Japanese Horses Cleared For Spring Carnival

Thursday, 29 July 2010 00:53

Racing Victoria has welcomed the news that Japanese horses have been cleared for travel to Australia in time for the 2010 Spring Racing Carnival.

The Federal Government and AQIS last night approved two pre-export quarantine facilities in Japan paving the way for a Japanese tilt at the historic 150th Emirates Melbourne Cup.

Japanese horses have been banned from travelling to Australia since Equine Influenza outbreaks in both countries in 2007.

When they last competed in Australia, stablemates Delta Blues and Pop Rock finished one-two in the 2006 Melbourne Cup.

This followed Eye Popper’s second placing in the BMW Caulfield Cup 12 months prior.

“This now paves the way for Japanese horses to travel to Australia. The approval of the preexport facilities at Tokyo and Nakayama was the final piece in the jigsaw puzzle with Tokyo the preferred venue for Spring Racing Carnival aspirants,” Racing Victoria General Manger – Racing Operations, Leigh Jordon, said.

“We extend our appreciation to the Federal Government, in particular Minister Tony Burke, and AQIS for their efforts in finalising the approval process in time for this year’s Spring Racing Carnival.

“This approval delivers a positive outcome for the state of Victoria and indeed the nation with a large contingent of Japanese media and tourists now set to join their horses in Melbourne in the coming months.”

Whilst Tokyo and Nakayama were signed off, a third quarantine facility at Miho was not approved by AQIS, who are supplying Japanese officials with structural modifications that can be made for approval to be granted in the future.

Jordon explained that Jaguar Mail and Meiner Kitz, the first two horses home in this year’s Group 1 Tenno Sho, Japan’s premier two-mile handicap, are eager to target the Melbourne Cup and are now favoured to travel to Australia.

The Noriyuki Hori-trained Jaguar Mail, who is owned in the same interests as Delta Blues and Pop Rock, was ridden by Australian jockey Craig Williams in the Tenno Sho and the four-time Scobie Breasley Medallist has been booked for his spring campaign.

“The Japanese horses proved during the 2005 and 2006 Spring Racing Carnivals that they are world class performers and their presence in the 150th Emirates Melbourne Cup, and any lead-up races for that matter, would add immense intrigue,” Jordon said.

The approval of quarantine protocols between Australia and Japan may also pave the way for an historic new chapter in the AAMI Victoria Derby.

The connections of Break A Theory, a stablemate of Meiner Kitz, have expressed interest in becoming the first internationally-trained runner to contest Victoria’s coveted three-year-old staying race.

Picture: Claire Usmar

Phar Lap The Topweight In 'Greatest' Cup

Wednesday, 28 July 2010 06:45

Legendary racehorse Phar Lap has been given the honour of carrying topweight in the fictional greatest-ever Melbourne Cup which was announced by the Victoria Racing Club on Wednesday.

Phar Lap, who won the Cup as a four-year-old in 1930, was given 60kg by Racing Victoria's chief handicapper Greg Carpenter who had the task of rating his top 24 horses of the 149 Cup winners.

Dubbed the "Red Terror", Phar Lap is the only horse to start odds-on favourite (8-11) in a Melbourne Cup.

A year earlier he had been sent out as the second shortest-priced favourite, even money, but was beaten into third place by Nightmarch who made the "greatest-ever" field at number 16.

Phar Lap was beaten only twice in 18 runs at 2400m or beyond, when third as a three-year-old in the 1929 Cup and when eighth as 3-1 favourite to White Nose in 1931.

After being unplaced with the crushing weight of the equivalent of 68kg, he was shipped overseas and won the world's richest race at the time, the Agua Caliente Handicap in Mexico in March 1932.

He won 32 of his last 35 starts with winning streaks of eight, nine and 14.

Carpenter weighted 1890 winner Carbine second on 59kg ahead of three-time winner Makybe Diva (2003-04-05) and dual winner Peter Pan (1932, 1934) who both received 58kg.

