn
Gary Portelli will take four horses to Goulburn on Tuesday including the promising 3-year-old Sculptor (Castelvecchio) and 3-year-old filly Tiffy (Shalaa {Ire}). “Sculptor is only lightly raced but he’s shown ability with a placing at his second start,” Portelli told racingnsw.com.au.
“He resumed at Kembla Grange and ran fifth in that race, and he’s done nicely since then so he should run well at Goulburn. Tiffy has only had the two starts and while she failed to beat a runner home before being spelled, she is a trial winner leading into this resuming run. It wouldn’t surprise if she can turn things around.”
Upgraded facilities at Goulburn open on Tuesday
Goulburn Racing Club will open their upgraded female jockey’s change room on Tuesday. “The female jockey rooms upgrade has been an important part of our priority list for a long time now,” Goulburn Race Club's CEO Robyn Fife told racingnsw.com.au.
Goulburn Racing Club
“With the ongoing upward trend in the female riding ranks and their participation rates in our industry, it’s a timely investment. Goulburn Race Club has partnered with Racing NSW Country to help make the project a reality. Local contractors managed the project from start to finish, which is also a great result for our local economy.
“The investment made as part of the refurbishment has meant that amenities have significantly improved with more showers, more toilets, more than four times the number of bays than previously, and much more room generally.”
Wednesday’s Oakbank meeting moved due to heat
Hot weather forecast in the Adelaide Hills on Wednesday mean Wednesday’s Oakbank meeting will shift to Thursday. “Due to the extreme her forecast for the Adelaide Hills on Wednesday, Racing SA, in consultation with the Oakbank Racing Club, has transferred the meeting to Thursday 13th February,” said racingsa.com.au.
Shelby Sixtysix on cancer comeback
Trainer Danny Williams will trial 8-year-old gelding Shelby Sixtysix (Toronado {Ire}) at Goulburn on Tuesday after the Group 1 winning sprinter had ten months off after a tumour was removed from his hoof. “We were noticing Shelby wouldn't stride out and was pulling up average after he raced, so we had the vets go over him,” Williams told racenet.com.au.
“They found a tumour in his foot that was causing him discomfort. We had that operated on and he's coming along really well.” He will be ridden in the trial by apprentice jockey Dale Cole who is also on the injury comeback.
Shelby Sixtysix | Image courtesy of The Image is Everything
“I asked Dale to ride an unraced filly, Tjaka, in trackwork one morning when she bucked and he was dislodged from the saddle but got his foot caught in the iron. Tjaka dragged him along for about 150 metres. Dale suffered a broken leg, pelvis, fractured ribs and a punctured lung. The incident upset me a lot as I was riding alongside Dale but I couldn't stop it.
“Dale was badly injured, it was terrible, and it didn't look good there for a while. He had to be airlifted from the (Goulburn) trackwork to Canberra Hospital and it has been a long recovery process for him.” Tjaka (Highland Reel {Ire}) is now a winner from three starts.
Around the Nation: Monday’s highlights
Two of Monday’s four meetings were abandoned, Cairns and Bathhurst, leaving two for racing fans to watch. Beautifully bred 3-year-old colt Format (Frankel {GB}) broke through for his first win at Newcastle. He is the sixth foal of Group 1 winner Nechita (Fastnet Rock), and her first Australian born foal after she initially retired to stud in Ireland, where she produced stakes winners Harpo Marx (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Forebearance (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
Runner up La Crique to continue to Bonecrusher
Dual Group 1 winner La Crique (NZ) (Vadamos {Fr}) ran second in Saturday’s G1 Herbie Dyke Stakes and will head to the G1 Bonecrusher NZ Stakes next. “She is nothing but consistent and no one can bag her on that,” co-trainer Katrina Alexander told Loveracing. nz.
La Crique (NZ) | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright Race Images
“A lot of horses will put in a good run and might struggle for the next few, but every time we have lined her up in her last five or six starts, she has delivered. She goes through to the Bonecrusher and we won’t need to do a lot in-between. It will be a bit of a gap (between runs), but that is the way she is best, she is not a horse that can routinely go (racing every) two weeks.”
Thompson thrilled for Shocking
Rich Hill Stud’s John Thompson was thrilled by Shocking’s pair of Group 1 winners on Saturday. “You don’t take these things for granted, but for one stallion to win two Group Ones on the same card with one over 2000 metres and one over 1400 metres is a pretty unusual occurrence,” Thompson told Loveracing.nz.
“Over the years, they have showed they get better and better. They all seem to keep improving and even his lesser horses are still running around and competitive as 7 and 8-year-olds. They’re not all going to reach the level of El Vencedor and Here To Shock, but he’s always got a good horse and provides longevity.
Shocking | Standing at Rich Hill Stud
“I think he’s an under-rated stallion and gets forgotten a bit when people are breeding their mares. He was a very popular horse numbers-wise, since then he hasn’t had massive numbers, but he’s certainly had an awful lot of very good horses. He’s a proven stallion and they’re hard to find.”
Plenty of options for Whangaehu
Trainer Bill Thurlow has plenty of options for Whangaehu (NZ) (Proisir) after he ran third in the G1 Herbie Dyke Stakes on Saturday. “It’s just a matter of where we go now is the hardest option,” Thurlow told Loveracing.nz.
“We decided to go weight-for-age to see how he would cope with it, and also, he’s quite high in the handicaps now and there aren’t a great number of highly-rated stayers in the country. If we were to go to the Auckland Cup, he’ll likely carry top weight.
Whangaehu (NZ) | Image courtesy of Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)
“We wanted to see if he’d fit in at weight-for-age and he’s done that very well, but going forward, he may go back to a handicap or the Auckland Cup. We’re not too sure and are yet to make a plan.”
Aga Khan draft to be offered at Goffs Online
A significant draft of seven lots from the Aga Khan Studs, withdrawn from last week's Goffs February Sale as a mark of respect following the recent passing of His Highness The Aga Khan, will be offered in an online sale on Goffs.com on Thursday, February 13.
Potential highlights include the 5-year-old Kayhana (Ire) (Harzand {Ire}) (lot 336), who was last seen finishing fourth in the Listed Knockaire Stakes at Leopardstown in October, and the 4-year-old Sulaiyma (GB) (Kingman {GB}) (lot 381), a half-sister to the G3 Munster Oaks winner Sumiha (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) from the family of Sinndar (Ire).
