Heathcote Says Fillydelphia "Vulnerable"

Friday, 04 November 2011 02:16

Trainer Rob Heathcote is keen for Fillydelphia to add to her black-type record over the summer but fears she may be vulnerable at Doomben on Saturday.

Fillydelphia scored a decisive victory in the Group Three Rough Habit Plate at Doomben in May and will be out to further boost her stud value after the `Perfect Italiano' Open Handicap (1350m).

Stablemate Humma will make his comeback after a six-month break in the same race.

Heathcote has pencilled in three Listed races in the next two months for Fillydelphia who was a beaten favourite when runner-up to Poor Judge over 1400 metres at Eagle Farm on October 22.

Heathcote had the option of sending Fillydelphia to Melbourne for fillies and mares races but felt the better plan was to stay at home with the daughter of Bianconi.

"I could have taken her to Melbourne with my other horses but I felt she'd be better suited staying here in the races I've got planned for her," he said.

Fillydelphia will have her next start in the Listed Brisbane Handicap (1600m) at Eagle Farm on November 19 then the Listed Recognition Stakes (1600m) on the same track two weeks later followed by the Listed Bernborough Handicap (1615m) at Doomben on December 31.

"She has to run in this race on Saturday to be ready for those races but I just have a feeling she may be a little vulnerable over 1350 metres," Heathcote said.

"She's going very well but she's more effective over 1600 metres.

"Although she was beaten by Poor Judge last start I thought her run was full of merit.

"Poor Judge is no slouch and he did win in Melbourne this time last year."

Fillydelphia is likely to be rested after her summer campaign to prepare for another Brisbane winter assault.

"I doubt she'll go to Sydney next year and she'll stay here for the winter races," Heathcote said.

"She's only a four-year-old so she has plenty of racing in her before she eventually goes to stud.

"There'll be plenty of races for her next winter and ultimately I hope we can look at the (Group One) Winter Stakes with her."

Heathcote, who is confident stablemate Racing Heart can win Saturday's Coca-Cola Amatil Open Handicap (2100m), will be at Flemington to saddle up Woorim and Buffering.

Woorim will run in The Emirates Stakes (1600m) while Buffering takes on Black Caviar down the straight six in the Group One Patinack Farm Classic.

Doughty To Re-evaluate Morning Captain

Saturday, 29 October 2011 06:00

Trainer Kelly Doughty may be forced to re-evaluate promising sprinter Morning Captain after the heavily backed three-year-old was successful at Doomben.

Doughty was leaning towards spelling Morning Captain after Saturday's race but said he would rethink that plan following the gelding's emphatic win.

"This is still his first preparation and I was thinking of spelling him after this but I'm in two minds now," Doughty said.

"He's a BOBS horse but I'd say he won't be going away to Sydney just now."

Backed from $6 into $4, Morning Captain showed his customary gate speed to settle off the pace before careering away for a 3-3/4 length win over Dorchester in Saturday's Anza Communications Handicap (1350m).

Morning Captain went into the race as a maiden with three placings from four starts and was extending past 1200 metres for the first time.

Jockey Chris Munce believes better wins lay in store.

"He's a tough little bugger but I didn't want to rev him up too fast out of the barriers," Munce said.

"It was a solid win and he'll get better."

Doughty's decision to remove blinkers from Morning Captain at his previous start appears to have worked wonders as he's learned to settle.

"He's a really good horse and he showed us that from day one," Doughty said.

"We thought he'd lead them today and he worked hard early and did it at both ends."

Morning Captain was a cheap $3500 buy for Vince Dickson who owns a Brisbane advertising company and the gelding has already paid his way with $57,000 in prizemoney.

Meanwhile, trainer David Murphy's decision not to head to Melbourne with promising mare Mossriver was vindicated when the four-year-old easily won the Mount Alvernia College Handicap (1200m).

Mossriver never looked in danger of defeat, downing Imeldamay by 1-3/4 lengths with a neck to third placegetter Rhapsodic.

Murphy tossed up whether to send Mossriver south for a fillies and mares race on Oaks day at Flemington, or remain at home with the daughter of Mossman.

"She's a good mare but she's had a lot of problems with her knees," Murphy said.

"I haven't had a saddle on her back all week and she does most of her work swimming."

