Lower Class To Suit Warrior Within

Friday, 30 September 2011 05:59

Trainer Bruce Hill is hoping his decision to lower the bar with Grafton Cup winner Warrior Within will be vindicated at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Hill sent Warrior Within to Sydney for the spring with the intention of running in Saturday's Group One Metropolitan at Randwick but instead has returned home for the Shine Lawyers Handicap (2100m).

Stablemate Startsmeup accompanied Warrior Within in the south where his target was to be Saturday's Group One Epsom Handicap the.

Hill was not disappointed with the pair's Sydney performances, particularly Startsmeup who finished third in the Group Two Warwick Stakes (1400m) at Warwick Farm and second in the Group Three Bill Ritchie (1400m) at Rosehill on September 14.

Startsmeup has since gone to the paddock to prepare for the summer sprint series in Brisbane and the Magic Millions at the Gold Coast in January.

The summer series begins with the Group Three George Moore Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm in December.

Warrior Within was never a winning chance when ninth to The Verminator in the Listed Wyong Cup (2100m) on September 2 but Hill offered excuses for the below-par performance when the six-year-old was beaten just over six lengths.

"He got smashed around a few times in the Wyong Cup and had no luck," Hill said.

"It wasn't that bad a run."

Warrior Within produced a better performance at his next start when ninth in the Newcastle Cup (2300m) won by Green Moon.

"It was quite a good run in the Newcastle Cup considering they went slow up front early," Hill said.

"He was left a little flat-footed when they sprinted but he got to the line well.

"I could have continued on to the Metrop with him but I just felt he might struggle in that company.

"He's been in work since January which is a long time."

Hill is confident Warrior Within has enough left in the tank to prove hard to beat in his Brisbane return.

"On his work on Tuesday morning he'll go well again," he said.

"He's not showing any signs of training off and this race is a lot weaker than what he's met lately.

"Hopefully he can win but he has to carry 58.5 kilos which is a considerable weight."

Hill expects to turn Warrior Within out for a well-deserved break following his 49th career start.

"Unless he wins very easily I'll probably spell him after this and get him ready for the winter staying races next year," Hill said.

Hill had considered sending Warrior Within to Melbourne on a country Cups campaign had he won the Newcastle Cup.

Warrior Within gave Hill the one of the biggest wins of his career when he won the Listed Grafton Cup (2350m) in July.

Melbourne On Top Of Caught's Wish List

Wednesday, 28 September 2011 04:45

Promising sprinter Falino will resume at Eagle Farm on Saturday with a Melbourne trip at the top of trainer Jeff Caught's wish list.

Falino, a Ric McMahon mount, will have his first start since his winter carnival campaign in the Zarrafas Coffee Open Handicap (1200m).

The four-year-old has been in work nine weeks and showed he was ready to return to racing with a solid-finishing third to Listen Son in a 1060-metre barrier trial at Doomben on Tuesday.

Caught also used the trial to give McMahon further experience with Falino who was ridden by Tim Clark in three of his five autumn/winter appearances.

The son of Fusaichi Pegasus stamped his class at his third start from a spell with a narrow victory over Spirit Of Boom in the Group Three BTC Classic (1350m) at Doomben on May 21.

However, his subsequent two performances fell short of his best when 12th to Varenna Miss in the Group Two QTC Cup (1300m) and 17th to Torio's Quest in the Group Two Queensland Guineas (1600m), both at Eagle Farm in June.

Caught has eight horses in work but his main profession is as a design draftsman for a Brisbane engineering company.

"Saturday's race is only the second time he's met older horses and it will be interesting to see how he goes," Caught said.

"I want to see how he goes this week as I'd like to send him away for a race on Melbourne Cup day.

"I'd love to see him run down the straight six at Flemington. It should suit his racing style.

"But he has to show us he's worth taking away. If he needs another run there's a race here in two weeks before the Melbourne Cup day race."

Caught also has the Listed Lightning Handicap (1100m) at Randwick on October 15 in his sights if he decides against a Melbourne trip.

"There's a possibility he could go to Sydney but I'd prefer to go to Melbourne with him," Caught said.

Caught is overlooking Falino's failures in the QTC Cup and Queensland Guineas.

"He finished alongside Sincero and was only beaten five lengths in the QTC Cup," he said.

"He was near the end of his campaign then and I made the wrong decision to go to the Queensland Guineas.