Master trainer Bart Cummings got four of his 11 individual Cup winners into the race - Galilee (fifth), Saintly (18th), Light Fingers (22nd) - with his dual winner Think Big (24th) just sneaking into the field.

Cummings' father Jim is also represented by the 1950 winner Comic Court (ninth) who was strapped by Cummings.

Lee Freedman was the only other trainer to have more than one runner - Doriemus (23rd) and Makybe Diva who he trained to win the race in 2004 and 2005 after taking her over from David Hall (2003) who moved to Hong Kong and is still training there.

Irishman Dermot Weld, the only European trainer to win the Cup, got the first of his two winners, Vintage Crop (13th) into the field.

Those considered unlucky to miss out by Carpenter were the outstanding New Zealand stayer Even Stevens (1962) and Cummings' mare Let's Elope (1991).

Archer, who won the first two Cups in 1861-62, was rated 12th.

Carpenter said there were some wonderful horses who were beaten in the Cup and therefore ineligible such as Kingston Town (runner-up in 1982) and Tulloch, Tobin Bronze and the great mare Wakeful who was runner-up in 1903 under the equivalent of 63.5kg.

"Kingston Town in my own view would have probably been top three. He was such a star of Australian racing," he said.

Carpenter pointed out that Tulloch was the only horse to receive topweight on original handicaps in the Cup on four occasions, from 1958-61.

"Other than injury and illness Tulloch perhaps would have been the best horse," he said.

The field, unveiled at the Melbourne Museum to celebrate this year's 150th running of Australia's most famous race, is a chapter in the book The Story of the Melbourne Cup; Australia's Greatest Race which was launched at the same function on Wednesday.

A phantom call of the fictional race will take place at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day.

Thirteen Skins Just A Little Secret

Wednesday, 28 July 2010 23:56

The Colin Little trained Thirteen Skins looks to be a quality staying prospect after sustaining a long run to win the $12,000 Ray Benson Super Vobis Three-Year-Old Maiden Plate (1700m) at Sale.

Thirteen Skins ($2,$2.10) was driven out of the gates by apprentice Taylor Lovelock-Wiggins causing the colt to overrace behind the leading division in the early stages.

Lovelock-Wiggins had no option but to come around the field and take up the running with the best part of 1000m to travel but proved to have a class edge, sustaining his run, and fighting on to defeat Danz Boy ($5,$4.20) by a long neck with a gap of more than four lengths to Teratoa ($7,$10,$9).

A three-year-old colt by Irish stallion Tobougg, Thirteen Skins was bred by Little's late wife Jacquie but was somewhat of a surprise addition to the Lord Lodge team recounts Little.

"He was breed secretly by Jacquie, totally unbeknown to me until I got a bill for him one day," said Little.

"So I took the big raw boned, green, old fashioned staying horse over and it has taken a lot of work to get him where he is today.

"I still don't know who she was going to get to train him," Little joked.

Little is still humoured by the colt's first race start in which he almost didn't line up after planting his feet on course to the starting gates.

"His first start in a race the jockey had to get off him at the 800m mark because he saw the barriers and didn't want to go anywhere near them," said Little.

"Eventually he led him to the barriers and ran an eye-catching fourth after tailing off early."

Little believes the consistent staying type, who also shows a nice turn of foot, could measure up to the country cups next season should he continue to improve with maturity.

"I think he will have one more run this time in and then we will tip him out for next season," said Little.

"He is a tough customer this bloke and will get a strong 2400m which could make him a handy stayer."

Thirteen Skins has only missed a cheque on the one occasion in five career starts for $13,000 in prizemoney.

Photo by Quentin Lang

Pateman Says Jumps Season 'Fantastic'

Wednesday, 28 July 2010 05:45

Jockey Steven Pateman says the success of this year's jumps racing season has exceeded his expectations.

Pateman rode a double at Sandown on Wednesday on Grand National Steeplechase contender Juan Carlos and former New Zealander Twitch but said jumps racing was the big winner.

He said horses were jumping better than ever and that jockeys were again enjoying riding in races with an improved safety record.

