Gippsland News: Juan Headed To Jumps Features
- Sunday, 04 July 2010 14:00
Rising 10 year-old Moe galloper, Juan Carlos, proved there’s plenty of life in the old boy yet with an effortless five length win at Geelong over 3000 metres on Wednesday.
He will now be aimed at the winter jumps features.
It was his ninth career success and took his earnings to just under the $200,000 mark, a milestone he should surpass in the coming weeks.
Trainer Allison Bennett said on Sunday the gelding had developed an abscess since the Geelong win and would either line up in a jumps race this Wednesday at Sandown or head to Warrnambool Sunday.
“If I can get his hoof right before Wednesday, the Mosstrooper Hurdle at Sandown is the preferred option, but if we have to wait until Warrnambool then so be it – it is a $100,000 race, so it would be worth the trip.
“Following that I will give him a steeple trial. All going well in gaining his ticket there, it gives us the option of running him in either the Grand National Hurdle or Grand National Steeple,” she said.
HOVERCRAFT HANDY
Moe trainer, Michael Templeton mentioned a fortnight ago he would test his two promising two year-olds in city company before deciding on whether to campaign them for the spring three year-old races.
Hovercraft proved he is up to the mark with a slashing second at Moonee Valley Saturday (beaten a lip by the talented Spirited Eagle), despite over racing mid-race.
“Of course I would have liked to have won, but to be honest we could not be happier – he looks a nice horse in the making,” said Templeton.
“We’ll now give him a couple of weeks off and bring him back for a tilt at some of the spring three year-old races.
“The plan is to target some of the second tier races and there are plenty of options for him. If things take off we can re-assess, but I think he is certainly up to those second tier events.
“I believe in time he will get a strong mile, but that might be a little while off yet, so he will be aimed at some of the sprint events and we will take it from there,” he said.
TRIP WORTHWHILE
It is a long way from Moe to Coleraine, but Moe trainer, Peter Gelagotis, places his horses well and Carneggan Angel was well suited at the mile 0-68 event Sunday and duly saluted. She was coming off a 0-72 showcase race at Bendigo.
The six year-old mare only joined the stable earlier this year and has been racing very consistenly, thoroughly deserving her breakthrough win this preparation.
In the final month of the racing season, the win increased Gelagotis’ stranglehold on the Gippsland trainers’ premiership for the current season.
Pictures: Colin Bull & Fiona Tomlin
Weir Puts Rue Maple On Black-type Path
- Sunday, 04 July 2010 05:15
Trainer Darren Weir will chase black-type races with Rue Maple later this month following her easy win at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
Rue Maple showed the benefit of racing with blinkers for the first time when she romped home in the Dominant Handicap (1200m).
The three-year-old filly made it three wins - including two in town - from eight starts.
Ridden by stable apprentice Jarrod Fry, Rue Maple ($4.80) sat off race leader Elly's Spirit but gained the upper hand on the home turn and shot clear before scoring by three lengths from Tan Tat Tess.
The $2.70 favourite Sunday Rose was a length away third.
"The plan was to be very positive out of the gates and put her right there. It was a good ride," Weir said."
"It's good when it all comes together. You make a lot of wrong decisions but it was the right decision today."
The $85,000 Dermody Stakes (1050m), a Listed race run under weight-for-age conditions for two and three-year-olds at Morphettville on July 31, is the race Weir has in mind for Rue Maple.
Picture: Fiona Tomlin
Two On The Trot For Viking Turf Belle
- Saturday, 03 July 2010 05:13
Viking Turf Belle notched up her second victory in successive starts at Moonee Valley after today’s $70,000 Wonthaggi Workmen’s Club Handicap (1200m) for fillies and mares.
Trained by Jason Warren and ridden by three kilo claiming apprentice Adam McCabe, Viking Turf Belle musted speed out of the gates to settle outside the leader and short-priced favourite Das Machen.
The aforementioned duo dashed clear from the chasing trio of Silent Sophia, Altitude and Ariarni prior to the home turn to open up a two length break.
Das Machen provided stanch resistance but gradually folded in the final few strides before the winning post.
Viking Turf Belle ($4-$4.20-$3.80) defeated Das Machen by ($2.80-$3.10 fav) a head with Altitude ($5.50-$7.50) a further long neck away in third.
Ariarni ($5-$7) finished fourth two lengths adrift from the placegetters.
Formerly trained by David Hayes, Viking Turf Belle raced amongst elite company as a juvenile. She defeated subsequent Listed Zeditave Stakes (1200m) winner Bundle O’ Gold at only her second start.