"It was too hard for him and he should have been in the paddock."

Falino is no newcomer to travelling as Caught took him to Sydney last year when he won over 1200 metres at Rosehill on December 11.

Doyle Still Has Faith In Celtic Dancer

Friday, 30 September 2011 03:59

Trainer Noel Doyle admits his early assessment of Celtic Dancer has yet to be realised, but he still holds out hope for the future.

Doyle rated Celtic Dancer, who resumes in the Zarrafas Coffee Handicap (1200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday, as one of the best sprinters he's trained.

As a two and three-year-old Doyle compared Celtic Dancer favourably to his former top sprinter Don't Play.

Don't Play won a Listed Cameron Handicap at Newcastle and finished second in the Group One Stradbroke Handicap in 1989.

"I thought he was as good as Don't Play early on but he's got to lift a bit more yet to be as good as him," Doyle said.

"I'm not giving up on him yet and I think there's a good race in him."

Celtic Dancer hasn't started since finishing eighth to Torio's Quest in the Group Two Queensland Guineas (1600m) at Eagle Farm in June.

His Queensland Guineas defeat followed failures in the Listed Daybreak Lover at Eagle Farm and Group Three BTC Classic at Doomben during his winter campaign which included a close second to Military Rose in the Group Three Gold Coast Guineas (1200m) in May.

"His winter form was good considering he had a couple of bad alleys," Doyle said.

"We planned for him to take a sit in the Guineas but he began too brilliantly and was forced to lead.

"Hopefully I can teach him to settle more this campaign."

Celtic Dancer has been given a barrier trial to prepare him for his comeback but Doyle feels he won't be at his top for his return.

"He ran third without being knocked around too much in the barrier trial and it was a nice effort," Doyle said.

Apprentice Tim Bell rode Celtic Dancer in the trial and will have first race ride on the son of Choisir at Eagle Farm.

Doyle has no plans to head interstate with Celtic Dancer whose main mission will be in the summer.

"Eventually I want to get him ready for the summer races and possibly the Magic Millions Cup," Doyle said.

The summer series begins with the Group Three George Moore Stakes (1200m) in December while the Magic Millions Cup (1400m) will be run at the Gold Coast in January.

Although Celtic Dancer has been in work almost three months, Doyle is concerned the four-year-old is still short of "match practice".

"He's still a little above himself in condition and he'll improve out of sight after this run," he said.

Nuptse And Found The One To Clash Again

Tuesday, 27 September 2011 05:15

Trainer Brian Wakefield hopes to gauge Nuptse as a possible Magic Millions contender in January when the four-year-old makes her comeback at Doomben.

Nuptse will line up for her first start since finishing fourth to talented mare Skating On Ice at Doomben in early February in Wednesday's Ormiston College Handicap (1040m).

The four-year-old is likely to clash for a second time with Patinack Farm's Found The One who has also been entered for Eagle Farmon Saturday.

Wakefield had hoped Found The One would run on Saturday but Patinack Farm favours the midweek option.

Nuptse, a daughter of Bradbury's Luck, had a victory over Found The One when successful at Warwick Farm on January 26.

"I took her to Sydney with two others from my stable when we got all that rain during the summer," Wakefield said.

"She got skittled in her first start when she ran fourth at Canterbury. The leader tried to jump the fence and came back through the field onto her.

"But then she came out and won well at Warwick Farm when Found The One ran third."

Wakefield had hoped to have Nuptse back in work earlier this campaign so she could be aimed at the recent three-year-old QTIS races.

"She went to the paddock straight after her Warwick Farm win but she didn't spell right so I sent her back out and gave her more time," Wakefield said.

"She's been in work around 12 weeks and she's been trialling well."

Wakefield expects a strong performance from Nuptse despite her lack of recent racing.

"I've brought her along slowly but she was quite impressive winning a barrier trial at Doomben a fortnight ago," he said.

"She'll race very well but I wouldn't mind seeing Found The One run on Saturday instead of here.

"She's beaten Found The One before but the Patinack Farm mare has taken a big step up since then.

"My mare has a lot of class and if she goes well I'd like to keep her to some of the better fillies and mares races coming up including the Magic Millions next year."

Nuptse started her career with Eden Petrie but was transferred to Wakefield before she raced when the former Gold Coast trainer joined Paul Messara as stable foreman.