"Up to today there have been seven falls this season which has been just incredible," Pateman said.

"I have ridden in races in the past where there have been eight falls in one race but the jumps racing this year has been fantastic.

"In my opinion the jockeys last year were very stale but now the racing is really, really good and the jockeys are enjoying their riding again."

Pateman said that importantly the horses had new-found respect for the new jumps and had adapted to them well.

"I went into this season thinking the older horses from last season would have bad habits and at the start of the season they did, but now they have respect for the jumps and it is like the old days now," he said.

Juan Carlos showed his liking for the new fences when making his steeplechase debut and boosted his Grand National prospects with an easy 4-1/4 length win over Nuvolari and Our Santa in the Pedro's Pride Steeplechase (3400m).

A dual hurdle winner, the rising 10-year-old finished second to Desert Master in last year's Grand National Hurdle.

He jumped cautiously in the early stages of Wednesday's race but was going to win a long way out.

"This is a world-class jumping track and I was on the class horse," Pateman, who confirmed he would ride Juan Carlos in the Grand National at Sandown on August 15, said.

"He chased really well and he did respect the bigger fences today and that's why he was a bit slow away early.

"After the first couple of fences he got comfortable and gave me a great spin."

Famous Prince was the only horse to fall in the steeplechase on Wednesday and he escaped injury.

Only last November Juan Carlos bowed a tendon racing on the flat but with some revolutionary treatment, which has a patent pending, he has made a remarkably quick recovery.

"He is just a beautiful jumper," trainer Allison Bennett said.

"The National has always been his goal and that will be his grand final."

Formerly trained by New Zealander Kevin Myers, Titch hasn't missed a place in six starts since joining Patrick Payne's stable two months back.

He added to his Moe Maiden Hurdle win 11 days ago when he held on to win in a photo-finish from The Pentagon in Wednesday's The Shu Hurdle (3400m).

Payne said Titch's next run would be in the Jim Houlahan Hurdle (3400m) at Sandown on Grand National day.

Pateman said he was undecided about a Grand National Hurdle mount with a number of options including the Payne-trained Sparking who will run at Warrnambool on Sunday.

"It is going to be an exciting National this year with it being so open," he said.

Pictures: Colin Bull

Horses To Follow - Betfair Park 28 July 2010

Wednesday, 28 July 2010 14:00

On a cold day at Betfair Park the following runners put the writing on the wall for a few wins in the upcoming month.

Race 3:  Chortle Super Vobis Handicap (1600m)

Arboreta ran an solid mile for her first try at the trip and will be spot on for a similar race in the coming weeks.

Looks like the further the better for this one of Price's.

Race 6:  Betfair Handicap (2400m)

The Tasweigan Geejayhaitch is at a distance that suits now and with this run under his belt will be the one to beat in a fortnights time.

Needed to get wound up a touch earlier but not far away.

Race 7:  Gothic Handicap (1600m)

Dandy Dollar didn't go a yard in the wet but don't lose faith just yet.

Blackbook this one and keep an eye out for him at Caulfield or somewhere he can find a dead to slow surface.

Another Metro Winner For Oliver

Wednesday, 28 July 2010 05:04

Luke Oliver doubled his tally of metropolitan winners for the 2009/10 season in the space of five days.

The Caulfield-based trainer celebrated the win of Diazling on Saturday at Moonee Valley to move his overall number to three wins and this afternoon at Betfair Park Sandown Hillside his fourth victory came from an unlikely source.

Despised outsider in the field of five, Don’t Tell Pat ($9-$13) lead from start to finish in the $30,000 Winlake Handicap (1000m) to win by 2-1/4 lengths ahead of Signor Socks ($2-$2.15 fav) and Fermino Courage ($6-$5).

Mr Moxie ($4-$4.60) finished fourth while Orchestra Stalls ($4.80-$6.50) was last in the field of five.

Oliver said the horse was given to him after trainer Brendan Woodman placed the horse in his care.

“The owner, Brendan Woodman, just rang me up on the way home from the races.” Oliver said.

