Breitling's Win A Big Bonus

Saturday, 17 July 2010 04:45

Trainer Robert Smerdon continues to collect Inglis race bonuses after highly promising two-year-old Breitling added $100,000 to the tally with an impressive win at Caulfield.

The Lonhro colt reversed the placings from his debut meeting with Soul when he sprinted hard to set up a winning lead in the home straight and beat the Peter Snowden-trained galloper by 1-3/4 lengths in Saturday's Inglis Bonus (1000m).

A $50,000 Melbourne Inglis Premier yearling, Breitling joins a growing list of horses who have got the job done for Smerdon in bonus races.

Follow The Till (2006) and Tale Of Love (2009) are both winners of the Inglis Premier at Caulfield while Tale Of Love and Enzed Girl are also $50,000 country bonus winners.

Such has been Smerdon's success that he also earned a $50,000 bonus for being the leading trainer of Inglis bonus races.

Smerdon predicted a bright future for Breitling and plans to push on with him into the spring.

Jockey Glen Boss supports the move, believing Breitling has the temperament of a top horse, and he has no doubt that he will be a Group-class three-year-old.

"From the first time I galloped him I fell in love with this horse," Boss said.

"He's got really good mannerisms, the mannerisms of a good horse.

"Any good horse I have ridden, they have got that one special thing about them, they take up and soak up the atmosphere and he's got that.

"He might look like he's getting out there and having a go but he's keen to about 80 per cent of where he should be then he starts to float.

"Really he wants a mile (1600m)."

Soul beat Breitling by 1-3/4 lengths when both horses made their debut at Flemington on heavy ground on June 26 but Smerdon was hopeful that he could turn the tables on Saturday.

"We went to Flemington thinking he was a good hope but knew there was improvement in him," Smerdon said.

"You don't want to get too carried away at this time of year but if he can't go on to the better races we are in trouble with some of the ones at home."

"We rate him pretty highly."

Pictures: Fiona Tomlin

Bolle Out To Enhance Second-up Record

Friday, 16 July 2010 02:59

Country trainer Barbara Marshman is looking to capitalise on the impressive second-up record of Bolle in the Join MRC Now and Receive $2000 Instant Value Handicap at Caulfield.

The seven-year-old is an evergreen performer with 10 wins and 11 placings from 41 starts with some his best efforts being after a conditioning run.

He has won second-up three times and is set to improve on that in Saturday's 1700m event after finishing near last at Flemington when resuming in a heat of the Winter Championship series on June 26.

"We didn't expect him to do much first-up but he should come on from that," Marshman said.

She said Bolle was a lazy track worker and always seemed to need a run before striking form in a campaign.

"That first-up run does wonders for him," Marshman, who is based at Hamilton in Victoria's Western District, said.

"We can never get a real good guide on him because he is doesn't do much on the track.

"We don't get the opportunity to trial without taking him from one end of the country to the other so we are inclined to throw him in a race to see where he is at.

"At the moment he's good in himself, his blood is good and everything else about him is good but because he never works like a champion you just don't know how he will go."

Bolle is an 88-rated horse and Marshman said a lack of suitable races had prevented her from getting him ready for the Grafton Cup which was run on Thursday.

"We would have loved to have gone up there with him but he needed two or three runs under his belt and we couldn't find races for him," Marshman said.

Dean Yendall's engagement for Bolle adds to the galloper's appeal on Saturday.

Yendall had been the most successful jockey to partner Bolle with his 11 rides returning four wins and three placings.

"He just knows the horse so well," Marshman said.

Pictures: Fiona Tomlin

Time Tells With Triumphant Choice

Saturday, 17 July 2010 03:32

Million dollar yearling Triumphant Choice showed a glimpse of his potential in the Epilepsy Foundation Handicap at Caulfield today.

Back fourth last during the early stages of the 2000 metre race, Triumphant Choice was set alight by his rider Luke Nolen before the home turn. Under strong riding from Nolen he steadily made ground and moved into the lead halfway down the straight.