Mossriver, a $12,000 buy at the Magic Millions sales, will have a short campaign over the summer and Murphy hopes to aim her at next year's Brisbane winter carnival.

"If she's still around I'd like to have a go at the winter but for the time being she'll run in a 1350-metre class six in three weeks, then the Just Now Quality at Eagle Farm in December."

The Listed Just Now Quality (1300m) at Eagle Farm on December 17 is restricted to fillies and mares.

Mossriver's win took her record to four wins and eight placings from 14 starts.

Carry Me Bluey To Plant Seed For Autumn

Thursday, 03 November 2011 06:16

Trainer Norm Hilton believes emerging talent Carry Me Bluey can plant the seed for a long-range Sydney autumn campaign at Doomben on Saturday.

Carry Me Bluey will be chasing a hat-trick of wins when the four-year-old returns from a seven-week break in the Simon George And Sons Plate (1200m).

Carry Me Bluey, who will again be ridden by Kristy Banks, had three weeks out in the paddock following his impressive last-start win over 1615 metres at Doomben onSeptember 17.

"It was a good win considering he had to do it at both ends," Hilton said.

"He went to the front and kicked on strongly and ran good time.

"I put him out for three weeks straight after the race with the intention of coming back for the Keith Noud Quality in another three weeks.

"However, he's feeling so good I was afraid he might hurt someone on the track so I've decided to run him now and I think he'll go very well."

Carry Me Bluey is lucky to be racing after being hurt as a yearling.

The son of Carry The Flag was on Warwick grain farmer Leo Roche's property when he ran into a wire fence and suffered a gaping gash to his off-knee.

It was only through Roche's tender care treating the injury that enabled Carry Me Bluey to make a full recovery.

Roche's reward for caring for Carry Me Bluey was a half-share in the gelding from owner-breeder Bruce Reilly.

Hilton is aiming Carry Me Bluey for all three legs of the Doomben summer series which begins next month with the Group Three George Moore Stakes (1200m).

"I've deliberately kept him fresh for the 1200 metres on Saturday and he hasn't had a barrier trial or even a jumpout," Hilton said.

"If he comes through the summer series well I'm hoping to take him to Sydney next year with Bold Glance along with a couple of two-year-olds for the Golden Slipper."

Hilton has an unnamed Not A Single Doubt two-year-old he believes can qualify for the Golden Slipper along with Exceed And Excel filly, Time To Excel, who was only recently named.

"I think both of them are pretty good so I've nominated them for the Golden Slipper," he said.

"Bold Glance is coming along well and will come back into work at the end of November."

Bold Glance had minor knee surgery to remove small bone chips in his front legs following his ninth to Sincero in the Group One Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm in June.

Top Rada Scores Dominant Debut Win

Saturday, 29 October 2011 03:31

Jockey Damian Browne predicted a bright future for promising youngster Top Rada following his dominant win at Doomben.

Top Rada came with a powerful finish to wear down the early leaders for a three-quarters of a length win over Caldetes in Saturday's YS Clothing Handicap (1110m).

Patinack Farm's Utilism finished third another neck away.

Top Rada was having his first start and was badly stirred up in the mounting enclosure before the race.

"He's generally not like that and is very quiet," Browne said.

"He got stirred up while parading and for some reason had a bee in his bonnet.

"I've got no doubt he'll get better with racing and he should make the grade later on."

Top Rada went into his first start without an official barrier trial but trainer Ray McCall was always hopeful the son of Top Echelon would perform well.

"He hadn't had a barrier trial but I gave him three jump outs," McCall said.

"I'm not sure why he got stirred up but maybe it was because it was his first day at the races.

"But another horse behind him did kick out and hit a plastic rail."

McCall revealed he bought Top Rada for $10,000 as an afterthought at the QTIS yearling sales at the Gold Coast.

"I had just bought one for $30,000 and I was heading home to Caloundra," McCall said.

"I spotted this horse in the sale ring and noticed he was by Top Echelon who I used to train.

"His dam, Dorada, has had three foals and every one now has been a winner."

Top Echelon, who is related to former top galloper Gunsynd, started seven times for two wins and was runner-up to Lovely Jubly in the Group One T J Smith at Eagle Farm in 2002.

McCall has no specific plans in mind for Top Rada, who is ineligible for the Magic Millions Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast in January.