“He was going to Las Vegas for a couple of weeks and wanted to know if I could take care of the horse for him.

“He’s a difficult horse to get right, I didn’t think he was 100 percent today and probably the only instruction I told Craig (Williams) today was not to lead.

“That’s why he rides them and I train them,” he quipped.

Finishing eighth of ninth last start at Swan Hill in a 0-78 Handicap (975m) in June, Don’t Tell Pat ambled through the Heavy (9) going under the guidance of jockey Craig Williams.

“I was more worried about having my horse comfortable on the ground and I didn’t want to let go of him because he’s quite a soft horse,” Williams said.

“Our goal was trying to ride him to run second, not to expose him too early and put him under pressure because we needed him to get through the ground.

“Today on paper it was never going to be a normal five furlong race in midweek or Saturday company.

“We just came to the conclusion to trust him and ride him wherever he wants.

“Luke’s done a great job with the horse, I rode this horse last year and at only his second start for Luke the horse is going really well,” he added.

The rising seven-year-old son of Monashee Mountain has now won six times and been placed six times from 27 starts for $176,913 in prizemoney.

Pictures: Colin Bull

Moody's Colt To Miss Bletchingly

Wednesday, 28 July 2010 07:45

Star three-year-old Reward For Effort will miss the Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield after trainer Peter Moody reviewed the colt's spring plans.

Moody said he would now rely on last-start Victorian Sprint Final winner Elumino to fly the stable's colours in Saturday's feature while Reward For Effort has a freshen-up following his first-up win in the Monash Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on July 17.

The Group One Manikato Stakes (1200m) under lights at Moonee Valley on September 24 is the medium-term goal for the 2009 Blue Diamond Stakes winner.

His lead-up runs will be in the Listed Clamms Seafoods Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on August 28 and the Group Three McEwen Stakes (1000m) at the Valley on September 11.

"We are taking a change of tack and decided to give him six weeks between runs and miss the Bletchingly," Moody said.

"His first-up win convinced me he that's still a long way off his top but he's back and the Manikato might be a good option now.

"He has basically surprised me because I didn't expect him to win the Monash.

"Now that he is going better than I thought we have sent him off to the water-walker and we will bring him back for two runs before the Manikato."

Stablemate Ghostmilk is also having a freshen-up with water-walker work and will resume in late August for mares' races.

The imported six-year-old is a mudlark and won three city wins in a row in Melbourne before going down in a photo-finish to Mr Unforgettable in the Listed Winter Stakes at Rosehill on July 17.

Moody said the Group Two Stocks Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on September 11 was an appealing target.

"It has been a wet winter and September has been our wettest month the last six years," Moody said.

The Bletchingly features Group One winners Shoot Out, who will be ridden by Stathi Katsidis, and Velocitea who has Craig Newitt to partner her first-up on Saturday.

Other early riding engagements are Nick Hall on Keano, Craig Williams on Stanzout, Brad Rawiller on Royal Ida and James Winks on Douro Valley.

Douro Valley is on the comeback trail after tearing a hind-leg hamstring from the bone and hasn't raced since finishing last in the Group One Yalumba Stakes last spring.

Formerly trained by Danny O'Brien, Douro Valley was second to Master O'Reilly in the 2007 Caulfield Cup and had his first public barrier trial for trainer Peter Morgan when he was a competitive fourth at Geelong on Monday.

Pictures: Fiona Tomlin

Countcool A Stayer On The Rise

Wednesday, 28 July 2010 05:04

The Mick Kent trained Countcool graduated to city class racing with a win in the $30,000 Mighty Kingdom Super Vobis Handicap (2400m) at Betfair Park.

Odds on favourite Triumphant Choice was scratched at the barriers on vet's advice in a pre-race shock but according to trainer Peter Moody it was in the horse's best interests.

"He look at bit stiff over his backside in the mounting yard and I advised Taylor and the vet to make a decision after allowing him to warm up on the way to the gates," said Moody.

"We just felt it wasn't worth the risk and we will get the chiropractor and the vet to go over the horse now before giving him a few weeks off."