The daughter of Elusive Quality won two of his first three races whilst in the care of Warren, but then proceeded to be defeated at her next 14 starts.
But Viking Turf Belle has since returned to form, winning her last two starts.
“I think she’s run really good in tough races and she’s come here today in great order,” Warren said.
“She’s spent plenty of time at the beach at Balnarring and has been kept in great order.
“She brought the other mare of Mick’s (Das Machen) off the bit a furlong out and I just thought she’d tough it out,” he added.
The win brought up McCabe’s sixth metropolitan winner, and his second aboard the five-year-old mare within the last fortnight.
A winner of six from 28 starts, Viking Turf Belle has accumulated in excess of $220,000 in prizemoney.
Pictures: Fiona Tomlin
Blue Diamond Winner On Comeback Trail
- Sunday, 04 July 2010 05:15
Leading trainer Peter Moody will try to resurrect the career of 2009 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Reward For Effort, starting in the Sir John Monash Stakes at Caulfield this month.
The rising four-year-old hasn't raced since finishing seventh to Phelan Ready in the 2009 Golden Slipper Stakes in heavy going at Rosehill 15 months ago.
The Exceed And Excel colt was in work for last year's spring carnival but had to be turned out after suffering a suspensory ligament injury.
Reward For Effort had stem cell treatment and Moody has given him plenty of time to recover.
The colt has done a lot of time in the water walker and has been in work since early May.
"He's had a jump-out at Caulfield and he will have one more to tidy him up," said Moody's stable manager Jeff O'Connor.
"He seems to have come back as good as ever but racing will tell us that."
Reward For Effort, who has raced only four times for two wins and a second placing, will be the first of a wave of Moody's stars to appear leading up to the spring carnival.
These include horse-of-the-year candidate Typhoon Tracy, Headway, the unbeaten Black Caviar, Tickets, Set For Fame, Hanks and Willow Creek.
Imported mare Ghostmilk is likely to be tried in better class races during the spring after she completed a hat-trick of city wins in the thinkbigstud.com.au Hcp (1500m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
Pictures: Fiona Tomlin
A Tale Of Two Kings
- Saturday, 03 July 2010 05:02
The Dayrl Brown trained King Carnage made it two on the trot at Moonee Valley today winning the $70,000 Dominant Sprint (1200m) in impressive style.
King Carnage ($8,$10) was trapped wide, without cover, throughout for Steven King who made a searching run into the race from the 600m mark, kicking clear turning for home and holding on to score from the fast finishing Mangonui ($31) with Schwarzer ($21,$26) just a half length away third.
Having lowered his colours just the once this preparation King Carnage has really put it together this preparation according to Brown who was thrilled for connections.
"He hasn't run a bad race this time in, even when he lost Brent (Evans) said it was as good as his win," said Brown.
"The owners are great for racing, there are heaps of them and they love it.
"I think there is almost a hundred of them," Brown joked.
Despite the four wins from just five starts this time in Brown is sending the five-year-old gelding to the paddock.
"He will go for a holiday tomorrow, I think the tracks are almost too heavy for him now and we want to bring him back a better horse," said Brown.
King has ridden very few winners tracking four-wide the trip but observed that he was on the right horse for the job.
"The horse was race fit and able to cope well with the wide run," said King.
"I didn't want to sit and wait for them so I kicked on the turn and they couldn't catch me.
Photo by Fiona Tomlin.
Horses To Follow - Moonee Valley 3 July 2010
- Sunday, 04 July 2010 02:11
The Valley was racing fairly with winners coming from both the front and the back. It was an easy day for punters with formlines holding true but here are a few to follow up on in the coming weeks.
Race 1: Two-Year-Old Handicap (1200m)
The Darley runner Retrieve is ready to win.
Found the pace a little hot but continued to eat up the ground down the straight and won't be far away from breaking through.
Back next time out.
Race 5: Dominant Sprint (1200m)
Nothing much went Twenty Grand's way at the Valley but the Tasmanian visitor couldn't have looked better in the yard or in the run.
Look for him over a similar trip and perhaps with a wider draw.
One more chance next time he steps out.
Eagle Soars To Make It Four From Six
- Saturday, 03 July 2010 04:59
Morphettville trainer Leon Macdonald likes the will to win of two-year-old Spirited Eagle who will go for a spell after making it four wins from six starts at Moonee Valley.