Birchley Represented In Two States

Thursday, 29 September 2011 06:59

Trainer Liam Birchley always has an eye to the future but the present is causing him the most concern with runners in two states on Saturday.

Birchley has talented mare Liesele lining up in the Hyundai Australia Handicap (1200m) at Eagle Farm while two-year-olds Snipzu and High Contagious have been entered for Randwick in Sydney.

Snipzu, an $80,000 buy at the Magic Millions sales, has drawn barrier 13 in the Gimcrack Stakes (1000m) while High Contagious, a $20,000 purchase at the same sales, will jump from gate eight in the Breeders Plate (1000m).

Both youngsters were due to leave Brisbane on Thursday night but Birchley will confer with the owners before confirming their trips because of Randwick's slow track rating.

Birchley had no concerns with Liesele at Eagle Farm until light rain began falling on Thursday.

But the weather isn't expected to impact on Liesele's quest to maintain her unbeaten record this campaign.

The daughter of Exceed And Excel scored impressively in her comeback at Ipswich on September 14 and Birchley had no hesitation stepping her up to Saturday opposition.

Birchley has always had a good opinion of Liesele and aimed her for the winter carnival three-year-old races last campaign.

Liesele failed to win in her winter appearances with her best effort coming in the Mick Dittman Plate (1000m) at Eagle Farm when runner-up to Ready To Rip.

She produced another solid performance when ninth, beaten just over two lengths by Military Rose in the Group Three Gold Coast Guineas (1200m) in May.

Birchley still believes Liesele is capable of winning at black-type level and hasn't ruled out an interstate trip.

"She's improved further since she won at Ipswich first-up," Birchley said.

"This looks a harder race and she was given topweight with 58 kilos."

However, Liesele will come into the race well at the weights due to the three-kilogram claim from apprentice Priscilla Schmidt.

Birchley hasn't looked at interstate programs for Liesele but will be ready to go if her form warrants a trip away.

"If she keeps improving I might look at taking her away somewhere but I haven't looked at anything in particular yet," he said.

"I've always had a good opinion of her and I've always believed she can develop into a black-type contender."

Birchley had two significant reasons to accept with his two-year-olds in Sydney.

"The tracks have been a little too hard up here and any early prizemoney they can get will help qualify them for the Magic Millions in January," he said.

Larry Cassidy Suspended For Three Months

Monday, 26 September 2011 08:30

Jockey Larry Cassidy has been outed for three months over his handling of beaten favourite Trump at Doomben last Saturday week.

Racing Queensland stewards handed down the hefty ban after finding Cassidy guilty at a reconvened inquiry on Monday.

Cassidy was questioned extensively on race day after $1.70 favourite Trump finished third to his Rob Heathcote-trained stablemate Bevico Girl in a 1615m race.

Immediately after the race, Heathcote was furious with Cassidy's handling of the three-year-old who was caught three-wide.

Stewards took Cassidy to task for not improving his position early in the race, saying he unnecessarily restrained him which resulted in the horse being caught three-wide.

Cassidy defended his actions saying he was trying to make sure Trump was relaxed and he was unable to get back in after two horses kicked up inside him.

A three-time winner of the Sydney jockeys' premiership, Cassidy moved to Queensland in January 2009.

He cited a lack of opportunity in Sydney due to small fields and the major stables retaining their own riders.

Cassidy won his three Sydney premierships in the late 1990s when he was the number one rider for Crown Lodge trainer John Hawkes.

While in Sydney, the former New Zealander amassed an outstanding record over the Randwick "mile" including wins in the Group One Doncaster Handicap on Secret Savings (1997) and Sunline (1999) and Epsom Handicap victories on Golden Sword (1993), Dodge (1998) and Desert War (2005).

Stafford Excited For First Brisbane Start

Thursday, 29 September 2011 04:30

Rockhampton trainer David Stafford is hopeful of striking the jackpot with his first ever Brisbane runner at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Stafford has been training for almost 10 years and believes Writer can give him his first metropolitan win in the Sealy Australia Handicap (1200m).

Writer, a prolific central Queensland winner with 11 victories from 22 starts, arrived safely in Brisbane on Thursday following a lengthy road trip.

Stafford, 27, is a son of well-known central Queensland trainer Ron Stafford and a nephew of Maurice Stafford who trained successfully for many years in Brisbane and Rockhampton.