Triumphant Choice ($2.50-$2.80F) went right on with the job, winning by 2¾ lengths from Beijing Bolt ($9.00-$9.50-$7.50) which in turn was a short half head in front of Meet Me At Raffles ($13-$15).

"He's had to make a long sustained run and probably didn't look the prettiest but it was what was required to get the horse to do his best on the day", was the comment from winning trainer Peter Moody.

"He's still climbing and wandering and for that reason you've got to ride him a little bit wild."

Originally trained in Sydney by John Hawkes, Triumphant Choice was switched to Moody by syndicator Dean Watt of Dynamic Syndications, who purchased the Redoute's Choice colt from Gerry Harvey at the 2008 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

"He won me a Group 1 with Reward For Effort and I wanted to give him another nice horse and he's got it", Watt said.

A half brother to WS Cox Plate victor Savabeel, Triumphant Choice has a big reputation to live up to if he is to realise his owner's dreams of becoming a top stallion.

"He's a magnificent individual with a hell of a pedigree so he comes with that little bit of baggage", Moody said.

"I think he's the sort of horse that might develop a turn of foot in time but he just doesn't know how to do it yet."

"He's still got to well and truly go through his grades but I think we've got to lift the bar again."

Winning rider Luke Nolen was not so protective of Triumphant Choice's stallion potential, saying:

"He's an out and out stayer which we worked out at his first run on the wet track at Ballarat."

"He's not all there physically or mentally so I think when the penny drops we're going to have an exciting horse to play with."

Now almost a four year old, it is clear that Triumphant Choice is a slow developer.

"He's just a big baby that's taken a hell of a long time to grow", Moody observed.

"I'm surprised that he raced as a two year old but I didn't have him."

Moody hinted that the stable had higher ambitions for the handsome brown colt.

"We've got to take the foot off the pedal a bit now and then reassess", he said.

"I would think just a little ease up."

"He's a big entire and he doesn't want a break and we'll probably nominate him for some better races in the Spring."

"Whether its the Spring or the Autumn I think he's going to end up a very nice handicapper and if he improves maybe beyond that."

Photos: Fiona Tomlin

Benbow Suspended

Thursday, 15 July 2010 22:52

Jason Benbow has been suspended for nine meetings after being found guilty of careless riding at the Geelong Synthetic on Thursday.

Benbow rode the Rod Symons-trained Bellatheball in the $15,000 GRC Function Centre Maiden Plate (1000m).

He finished second beaten 0.2 lengths aboard the four-year-old daughter of Bel Esprit however stewards found that in the final 100m of the race he permitted Bellatheball to shift in when not sufficiently clear of third placegetter I Mattah.

I Mattah was thereby tightened between the winner Carracci and Bellatheball resulting in rider Craig Robertson checking I Mattah off heels.

Robertson viewed footage of the concluding stages but decided against lodging a protest with the margin between second and third over a length.

Benbow will commence his suspension after Sunday’s meeting at Seymour and will return in time for Sandown Hillside’s meeting on July 28.

Picture: Fiona Tomlin

Smerdon, Boss Know How To Win

Saturday, 17 July 2010 03:17

Robert Smerdon and Glen Boss continued their healthy association at Caulfield on Saturday after they successfully combined with Only He Knows in the $70,000 Danny Quinn Handicap (2000m).

Ridden patiently by Boss in the seven-horse field, Only He Knows was produced upon straightening to take the lead from a weakening Sivadio who made a mid-race move at the 800 metre mark.

Only He Knows appeared set to record a soft victory however Diamondsondinside kept him honest to the line, finishing the race with some vigour from the rear of the field.

Only He Knows ($2.80-$3.30 fav) defeated Diamondsondinside ($6-$10) by a half length with Sivadio ($6-$6.50-$4.80) a further 1-1/4 lengths away in third.

