Orman And Heathcote Combine At Eagle Farm
- Thursday, 15 September 2016 08:47
Apprentice James Orman can cement his association with leading trainer Robert Heathcote at Eagle Farm as he prepares for a busy finish to the year.
Orman has four rides for Heathcote on Saturday - Sea Red (Veuve Open), Silento (Class 6 Plate). Big Decision (Class 6 Hcp) and Beckoning Light (Class 3 Plate).
Heathcote has a big opinion of Orman and gives each of the apprentice's mounts for him a good chance.
"Jim is level headed rider with plenty of natural talent," Heathcote said.
He believes the toughest task for Orman will be to get the best out of the enigmatic mare Sea Red.
"She has won six races but had five goes at Eagle Farm, on both the old and new surfaces, and never run a place," Heathcote said.
"Jim's style should help her and maybe he can get her to perform at Eagle Farm. The distance is ideal at 1400 metres."
Heathcote will have a strong hand in the Veuve as he will also saddle Dream Choice and Punta Norte.
"Dream Choice has found his niche in Brisbane and does handle the new Eagle Farm. Punta Norte has plenty of ability. He just has to produce it," he said.
Orman had his first rides at Randwick last week and finished sixth in the Sheraco Stakes on his favourite horse Sold For Song, less than two lengths from the winner Heavens Above.
He expects to be aboard the strong finishing mare in Melbourne later in the spring.
Orman is also preparing for a stint in Singapore later this year as part of a prize organised by the Queensland racing media, jockeys and UBET as the state's rising star.
"I am really looking forward to both experiences as it give you a chance to compete against the best," Orman said.
Orman is the busiest jockey in Queensland and last season had 1142 rides for 143 winners to win the state titile.
This season he has already had 110 rides for 11 winners.
"When you are as tall as me it helps to keep busy and keep the weight down," Orman said.
No Long Faces If Winx Loses: Waller
- Wednesday, 14 September 2016 09:38
While her winning streak creates pressure and expectation, Chris Waller will not panic in the unlikely event of Winx getting beaten.
As she attempts to stretch her unbeaten run to 11 in Saturday's Group One George Main Stakes at Randwick, her trainer says defeat will not equal disaster.
"We won't be walking around with long faces if she does get beaten at some stage soon," Waller said.
The Chris Waller-trained champion mare Winx
"We'll be there ready to back her up again in the next race."
Few give credence to the idea of a Winx defeat including bookmakers who rate her $1.15 to continue her winning ways.
If they are right Winx will equal Kingston Town's 11-race winning streak, close within one of Tulloch's 12 straight victories and be three behind Phar Lap who won 14 on the trot.
The finishing touches were put on Winx's preparation for her first Group One race of the season at trackwork on Wednesday.
The champion mare galloped strongly over 1000 metres at Rosehill, her final hit-out before her last run in Sydney for the spring at Randwick on Saturday.
After jumping off her, jockey Hugh Bowman said he was excited about her progress since her dominant first-up win in the Warwick Stakes.
"She's certainly tightened up since her first-up run," Bowman said.
"She's on track for the weekend."
Waller elected to scratch Winx from the Chelmsford Stakes last Saturday week because of the heavy Randwick track.
Instead she trialled at Warwick Farm on Friday, cruising home to finish third.
"I thought that was a very worthwhile exercise because in the past she has been and can be a little fractious in the barriers especially when she's feeling very well," Bowman said.
"The fact that she's been through the barriers since her last run for me is a real positive."
After Saturday, Winx will travel to Melbourne for the Caulfield Stakes on October 8, her final run before her Cox Plate defence at Moonee Valley on October 22.
Japanese import Tosen Stardom and Godolphin's Hauraki loom as Winx's main challengers in an eight-horse field on Saturday.
Waller said while he respected the opposition, his focus would remain solely on Winx.
"If she's right the other horses have to improve to beat her," Waller said.
"We've just got make sure that she turns up the same horse that she's been turning up in the last 10 starts."
Winx's stablemates Spiritjim and Vanbrugh are set to race against her while Randwick Guineas winner Le Romain has drawn barrier one inside Victorian-trained Great Esteem.
Vanbrugh and Le Romain have both been accepted for the Group Three Cameron Handicap at Newcastle on Friday.
Trainers Blocked From Warrnambool Dunes
- Wednesday, 14 September 2016 09:38
Warrnambool trainers have been blocked from using one of their best weapons in the preparation of their racehorses.
The sand dunes at Levys Point are off limits following advice to the Warrnambool City Council from Aboriginal Victoria there were Aboriginal Protected places in the area.
Jane Baker, secretary of the South West Owners, Trainers and Riders Association, said there could be significant fines for the council if trainers continue using the dunes.
Premier Victorian trainer Darren Weir has been a regular user of the beaches at Warrnambool and used them to prepare Prince Of Penzance to win last year's Melbourne Cup.
