Nikolic Decision On Tuesday
- Monday, 28 June 2010 07:59
Danny Nikolic will know his fate on Tuesday when Victoria's Racing and Appeals Disciplinary Board releases its findings in the long-running case involving the jockey and a professional punter.
Nikolic has pleaded not guilty to two charges of improper practice and two of conduct prejudicial to the interests of racing.
Racing Victoria stewards issued the charges after months of investigation into several of Nikolic's losing rides which punter and commission agent Neville Clements laid to lose on Betfair.
Nikolic's counsel, Richard Smith, SC, told last week's hearing there was no evidence to prove that Nikolic gave information to associates including Clements that his mounts couldn't win or that they should be laid to lose.
"I can't stress enough in this case that there is not a whiff of evidence that Mr Nikolic gave information that his mounts couldn't win or told people to go out and lay them which has been put forward as the stewards case," Smith said.
Smith said the stewards' case centred around Nikolic giving information to associates which led them to lay a number of his mounts with confidence.
He said they had "danced around" the more sinister connotation that "this horse isn't trying today" even though he had not been charged over any of his rides queried during the course of the stewards' investigation.
"There is no such rule that says you can't communicate with people," Smith told the Board.
Smith submitted that there was no rule against jockeys tipping their mounts and that lay bets were legal.
Smith said Nikolic had admitted right from the outset of the inquiry he had a relationship with Clements and that he rings him "all the time".
Paul Holdenson QC, representing the stewards, said an inference could be made that Clements, a former rails bookmaker, was a layer of horses and that Nikolic knew that.
Clements has been warned off in Victoria for failing to provide his telephone records.
He and Gold Coast-based punters Kevin McFarland and Alessandro Alaimo have been warned off by Queensland stewards for failing to attend a separate inquiry in Queensland.
McFarland and Alaimo were also charged by RVL stewards last week for failing to attend or give evidence to the Nikolic inquiry.
Nikolic has steadfastly maintained his innocence.
Schilling To Get Back On Track At Valley
- Monday, 28 June 2010 07:30
Peter Morgan's reputation for rejuvenating the careers of injury prone gallopers has resulted in Group One winner Douro Valley joining his stable ahead of a spring campaign.
And on Saturday at Moonee Valley Morgan will attempt to reignite the career of gifted miler Schilling, a horse he says has lost its way.
As a three-year-old trained by Mick Price, Schilling claimed the Group Two Sandown Guineas and appeared destined for big things.
He was stakes placed the following autumn but joint troubles derailed his preparation and have plagued the five-year-old since.
"I had him for his last run in February last year but he didn't go that good so we tipped him out. He came to me with front fetlock problems and then when we tried to bring him into work last time he had back fetlock problems," Morgan said.
"He's got a few issues up top and physically and we need to find out if he still wants to be a racehorse.
"He's trialled all right at Geelong and Benalla and has hit the line well so there might be a little bit of spark there."
Schilling, who has not raced for 70 weeks, has been nominated for a 0-89 1200m handicap on Saturday.
He is one of four horses Morgan will take to Moonee Valley to gallop on Tuesday morning.
Douro Valley has pleased Morgan with his progress since joining the stable.
His greatest triumph came when he landed the 2008 Yalumba Stakes at Caulfield for Flemington based trainer Danny O'Brien, but after a listless spring campaign last year he was moved into Morgan's care.
"He's an older horse now at eight years of age so he has his share of niggles," said Morgan.
"He came to me a fair while ago but we've just given him some time and tried to get him going again and he seems to be a happy horse."
At his best Douro Valley was a genuine Group One contender up to 2400 metres and helped complete a memorable Caulfield Cup quinella for O'Brien when second to stablemate Master O'Reilly in 2007.
Morgan said he would take Douro Valley along quietly over the next couple of months before locking in a target during the spring carnival.
Although the horse appeared to be working well at the moment Morgan could not predict whether the Douro Valley was capable of returning to his best at the highest level later this year.
"He's jumping out of his skin at the moment but you never really know until they race. We'll just pick something out for him in the spring and see how he goes," he said.
Picture: Sportpix
Black And Bent To Run At Moonee Valley
- Sunday, 27 June 2010 07:45
The domination of winter star Black And Bent in jumping and flat staying races is set to continue when he runs at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
The Robert Smerdon-trained four-year-old has been a revelation this campaign winning seven of his past 11 starts and he is chasing his seventh victory in a row in the sixth heat of the Banjo Paterson Series over 2500 metres on the flat.
The Black Hawk gelding is coming off a super impressive 12 length win in The Australian Hurdle (3400m) at Sandown last Saturday week.
He has improved out of sight on the flat this preparation winning four metropolitan races including the $100,000 second heat of the Banjo Paterson Series at Flemington on June 5.
He has also won twice at Moonee Valley, over 2500 and 3000 metres, and at Sandown over 2400.
In-form jockey Glen Boss, who rode Black And Bent at Flemington earlier this month, retains the mount and will also ride the horse when he backs up in the $150,000 Banjo Paterson Series Final (2500m) at Flemington on July 10.