Stafford juggles training a stable of five horses with a Rockhampton produce business he runs in partnership with his sister Leanne Wigginton.

"I'm kept rather busy. I start work at 3.30am with the horses and don't get home from work at the feed store until around 6.30pm most nights," Stafford said.

"I've been working at the store since I was 17 and I've had my trainer's licence since I was 18.

"This is the first time I've had a runner good enough to send to Brisbane and I'm pretty excited to be saddling him up.

"Dad took the horse down in the float and I'll be arriving on Saturday with my girlfriend Jill."

Stafford was concerned Writer's float trip took longer than expected although it was broken up into two stages.

"They travelled straight down to Caboolture without any trouble and stayed overnight there but it took a few hours just to go from Caboolture to Brisbane," he said.

"I'm not sure what the hold-up was for but he's not normally a good traveller and I want to make sure he's okay before he starts."

Writer strung together three successive wins on his home track during the winter including a 7-1/2-length romp in the Tatt's Gold Cup (1600m) on June 11.

The son of Hemingway, who was bred by owner Linda Wedmaier, then ran on strongly for third in the Rockhampton Cup (1600m) two weeks later.

Stafford hopes a good performance from Writer could see the six-year-old stay on in Brisbane.

"He's been too classy for the horses in Rockhampton and he's getting too much weight up here," Stafford said.

"He's got 59 kilos in Brisbane so what would he get next time in Rocky?

"If he races well I might have to transfer him to a Brisbane trainer so he can keep racing down there."

Although Writer was beaten over 1600 metres at his last appearance, Stafford is confident of a strong showing over 1200 metres.

"He's got a good record first-up winning three times and he's won over 1200 metres," he said.

"The only time he was beaten first-up was on the sand track when they were rebuilding our grass track."

McMahon Joins Risk Aversion Fan Club

Saturday, 24 September 2011 06:59

Jockey Ric McMahon joined the Risk Aversion fan club after the talented mare stretched her winning sequence to four at Doomben on Saturday.

Risk Aversion looked set for defeat for only the second time in her career when Win A Million kicked strongly over the final stages of the Pink Ribbon Race For Research Handicap (1350m).

However, Risk Aversion dug deep under punishing riding from McMahon to nail Win A Million by a short head with Flinders City a further 1-1/4 lengths away third.

Risk Aversion was ridden by Chris Munce and apprentice Tim Bell in her previous three victories and both riders forecast a big future for the daughter of Encosta De Lago.

McMahon was quick to join her supporters immediately after Risk Aversion took her record to four wins from five starts.

"I had a gut feeling she just got up," McMahon said.

"She's a real trier and a real racehorse.

"We had a lovely run but the race wasn't really run to suit her. I'd like to see her in a race with more speed on so she can hit the line stronger.

"She's a very exciting horse right now but she's going to mature into something even better later on."

Risk Aversion's career was delayed because of suspensory problems and connections are now reaping the rewards of her late start.

Owner John Hutchins has long-range plans to tackle the Group One Coolmore Classic (1500m) in Sydney next autumn if she measures up.

But for the time being, trainer Michael Lakey intends giving her one more start before turning her out for a break to prepare for black-type races in Brisbane during the summer.

"She's still only very lightly raced and is still learning," Lakey said.

"She's a bit of a heartbreak horse. That's three times she's won in a photo.

"I won't be sending her south just now and she may have one more run before the fillies and mares races in December."

Meanwhile, trainer Kelso Wood continued his great strike rate when Seek And Find scored a comfortable win in the Mears & Jeffs Handicap (1020m).

Seek And Find recorded his sixth win from only 17 starts with a half-length victory over Carry To Fortune.

Seek And Find was having his third start this campaign and was coming off a disappointing ninth to Haizum in a 1010-metre Benchmark 85 race at Doomben on September 10.

"We found a few problems with him after his last run and I told the stewards about it," Wood said.

"I had him scoped and it was clear but we found he had a sore shoulder.

"I worked on it for a few days and he came right and we expected him to run well."

Seek And Find is a son of Sequalo out of Coniston Lass who Wood trained during her career.

"She was a high-maintenance mare who had a few problems herself but she won several races for me," he said.

Nuptse's Win Bears Out Travel Theory

Wednesday, 28 September 2011 07:15

Promising mare Nuptse proved once again the long-held theory of travelling young horses was a positive when the four-year-old mare made a successful comeback at Doomben.