The Not A Single Doubt gelding had won successive 1000m races at Morphettville in November and when resuming in May before winning third-up over 1200m at Sandown on a heavy track at his first trip away from home on June 19.
Sent out $2.90 favourite in Saturday's Become An MVRC Member Hcp (1200m), the Wolf Blass-owned gelding was Adelaide jockey Clare Lindop's only mount at the meeting and she gave him plenty of time to settle midfield before making her move.
Under topweight of 59kg, Spirited Eagle held out Hovercraft ($7.50) to score by a short half-head with Retrieve ($11) coming from second last on settling to be a long head away third.
"He's had that desire to get there all the time and that's what the horse is like," Macdonald, who co-trains with his son-in-law Andrew Gluyas, said.
"He's a done a good job. I've always thought he was a very smart horse and I think he'll get a fair bit further than 1200 metres even though he's by Not A Single Doubt.
"He may race in the latter part of the spring but we'll give him a nice spell and get him ready for the autumn.
"He was in a bit of trouble coming to the turn. There was a bit of a bumping duel and he was shifting around and I think he'll be better suited on a bigger track after a spell."
Spirited Eagle, an $85,000 Magic Millions Yearling Sale purchase at the Gold Coast, is out of the Carnegie mare Rezidencia who was a Moonee Valley winner.
His grand-dam Society Bay was a dual Group Two winner of the VRC Edward Manifold Stakes and the MVRC Veuve Clicquot Stakes.
Picture: Fiona Tomlin
Niptious Tenacious At The Valley
- Saturday, 03 July 2010 07:45
Kyneton trainer Danny Curran had his first Saturday metropolitan success when Niptious was brilliantly rated in front by Craig Newitt to take out the Banjo Paterson Series Heat at Moonee Valley.
Curran had been aiming the six-year-old Rokosz gelding for Sunday's $100,000 Sportsbet.com.au CRV Community Cup (2000m) at Ballarat.
But when he realised Niptious wouldn't get a start he accepted with him in Saturday's $70,000 Moonee Valley event over 2500m.
Niptious ($18) was clearly headed by Black And Bent ($2.10 fav) on the home turn and the last-start 12-length Australian Hurdle winner looked set to record his seventh straight win.
But Niptious kicked back and gained the photo-finish verdict by a short half-head with Oak Heart ($2.90) 1-1/4 lengths away third.
Niptious has now earned a start in next Saturday's $150,00 Banjo Paterson Series Final (2500m) at Flemington.
"He's a trier," said Curran who was marketing manager with Racing Victoria Limited before leaving to take on the tough caper of training racehorses.
"Since we've tried him as a stayer he hasn't put a foot wrong and he's never missed a cheque except for the Kyneton Cup.
"I must admit I didn't think it was wet enough for him today," he added, referring to the slow (6) going.
Curran said he got the gelding from trainer Matthew Hyland after he'd had four unplaced starts and he has gone on to have 77 career starts for six wins and 13 placings.
"He's had about 70 educational runs as a sprinter," Curran quipped.
"He's been a good honest horse but I didn't think he was a stayer earlier on because he wouldn't settle."
Curran, who has just four horses in work, had previously won in town with Sports Circuit at Flemington in December 1997 while Saayeb won for him at a metropolitan meeting at Ballarat in November 2005.
Curran prepared Sports Circuit when that mare was runner-up, beaten a short half-head, by Palos Verdes, the dam of Cox Plate winner El Segundo, in the 1998 VRC Bagot Handicap.
"It's been a long time between drinks, but it feels good now," he said.
Pictures: Fiona Tomlin
Stoneblack Finds Elusive Victory
- Saturday, 03 July 2010 04:19
Class prevailed in the $70,000 Tattsbet.com Handicap (2040m) at Moonee Valley with the Robert Smerdon trained Stoneblack justifying his top-weight status.
Stoneblack ($4,$3.50) was settled just off a muddling pace by Glen Boss but neither horse nor jockey appeared to be comfortable throughout the staying trip.
Approaching the turn Boss gave the favourite some galloping room and he was able to grind away a solid, albeit nervous, three quarter-length victory over Cheerful Jury ($41) with Countcool ($7,$8) a short head away.
Despite having won almost $300,000 in prizemoney for connection Smerdon admitted that Stoneblack wasn't a punters favourite.
"I'm glad he won, I've run out of excuses," joked Smerdon after the win.
"He is a good owner horse, having won more than a quarter of a million, but he isn't what I'd call a punters horse.
"I was genuinely disappointed with his last run, but I think Glen Boss over ground makes a big difference," he added.