"I'm in no rush with him but there's a 1200 metre race worth a bit of money coming up in about five weeks," he said.

Publican A Real Fighter

Thursday, 03 November 2011 03:31

A horse feared drowned after being washed away during the January floods in southeast Queensland will continue his courageous fightback at Doomben on Saturday.

Publican, a three-year-old trained by Peter Hulbert at Eagle Farm, produced a fairytale maiden win at his first start for nearly 12 months at Ipswich last month.

The son of All Bar One strolled home by three lengths at only his third appearance and will line up in the Club Super Handicap (1010m)at Doomben.

Hulbert will never forget a phone call he received from owner Mark Timms to tell him Publican had been swept more than a kilometre away from his property at Samford, north of Brisbane, during the floods.

"That night when the flood went through the owners went to get him but the water just rose too quickly," Hulbert said.

"Before they knew it there was six foot of water coming down and they had to get out of the way themselves and within a matter of minutes he and another horse got washed down the creek."

Publican was found the next morning but was not in good shape.

"They found him about one and a half kilometres away on the bank of a creek," Hulbert said.

"He had to be pushed back in so they could swim him to an area to get out.

"The injuries he had were horrific. You could see the bone and the tendon in his back leg from the hock down to the fetlock.

"His knee was ripped open and he had two puncture wounds in his shoulder.

"You could put a hose at the top and watch the water run out the bottom."

Hulbert said Publican's leg blew up and it was feared he wouldn't race again.

Vets from the local Samford clinic treated Publican daily for several months before he eventually showed signs of making a full recovery.

"By the end of June he was starting to run about a bit," Hulbert said.

"Mark runs a trucking business and he used to get up early every day to look after him before going to work."

It was a tearful ending to the near tragedy when both Hulbert and Timms became emotional following Publican's victory at Ipswich.

"When he went past the post all I could remember was the first day when I held him for the vet with his leg and bone exposed," Hulbert said.

Hulbert believes if it wasn't for Publican's heart he wouldn't be around to chase his goal of the Magic Millions Trophy at the Gold Coast in January.

"I think he's got a good chance on Saturday," Hulbert said.

"He's only tiny, about 15 hands, but he's got a big heart.

"He's just meant to be here."

Holey Gadoley Not Definite For Millions

Friday, 28 October 2011 23:40

The prizemoney of the Magic Millions Classic may yet prove too tempting for trainer Pat Duff who has warned Holey Gadoley won't be rushed into the Gold Coast feature even if the youngster wins at Doomben on Saturday.

Duff has tried only a handful of times to win January's $2 million Magic Millions Classic and to date his scorecard is zero.

"I've only had a couple of starters and I'm yet to be placed in it," Duff said.

"My best effort was with Motor City who ran sixth (to Brave Warrior in 1994)."

Duff has a good opinion of Holey Gadoley who was held up for a run when runner-up to Snipzu at Eagle Farm last week.

"He's on a quick back up and has to prove he can do it but I'm not concerned by that at all," Duff said.

"Snipzu was just too good for him last week."

Duff also isn't overly concerned about trying to qualify Holey Gadoley for the Magic Millions with $17,000 already banked.

"They didn't need that much money to qualify last year so he's probably already qualified," Duff said.

"I'll let him tell me if he's worth heading to the Magic Millions but it's not a priority.

"I'll rate him after Saturday's race to see if he's up to the Magic Millions but it's not definite he'll head that way."

Duff already has a Magic Millions feature victory after winning the 2008 Magic Millions Trophy with Heart Of The Citi.

Duff has retained jockey Mandy Radecker for Holey Gadoley.

Radecker's city opportunities have been restricted in recent years since winning the apprentices' title three seasons ago.

"I told Pat after the first time I rode Holey Gadoley that I think he's going to be a 1400-metre horse," Radecker said.

"He got held up slightly behind Snipzu last start but he's doing everything right.

"If he backs up he'll be hard to beat again."

Meanwhile, Brisbane Racing Club chairman Kevin Dixon has assured punters the Doomben track won't be greatly affected by annual maintenance work conducted recently.

The last five Brisbane metropolitan meetings have been conducted at Eagle Farm while grass maintenance work was undertaken at Doomben.

However, a section of the grass track towards the outside rail hasn't taken as well as the majority of the track due to the recent weather.