Countcool ($12,$13) settled on the better side of midfield for in-form apprentice Adam McCabe who made his run upon straightening but took the length of the stretch to beat off Gael Force ($10,$6.50) with Kent's other runner King Oliver ($11) running into third two lengths away.

Kent has kept the lightly raced stayer ticking over since stepping out to 2000m distance back in March and was confident of the gelding's chances despite the strong support for Triumphant Choice.

"He felt the ground at Caulfield last time and just didn't let down at all," said Kent.

"I gave him a winning chance before the scratching, he trained on very well from his last run and I think he will be a nice horse.

Countcool will now head to the paddock according the Kent who will be targeting the staying races through winter next season.

"We will put him out now and next winter he should mature into a nice stayer," said Kent.

"He is very genuine."

McCabe was jubilant as the son of Viscount hit the line and admitted having a close affinity with the young stayer.

"I ride this horse everyday at trackwork and he is just a really great horse," said McCabe.

"It's also good to repay the owners and Mick for showing faith in me."

Countcool has now won the three times for almost $50,000 in prizemoney.

Photo by Colin Bull

Odds-on Pop A Late Scratching

Wednesday, 28 July 2010 07:15

Peter Moody's concern for odds-on favourite Triumphant Choice has led to the three-year-old's late scratching from the Mighty Kingdom Handicap at Sandown.

Moody was unhappy with Triumphant Choice's action as he paraded in the mounting yard before Wednesday's 2400m event which was the first leg of the quadrella.

Moody alerted the colt's rider, apprentice Taylor Lovelock-Wiggins, and veterinarians before the horse did his preliminary to the barriers.

"I thought he was a bit stiff in his near hindquarters," Moody said.

"I told Taylor and the vets to make sure he is 100 per cent.

"The lad (Lovelock-Wiggins) came back and said he didn't feel bad but he didn't feel right and he's ridden him at home."

After a searching veterinary examination at the barriers, Triumphant Choice was scratched after being found to be short in his action when being turned.

"It was putting them under pressure to vet a $1.50 favourite and for all concerned it was probably the safest option that he didn't run, and more importantly for the horse," Moody said.

"I will have a chiropractor and the vet go over him at home and give him a couple of lazy weeks.

"Hopefully we can then target some low-grade staying-type races in the spring in the hope he develops into a higher-grade stayer in the autumn."

The Mick Kent-trained Countcool ($13) took out the race, scoring by a long neck from Gael Force ($6.50 fav) with King Oliver ($11) 2-1/4-lengths away third.

Pictures: Colin Bull

Lucki'mbarefoot Earns Break For Spring

Wednesday, 28 July 2010 04:52

Moe trainer Tracey Templeton is Derby bound with Luckyi'mbarefoot winner of the $30,000 Chortle Super Vobis Handicap (1600m) at Betfair Park today.

Luckyi'mbarefoot ($4.20,$4.60,$4.40) jumped well and was given the run of the race by Dean Holland sitting one out and one back the trip.

Holland peeled of the leaders heels turning for home to ensure clear running in the straight and proceeded to grind the leader down and scoring a convincing one and a half length win over Arboreta ($3.20,$3.60) with Dubawi's Daughter ($18,$41) a head away.

Templeton has been bouyed by the two-year-old's form this preparation and is considering targeting the Derby in the Spring.

"He has won both races this time in which is a good sign," said Templeton.

"We will put him away for a little breather for now and then bring him back for some Spring races hopefully.

"We might even look at the derby with him, but we will see how he goes."

Holland, who rode Lucki'mbarefoot prior to his first race start, observed that the gelding was still a work in progress but improving with every run.

"I trialled him before he even had a run and thought he would always make a good horse," said Holland.

"He has taken a little while to get there but he will just keep on improving after winning his maiden the other week.

It is a little bit of a work in progress getting him to settle but he is almost there and the Derby is definitely a possibility."

The win was Holland's second on the son of Undoubtedly from just the three rides.

Photo by Colin Bull