Nuptse, starting at $3.50 and having her first start since early February, scored a commanding length win over Fuato ($5.50) in Wednesday's Ormiston College Handicap (1040m).

Heavily-backed favourite Found The One ($1.85) blotted her Queensland copybook for the first time, finishing a further two lengths away third.

Trainer Brian Wakefield is a great believer in travelling horses to improve their mental attitude and sent the daughter of Bradbury's Luck to Sydney for the experience and to avoid wet tracks in Brisbane during the summer.

"I sent her to Sydney because we had a lot of wet tracks here at the time but I do believe travelling horses can often improve them," Wakefield said.

In Sydney, Nuptse, who is named after a mountain in the Himalayas, finished an unlucky fourth on debut at Canterbury on January 14 before winning at Warwick Farm on January 26.

Patinack Farm's Found The One ran third to Nuptse in their first Sydney clash and ironically finished in the same position in their second meeting on Wednesday.

Wakefield rated Nuptse good enough for the Brisbane winter carnival but plans to tackle the three-year-old races were aborted when she failed to spell satisfactorily.

"I was going to get her ready for the three-year-old winter races but she didn't spell right so I turned her out again," Wakefield said.

"She's still got a lot of improvement in her and hopefully we'll look at some of the better fillies and mares races later on before the Magic Millions."

Nuptse started her career with Eden Petrie but was transferred to Wakefield before she raced when the former Gold Coast trainer joined Paul Messara as stable foreman.

Meanwhile, connections of Touch Me Knott hope the bloodlines of dual Group One winner Toorak Toff will rise to the top following the mare's breakthrough win in the www.brc.com.au Handicap (2070m).

Apprentice Tim Bell produced a copybook ride on the four-year-old to lead all the way at his first ride back from a careless riding suspension,

The daughter of Untouchable registered her first win in 11 starts and gave trainer Chris Jordan an overdue city win when she downed Maisonblanc by three lengths.

Touch Me Knott is closely related to Toorak Toff who claimed his second Group One in last Saturday's Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield.

Jordan praised Bell for his perfect ride on Touch Me Knott and also jockey Larry Cassidy.

"That was a ten out of ten ride. He rated him perfectly in front," Jordan said.

"But Larry also deserves credit. He has ridden the horse at her last three starts and he said to step her up in distance to 2000 metres and let her lead."

Kelbenjar In Slashing Win

Saturday, 24 September 2011 04:15

Favourite backers got off to a bad start when unfashionably-bred Kelbenjar scored an upset win in the Industrial & Protective Coatings Queensland Handicap at Doomben on Saturday.

Kelbenjar ($8) made it three wins from five starts, leading most of the way to down Morning Captain ($3.80) by 1-1/4 lengths.

Patinack Farm's Pretty Pins ($1.85 fav), a half-sister to 2009 Group One Toorak Handicap winner Allez Wonder, filled the minor placing a further 1-1/2 lengths away.

Trainer Natalie McCall was in two minds over what tactics to employ on Kelbenjar whose previous wins were on his home track at Caloundra.

"That was a good solid win. He had to work hard to get over to the lead," McCall said.

"We were in two minds before the race whether to take a sit or go to the front so I left it to his rider (Eddie Wilkinson)."

McCall is the daughter of prominent Caloundra trainer Ray McCall and has only been training for four years.

"Today was my fourth winner in town and I've set a goal to make it five before the year is out," she said.

"This horse is not fashionably bred but he can certainly gallop.

"His last-start win at Caloundra was just super. He struggled with shin-soreness all through his last preparation so we knew he was a good horse."

Kelbenjar is a son of little-known sire Kbenjar but his time of 1:08.90 for the 1200m showed he could be above average.

McCall was disappointed Kelbenjar was not eligible for the lucrative QTIS bonus scheme.

"I keep reminding his owners, who bred him, about him not being a QTIS horse," McCall said.

McCall has no major plans in mind for Kelbenjar who is one of only nine horses she has in work.

"There's another race similar to this coming up in a fortnight which he'll probably go for," she said.

Wilkinson told McCall he was never concerned after deciding to take the three-year-old to the front.

"He felt like he did it easily," Wilkinson said.

"He's a lovely type. I didn't want them to dictate to us so I was happy to take him to the front."