"It's close to its best but in 10 days' time it will be perfect," Dixon said.

"We've got an outside strip about 10 metres wide which has been slower to grow."

Dux Bellorum Boosts His Stud Value

Wednesday, 02 November 2011 06:46

Promising sprinter Dux Bellorum will be given every chance to boost his value as a stallion following his all-the-way win at Doomben.

Dux Bellorum, ridden by Larry Cassidy, easily accounted for his rivals in Wednesday's www.brc.com.au Handicap (1200m), scoring by 1-3/4 lengths over Retrospect.

Dux Bellorum is part-owned by Lyndhurst Stud at Warwick but did his initial racing in Sydney under Denise McGrath before being transferred to Rob Heathcote in May.

"Lyndhurst Stud is one of his owners and they sent him to me hoping to win some black type with him," Heathcote said.

"He's closely related to Smart Missile hence the reason why he's still an entire."

Dux Bellorum's dam My Moccasin is a half-sister to Comical Smile who is the mother of Smart Missile, winner of the Group Two Todman Stakes at Rosehill in March and the Group Three Run To The Rose at Rosehill in August.

Smart Missile was also runner-up to Manawanui in the Group One Golden Rose at Rosehill in September before failing at the elite level in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes and Caulfield Guineas in Melbourne.

Heathcote has no immediate plans with Dux Bellorum who won on debut for the stable at Doomben in September before finishing third to Havatryst at Eagle Farm on October 22.

"Havatryst's form is pretty good so I was fairly confident with him today," Heathcote said.

"He's a nice horse who I feel will get better once he gets up to 1400 and 1600 metres."

Heathcote is hoping to break through for his first Group One win with Woorim in the Emirates Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday.

He also will saddle up Buffering in the Group One Patinack Farm Stakes (1200m) on the same day.

"I think Woorim is a good chance following his Group Three win last start but we're only going around for second prizemoney with Buffering who is up against Black Caviar," he said.

Jockey Damian Browne, who turned down the rides on Woorim and Buffering, was suspended for eight meetings for causing interference at the 700 metres on his mount General Shareef in Dux Bellorum's race.

Stewards alleged Browne shifted in when insufficiently clear causing Tony Patillo's mount Fusette to check.

Browne's suspension starts after his Doomben commitments on Saturday and will conclude on November 18.

Meanwhile, trainer Bryan Guy predicted a staying future for Manzano following his six-length romp over Zigurat in Wednesday's Sky Racing Three-Year-Old Maiden Handicap (1650m).

The son of Red Dazzler is owned by Singaporean Patrick Wee, a brother-in-law of Red Dazzler's owner Melvin Foo.

"He's been knocking on the door to win for some time and I think he'll make a good stayer later on," Guy said.

Fogarty Calls Up Colless For Last Gift

Thursday, 27 October 2011 07:46

Hobby trainer Jim Fogarty has reached into his bag of tricks, calling on experienced jockey Glen Colless and winkers for north Queensland star Last Gift in a desperate attempt to end the gelding's barrier woes at Doomben.

Last Gift, who lines up for his second Brisbane start in Saturday's ANZA Communications Handicap (1350m), has missed the start for most of his career which has produced three wins and two placings from seven starts.

The three-year-old bungled the start at his first Brisbane appearance at Eagle Farm last week when he came from last to finish ninth to the promising Another Superior.

"It wasn't that bad a run and he was only beaten around four lengths," Fogarty said.

"His normal rider Anthony Merritt couldn't afford the time to come down so I've booked Glen and I'm hoping his extra experience may help.

"Anthony is tied up in Townsville this week and his partner has just had a baby."

Fogarty, a farrier by trade, has in the past used pacifiers and blinkers on Last Gift to correct his wayward manners but to no avail.

"Had he jumped with them last start he would have been in the finish," Fogarty said.

"Having Glen on this time might make a difference as he's got a lot of experience.

"I took his blinkers off for his first Brisbane run last week but it didn't make a lot of difference as he still missed the start.

"I've tried pacifiers and they haven't worked either so this time I'm going to try winkers on him for the first time.

"He's worked in winkers before and seems to go okay with them."

Fogarty is keeping a close watch on the weather as Last Gift has never been on a track rated worse than dead.