The late rush of money for the Colin and Cindy Alderson-trained The Tiger ($7-$5.50) was ill-advised. He finished fourth just under six lengths from the winner while Red Buttons crossed the line in fifth.

Following the race Smerdon paid tribute to Boss, saying that it was the multiple Melbourne Cup winning jockey who had told him to apply blinkers to the seven-year-old and also keep him to 2000 metre races.

“I never thought of claiming,” Smerdon said.

“The firm ground today was probably not ideal for him but it helped offsetting the weight a bit - he’s not a great weight carrier.

“Everything he (Boss) has done on the horse has been spot on and everything he's told us about the horse has been spot on.

“I just didn’t think there was enough merit in taking off an experienced rider so I was never going to claim,” he added.

Boss suggested he was always confident of victory as the race unfolded.

“He’s not hard to ride, you just got to give him a bit of confidence,” Boss said.

“Wherever you have him in the run, you’ve got to have him travelling for you.

“If he’s off the bridle he loses confidence and he doesn’t have much of a kick.

“I knew with the big weight, he’d just done enough today.

“He had a red hot go, but just did enough.

“He’s just a winter stayer - he’s against the right bunch and he is in form,” he added.

Only He Knows, who injured a suspensory last season, is expected to run in the $70,000 Grey Boots Handicap (1800m) at Caulfield in another fortnight.

The son of Carnegie boasts a record of seven wins and 11 placings from 37 starts with his career prizemoney tally now over $250,000.

In the next race, Smerdon and Boss also combined to win with procoious two-year-old Breitling.

That win means Boss has ridden Smerdon-trained horses 34 times this season for ten wins and 11 placings.

Pictures: Fiona Tomlin

Lonhreign Wins For Little On Debut

Thursday, 15 July 2010 22:02

The Colin Little trained Lonhreign kicked his career off in style winning the $13,000 Bay Building Services 2YO Maiden Plate (1000m) at Geelong.

Lonhreign ($8,$10) jumped from barrier three and apprentice Jason Maskiell made full use of the draw giving the first starter a rails run throughout.

After balancing up Maskiell peeled Lonhreign off the heels of the leaders and the two-year-old found the line strongly, running away to score by half a length over Bell Trees ($3,$1.90) with a head further back to Decided ($4.40,$15).

It was a clinical debut for the son of Lonhro but Little admitted after the win he hadn't expected to greet the judge first up.

"He has always shown a fair bit of potential on the training track but I thought he might find the 1000m a bit short today," said Little.

"But he was given a great run in transit by Jason and it probably made the difference on the line."

Little is now considering stepping the 'unbeaten' gelding up to city class racing highlighting a lack of options for two-year-old's with a win beside their name.

"There are maidens or city races for the two-year-olds, that's about it," said Little.

"So we will head to Moonee Valley on the 24th July in a 1200m handicap and I'm sure he will improve with the extra distance and run under his belt."

Little also observed the run of stablemate Holder ($61), who finished four lengths behind Lonhreign but was inconvenienced with a poor barrier draw.

"There isn't much between the pair on the training track and I wouldn't have been surprised if the results were reversed had the barrier draw been different," Little added.

Photo by Quentin Lang

Snowden Stable Delighted With Soul

Friday, 16 July 2010 06:59

The Peter Snowden stable is delighted with the way two-year-old Soul has trained on since his debut win and expects him to be hard to beat again at Caulfield on Saturday.

The Commands gelding was sent out at $12 when he upset the confidently supported favourite Breitling over 1000m on a heavy track at Flemington on June 26.

"That was a good effort, a tidy win and it was no surprise," Snowden said.

Snowden said his son Paul, his stable foreman in Melbourne, had been keen on Soul as he had pleased him in two jumpouts at Flemington before his debut win.

"Paul's been saying for quite a while that he's a really nice horse," the trainer said.

"There's not a lot of him but what you see is all racehorse and he's very professional too.

"He knows his job well and there was no fluke about his win.