"We understand council's position that they've had to close it immediately because they will be liable if there is anymore damage occurring," Baker told RSN927.
Baker said the ban on using the dunes had been unexpected.
She said trainers had been issued with maps of trails to use among the dunes and she believed they were sticking to them.
"There's been no warnings, no signs, there's nothing in the regulations to prevent us going through those trails," Baker said.
"There are probably some heritage sites at several places around here but the fact the council has issued permits to us in the past would indicate they didn't know either.
"What we need to determine is exactly where these places are and what we are looking for.
"It's very hard to avoid something if you don't know it's there."
Baker said at least 30 horses a day used the trails and most of the trainers in the association, of which there are upwards of 30, would use the beach at some time.
The council has also instructed trainers to work horses in smaller groups at Lady Bay and on the wet sand near the waters edge.
Baker says council is worried about erosion to the beach and also public safety.
Racing Victoria's racing operations manager Paul Bloodworth says hopefully a solution can be found between the government, Warrnambool council and local trainers as the beach is a vital part of the training program for a number of leading trainers including Weir..
Provocative Retired After Tendon Injury
- Wednesday, 14 September 2016 09:38
Queensland Oaks winner Provocative has been retired after sustaining a tendon injury.
The Tony Pike-trained New Zealand mare sustained the injury over the weekend and connections have made the decision to send her to the breeding barn.
"She had a bit of heat in her tendon over the weekend and we had it scanned on Monday morning," Pike said.
"It's revealed a small tear in a tendon.
"Obviously if she was a gelding we probably would have tried to rehabilitate her.
"It would take six to 12 months and the prognosis would be reasonably OK, but obviously with tendons you're always a little bit worried whether they are going to come right or not.
"Being a four-year-old mare in the spring and a Group One winner, we've decided to retire her to stud."
Provocative, a daughter of the late Zabeel, won four of her eight starts highlighted by a dominant three-length win in this year's Group One Queensland Oaks.
"It's a little bit devastating, but you've just got to press on and unfortunately that's racing," Pike said.
He said a decision on which stallion the mare would be served by was likely to be made this weekend.
Provocative, who had been due to run in Saturday's Naturalism Stakes at Caulfield, was one of three Melbourne spring carnival hopefuls for Pike this year.
The trainer will now rely on Group One winners Sacred Elixir and Rangipo.
Sacred Elixir will resume in the Caulfield Guineas Prelude on Saturday week while a decision on whether Rangipo returns in the Group One Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes on the same day or waits for the Listed Paris Lane Stakes will be made after he gallops next Tuesday.
"Sacred Elixir is really going well," Pike said.
"He's settled into Melbourne really well and I couldn't have been happier with the way he's been working."
Steady Caulfield Cup Approach With Berisha
- Wednesday, 14 September 2016 09:38
Trainer Robert Smerdon and Berisha's group of owners have devised a plan for their assault on the Caulfield Cup.
A part of that plan unfolds at Caulfield on Saturday when Berisha runs in the Group Three Naturalism Stakes over 2000 metres.
The Naturalism winner gains an automatic start in next month's Caulfield Cup, although that is not something Berisha's connections have to worry about because he is already guaranteed a start courtesy of his win in the Mornington Cup in April.
As a result Smerdon has taken his time with Berisha this campaign with his sole focus having him spot-on for the 2400m handicap on October 15.
Berisha was spelled following his Mornington Cup win, resuming in the weight-for-age P B Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield on August 13.
He finished less than four lengths from the winner Miss Rose De Lago before running seventh in the Heatherlie Stakes on August 27.
"He's assured of his spot in the Caulfield Cup so we don't have to screw him down yet and we haven't," Smerdon said.
"He's improving with each run and he's improved out of the Heatherlie and he's still got significant improvement to come.
"He's ticking over well but there's still a fair bit of upside still to be had after Saturday."
After Saturday's outing, the gelding heads to the JRA Cup at Moonee Valley on September 30 before the Caulfield Cup on October 15.
Chris Parnham takes the ride on Saturday.
Saturday's race has attracted a field of 16 runners with four emergencies.
All runners, with the exception of Great Esteem, also an entrant in the George Main Stakes at Randwick on Saturday, are nominated for the Caulfield Cup.
Berisha is one of the outsiders at $35 in the Naturalism with the imported Tom Melbourne the $4.20 favourite in early markets.
Singapore based Glen Boss will partner Tom Melbourne for trainers Lee and Anthony Freedman on Saturday.
Boss rode Tom Melbourne to victories at Sandown, Flemington and the Albury Cup before the horse over-raced when a fading 10th in the Mornington Cup under Ben Melham.
Tom Melbourne is the only ride for Boss at Caulfield before he returns to Singapore where he has six rides at Kranji on Sunday.