"I've got no idea how he'll go if the track is wet," Fogarty said.

"He hasn't been on one yet, not even in trackwork.

"The training track we use in Townsville is sand and it compacts down when it rains.

"If we get a slow track he should be fine but I'm not sure if the weather turns bad and it becomes heavy."

Fogarty is one of racing's real journeymen having worked for several years as a farrier for the late Bruce McLachlan at Thornhill Park in the mid-1990s.

He's been training for 32 years with the exception of a year he took off to travel around Australia.

"I did the grey nomad thing. Had a year off travelling around Australia," he said.

"I did some farrier work at Lindsay Park and ended up working for 10 days during the Alice Springs carnival when their regular farrier was crook."

Cup Winning Jockey Larry Olsen's Wife Dies

Tuesday, 01 November 2011 09:16

Maureen Olsen, wife of former top jockey Larry Olsen, has died on the anniversary of her husband's Melbourne Cup victory on Kensei in 1987.

Olsen, 61, died on Tuesday after a short battle with cancer in hospital at the Gold Coast.

She originally came from Townsville and moved to Brisbane to work with former leading Queensland trainer, the late Fred Best, in the early 1960s.

"Maureen used to strap for Fred and rode a lot of trackwork for him at Eagle Farm before we married about 40 years ago," Larry Olsen said.

"Everyone that met Maureen loved her. She was her own individual."

The Olsens were part of Melbourne Cup celebrations at Flemington last year but could not return this year when she became ill about six weeks ago.

"She told me she wanted to hang on for Melbourne Cup day and she did," Olsen said.

"We were at the Cup last year and it was a great reunion that day and I just feel she hung on long enough to get an early seat in the grandstand."

Olsen is survived by her husband, three adult children and five grand children.

Funerals arrangements have yet to be made.

Galloway Links With Patinack Farm

Thursday, 27 October 2011 03:46

Jockey Scott Galloway could get the break he's been wanting to end a frustrating run of bad luck with four rides for the powerful Patinack Farm stable at Doomben on Saturday.

Sydney trainer John Thompson has called on Galloway's services for four of the stable's seven runners with apprentice Timothy Bell required for Patinack Farm's Galizani in the Group Three Lexus Stakes (2500m) at Flemington.

Jim Byrne and Ric McMahon will share the riding duties on the stable's other three runners.

Galloway missed most of last year due to three separate injuries and only recently returned from another six-week stint on the sidelines after breaking his foot in a fall at the Gold Coast barrier trials in July.

His last winner was aboard Crosscannons in a restricted race at Doomben on July 6.

He was sidelined for seven months last year recovering from a crushed left foot he suffered in a barrier mishap at Eagle Farm and a further three months following knee surgery after being tossed off a horse going to the barriers.

Brett Killion, Queensland stable foreman foreman for Patinack Farm, believes Galloway has a good chance of ending his horror run.

Killion expects a strong showing from debutante Utilism in the YS Clothing Handicap (1110m) and Pretty Pins in the Bakerbooth Plumbing & Gas Fitting Pty Ltd Handicap (1600m).

Galloway's other rides for Patinack Farm are Borehole in the ANZA Communications Handicap (1350m) and Mallard in the Mount Alvernia College Handicap (1200m).

He has three other rides at the meeting including Faster Son in the TH Cock Pty Ltd Handicap (1200m).

Killion rated Pretty Pins as the stable's best Doomben hope and expected a strong showing from Utilism.

"Utilism has had a jumpout against older horses at Beaudesert," Killion said.

"She's a nice filly and it's a toss up who is the better between her and Wolfsburg.

"Wolfsburg made a good impression in her debut to run third to Snipzu and going on that form Utilism should run well."

Patinack Farm also expects an improved performance from stablemate Husseza when she lines up against Utilism.

"She was three wide and didn't appreciate the heavy track in her first start when eighth behind Snipzu," Killion said.

Utilism is a homebred after Patinack Farm's boss Nathan Tinkler paid $560,000 for her dam Joie More at the 2008 Easter Broodmare sales in Sydney.

Killion was full of praise after Pretty Pins won impressively over 1400 metres on a heavy track at Eagle Farm on October 15.

The three-year-old is bred to run further and winning jockey Byrne believed a race like next year's Group One Queensland Oaks was within her scope.