Smerdon intends to keep racing the three-year-old who has already started the ten times since March.
"He raced here as a two-year-old and I think he has been racing since," said Smerdon.
"Now that we have him up at this trip we will keep him at it, or perhaps stretch him out.
"They are bred to race and he thrives in work, so we will just keep racing him," he added.
Boss had to work hard on the gelding and questioned the son of Danzero's will to win after the race.
"I was worried that his will to win wasn't there today," said Boss.
"He really dug deep to chase the leaders but when he got to the front he just switched off.
"I didn't belt him to win, I just tried to persuade him, everytime I hit him he felt like he was curling up underneath me," he added.
Photos by Fiona Tomlin.
Warren's Win Helps Pay The Mortgage
- Saturday, 03 July 2010 06:15
Jason Warren says he's put his head on the chopping block by taking out a big mortgage to purchase his training property at Balnarring.
But wins like that of Viking Turf Belle in the Wonthaggi Workmen's Club Hcp (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday help make it all worthwhile.
Warren has 45 horses in work at the property which used to be leased by Lee Freedman to pre-train his two-year-olds.
The property is only five minutes from Balnarring beach and close to Mornington racecourse, both of which he uses to work his team.
"I've had to get a better grade of horses and try and capitalise on it," Warren said.
"I've got nicer yearlings coming through but there is always plenty of room for some more horses."
A former David Hayes-trained mare, Viking Turf Belle has won four city races since joining the Warren stable after running last at Caulfield in July 2008 - three of them at Moonee Valley.
The five-year-old daughter of Elusive Quality made it two straight wins at the Valley and was ridden by apprentice Adam McCabe on both occasions.
Backed from $4.20 to start at $3.80, Viking Turf Belle wore down Das Machen ($3.10 fav) to score by a head with Altitude ($7.50) a long neck away third.
Meanwhile, King Carnage earned a spell after also making it back-to-back wins in the Dominant Sprint (1200m).
King Carnage, a huge gelding by King Charlemagne, has won four of his five starts this preparation but his Ballarat-based trainer Daryl Brown intends to give him an immediate winter break.
"He'll go out to the paddock for a spell tomorrow and come back and win some more races," he said.
Ridden by Steven King, King Carnage ($10) jumped from the outside barrier in the 14-horse field and raced midfield before swooping to score by three-quarters of a length from Mangonui ($31) with Schwarzer ($26) a neck away third.
The five-year-old has now won eight races and had 11 placings from 32 starts.
Pictures: Fiona Tomlin
Black Type Plans For Rue Maple
- Saturday, 03 July 2010 03:55
Darren Weir reckons that his smart filly Rue Maple is ready to take on stakes class after her dominant win in today's Dominant Handicap at Moonee Valley.
"She's won a mid-week race and a Saturday race so now we need to try and chase a bit of black type", Weir said.
Weir instructed claiming apprentice Jarrod Fry to push forward on Rue Maple which missed the jump at her first up run at Moonee Valley three weeks ago.
"Its good when it all comes together", he said.
"You make a lot of wrong decisions but I made the right decision today."
"The plan was to be very positive out of the gate and put her right there."
Fry followed instructions to the letter, sitting behind Elle Foxie until the 400 metre mark before making a move and leaving the rest of the field struggling in his wake.
Tan Tat Tess ($7-$8) ran into second place, three lengths behind Rue Maple ($4.80-$5.00-$4.80), while favourite Sunday Rose ($2.10-$2.70F) made up late ground for third, another length away.
"She's always pretty positive in her races and with blinkers on today she's done well again", Fry said.
"She always sits in the first four and with the blinkers she traveled a lot sweeter and she really let go a lot better than she normally does."
Rue Maple must be rapidly becoming Fry's favourite horse.
"That was my third ride on her for three wins so we've got a good strike rate going", he said.
Rue Maple has been a model of consistency for connections, winning three and placed three times from only eight starts.
After showing good form last Spring, Rue Maple failed at her only run in the Autumn when sixth of seven at Moonee Valley in April.
"She ran here and she wasn't wound up fully but we expected her to run ok but she ran very poorly", Weir explained.
"She pulled up very sore in the back area so we had to back off her and start again."
Weir plans to take Rue Maple interstate in her quest for black type.
"At the end of the month there's a listed race in Adelaide so we'll head across for that and see if we can sneak a bit of black type."
The Listed Dermody Stakes over 1050 metres will be run at Morphettville on the last day of July.
Photos: Fiona Tomlin