"He's certainly trained on and I know they (the Melbourne staff) are very happy with the way he has worked through the week so it will be no surprise from his good draw to see him run well again tomorrow."

Craig Newitt retains the mount on Soul who has drawn barrier three in the Inglis Bonus Hcp (1000m).

"I think he'll be better suited at 1200 metres and 1400 metres but he has enough pace to put himself into the race and give himself every chance," Snowden said.

Soul is out of the three-time city-winning Night Shift mare Marvilha who is a half-sister to Group One winners, the recently retired Denman and Preserve.

Denman, the winner of nine of his 12 starts including the 2009 Group One Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill, will return from Great Britain where he did not race and stand at Darley's Kelvinside Stud in NSW's Hunter Valley this spring.

Soul is $3.40 favourite with TAB Sportsbet, just shading the Robert Smerdon-trained Lonhro colt Breitling at $3.50 with the Mark Kavanagh-trained debutant Too Deadly at $5.50 and the Peter Moody-prepared Achievements next best at $8.50.

Breitling meets Soul 1.5kg better for a 1-3/4 length defeat but has drawn wide in barrier 13 in the 14-horse field.

Pictures: Fiona Tomlin

Scobie Breasley Medal Still Wide Open

Thursday, 15 July 2010 07:45

Luke Nolen, who will win his first Melbourne jockeys' premiership at the end of the month, is one of 10 jockeys still in the running to win the Scobie Breasley Medal.

With just five metropolitan race meetings to go, Racing Victoria Limited is expecting one of the most open counts in the award's 15-year history.

Glen Boss, Damien Oliver, leading apprentice Jason Maskiell, Dwayne Dunn, Nick Hall, Steven King, Michael Rodd, Chris Symons and Craig Williams all remain in contention.

But history is on the side of premiership leader Nolen (63 wins) who holds an 11-win lead over nearest rival Maskiell.

Only twice has the premiership winner not won the medal - when Oliver beat Darren Gauci in the inaugural year, 1996, and Blake Shinn upset Nick Ryan in 2005.

The prestigious medal is awarded to the most outstanding flat jockey of the season and the winner will be announced at the Victorian Thoroughbred Racing Awards on August 8 at Crown's Palladium.

Oliver holds the record as a six-time winner while Williams has won the past four.

King, the 1997 winner, is the only other jockey among this year's remaining contenders to have been awarded the medal.

Votes are awarded at each Victorian metropolitan meeting from August 1 until July 31 by the Racing Victoria stewards' panel.

They are awarded on a three-two-one basis for the three rides the panel deems to be the most outstanding of the day, which means a jockey can claim all six votes if they produce the three best rides at the meeting.

A range of awards will be presented alongside the Scobie Breasley Medal including the Fred Hoysted Medal (trainer), Tommy Corrigan Medal (jumps jockey), Victorian Racehorse of the Year Award and the Most Memorable Moment Award.

Picture: Fiona Tomlin

Veteran Royal Ida Ready For Monash

Friday, 16 July 2010 05:45

Luke Oliver is confident veteran sprinter Royal Ida will defy his age and run a bold first-up race in Saturday's Sir John Monash Stakes at Caulfield.

The trainer said the rising 10-year-old had done everything right in his preparation for the 1100m weight-for-age feature.

"He's been working really well. You wouldn't know he was a rising 10-year-old, he's still jumping out of his skin," Oliver said.

"It's a pretty good race with Reward For Effort and Arinos and a couple of the others but he will run really well, I'm sure of it."

Oliver said 2009 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Reward For Effort was "definitely" the horse to beat.

"He (Royal Ida) ran second to Reward For Effort in a jumpout a couple of weeks ago which is probably a good guide," he said.

Royal Ida, a five-time winner at weight-for-age, has been sparingly raced by Caulfield-based Oliver since he was bought out of a paddock after being retired by his former connections.

At that stage the Star Pyramul gelding had won 15 races from 48 starts for Mt Gambier trainer Mick O'Leary.

Oliver has won three more races with him from seven starts and around $240,000 in prizemoney taking his overall tally to more than $815,000.

Three starts back Royal Ida won the Group Three Standish Hcp (1200m) at Flemington on January 1 and at his latest appearance took out the Listed Thomas Lyons Stakes (1400m) at Hobart on February 8.

Oliver intends to give his stable star a light preparation over the winter period.

"We are trying to race him a little bit sparingly now that he's verging on being a 10-year-old," he said.

"We've targeted this race, the Bletchingly and maybe the Liston and we'll probably give him another break after that.

"We gave him a good spell so that we could give him a crack at these races.

"He's going that well I think he's in for his best preparation and I don't see why he can't go on and have another preparation after this one."

Brad Rawiller, who won on Royal Ida in Tasmania last start, retains the ride in Saturday's Listed Race.

Reward For Effort, having his first for 15 months, is $3.10 favourite with TAB Sportsbet ahead of Oakleigh Plate runner-up Arinos at $5.50, with Royal Ida and Berringama at $7 and Keano next best at $9.

Picture: Colin Bull

Winks Makes City Return At Caulfield

Thursday, 15 July 2010 07:15

James Winks is keen to make an impression on smart South Australian sprinter Arinos in Saturday's Sir John Monash Stakes at Caulfield.

The 26-year-old has been sidelined for 10 weeks with multiple injuries suffered in a spectacular race fall at Flemington on May 8.

Winks was riding The Fugitive which clipped heels and blundered badly near the 750m, throwing the jockey through the inside running rail.

He suffered lacerations to his spleen and liver, a punctured lung, cracked ribs and fractures to a thumb.

"It was pretty nasty but I was probably lucky that the plastic running rail was in place," Winks said.

A plastic upright gave way when he hit it but the damage could have been a lot worse had the old steel uprights and aluminium running rail still been there.

"The worst part of the recovery was that I wasn't allowed to do anything for a month and I lost a lot of my fitness," Winks said.

"But I've worked pretty hard on it the last three weeks. I spent a week at a health farm on the Gold Coast and did some high-intensity training with a personal trainer.

"I lost 3kg there and I'll ride at 56kg on Saturday and get down to my normal riding weight of 53kg during the (spring) carnival.

"I wanted to come back before the spring to get my eye in and get my fitness rock hard so there's no doubt in anybody's mind."

Winks returns to race riding on the Geelong synthetic track on Friday with three mounts for the David Hayes stable and has two rides at Caulfield on Saturday and four at Seymour on Sunday for trainers Peter Snowden, Danny O'Brien (two) and Mark Kavanagh.

He rides first starter Valedictorian in Saturday's Inglis Bonus Hcp (1000m) for two-year-olds and the David Jolly-trained Arinos in the Listed weight-for-age Monash (1100m).

"He can put my name back in lights. He's a very good horse and I'm looking forward to riding him again," Winks said of Arinos who is a Listed 1100m winner at Flemington.

"He's probably better suited in handicaps but he was only narrowly beaten by Starspangledbanner in the Oakleigh Plate and if he ran up to that you'd think he'd probably give them a spanking.

"Peter Moody's colt (2009 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Reward For Effort) is probably the horse to beat but he's coming off a long layoff."

Winks has ridden Arinos at his past two starts for a dead-heat short head second with Here De Angels in the Oakleigh Plate (1100m) to Starspangledbanner at Caulfield in February and eighth to Wanted in the Newmarket Hcp (1200m) at Flemington in early March.

Winks said he had ridden Lonhro colt Valedictorian in trackwork.

"He's a very nice horse but like most first starters he'll be better for the run," he said.

The colt was due to make his race debut at Flemington on June 26 but was scratched after he reared up and became cast in the barrier.

Caulfield (Saturday)

Race 6 @ 3:07pm - $100,500 Listed Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m)

Pictures: Sportpix & Greg Irvine