The three-time Melbourne Cup winning rider has a great record in races 2000 metres and beyond this season winning his second Cox Plate aboard So You Think.
His victory on the Smerdon-trained Only He Knows in heat five of the Banjo Paterson Series (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday, moved him to fourth on Melbourne premiership with 42 wins behind Luke Nolen (60), apprentice Jason Maskiell (50) and Damien Oliver (43-1/2).
Boss, who moved to Melbourne permanently in December 2008, has steadily climbed up the premiership ladder after being set back by suspensions earlier in the season.
He gained praise from Smerdon on Saturday for recommending Only He Knows wear blinkers for the first time, resulting in the Carnegie seven-year-old's first win since November 2008.
"He was in the same spot as he was at his past couple of runs (when third over 2100m and second over 2400m, both at Sandown) - there to win the race but he didn't - but with the blinkers on he knuckled down and won," Smerdon said.
"It's good to get good feedback off those top riders."
Only He Knows suffered a "fairly serious" suspensory tear and owner Nick Moraitis left it up to Smerdon whether to persevere with the gelding which he did.
"This win has probably justified the process and he's such a good wet tracker he can probably keep going at this time of year," he said.
Only He Knows will have his next run in the Lord Reims Hcp (2000m) at Caulfield on July 17.
Smerdon has moved to third on the Melbourne trainers' premiership with 40 wins so far this season behind runaway leader Peter Moody (74) and Mick Price 41.
Price is one win ahead of David Hayes and Mark Kavanagh with Lee Freedman on 37 and Danny O'Brien on 36.
Pictures: Fiona Tomlin
Face Off Ready To Take Off
- Monday, 28 June 2010 07:15
Bendigo based trainer Shaun Dwyer will be looking towards the spring carnival with much anticipation if improving three-year-old Face Off wins his third straight race this weekend.
Since joining Dwyer's stables from New Zealand earlier this year Face Off has recorded two impressive victories.
He broke his maiden by almost three lengths first-up at Bendigo, and then took the leap up to mid-week grade in his stride with a comfortable win at Moonee Valley last week.
The latest win has prompted Dwyer to think ahead to the spring but he is mindful that Face Off still has much to prove if he is to measure up to better races.
"He came across from New Zealand with ordinary form but they told me that he was real dumb, he didn't have much of an idea about anything," Dwyer said.
"I think the penny is starting to drop now and he is a very nice horse.
"I think he'll make the grade in better class eventually and we'll look at some better races during spring."
Face Off has been entered for an open three-year-old handicap over 2040 metres on Saturday at Moonee Valley as he extends beyond a mile for the first time in his six start career.
Dwyer is confident he will handle the increased distance with ease after his strong win at a mile last start.
The trainer is about to complete his first full season in Victoria having relocated his business from Queensland to Bendigo in 2009.
He is best known as the trainer of top sprinter Regimental Gal who won the Lightning Stakes and Australia Stakes in Melbourne as a three-year-old in the autumn of 2004.
Dwyer also won the Geelong Cup that year with Pacific Dancer.
Pictures: Colin Bull
Horses To Follow - Flemington 26 June 2010
- Sunday, 27 June 2010 06:02
Flemington was a heavy 10 for the first time in recent memory and there were a few runs that caught the eye.
Race 1: Thebigscreencompany Plate (1000m)
There was a lot of smart money for the Smerdon first starter Breitling and it may have been beaten today but it hasn’t lost the war.
Looked like it would improve for the run and should string a few together on that performance.
Race 2: ACG Security Handicap (1420m)
Smerdon’s bad day continued in the second with Marked Danger covering more ground than the early explorers before battling on nicely against some weighted specials.
Still a Maiden but not for long.
Race 5: TCL Electronics Plate (1000m)
Change Upacog ran a stylish race considering the formguide suggested he shouldn’t!
A handy sprinter over the 7 furlongs look for this fringe horse to pick up a race in the coming month.
Long-Serving Starter McClure Retires
- Monday, 28 June 2010 03:30
Doug McClure one of the great personalities in racing has put the cue in the rack after serving 51 years in the office at Caulfield.
He joined the Victoria Amateur Turf Club in response to an ad in the Sporting Globe for a junior clerk in the late fifties.
Even as a school kid he loved racing and wanted to become involved in some way. With the aid of that Globe ad, it was the starting point of a long and successful career.
Caulfield Racecourse was ascending into a new era with the removal of the stripping sheds on both sides of the track. The course was extended to take in nearby Bond Street while the building of on course stabling was well underway.
Norman Nelson was the course curator at the time and his residence was in Station Street opposite the main entrance gate.
Between races two rollers would circle the track, two laps each. There was never any complaints about horses jarring up or track bias and the running rail was solid timber.
Doug has played a dual role over the past 25 years besides his office duties he was the official starter at both Caulfield and Sandown for what is now known as the Melbourne Racing Club.
The starters job is one that is not taken lightly. Before he fully took over control at the barriers he served five years as deputy under David Wood who was also the starter at Flemington.
Last Friday was Doug’s last day at the office and the previous week was his swan song as a starter at Sandown. Ironically it was the anniversary of the course which was opened on the 19th of June 1965.
He was like an on course encyclopaedia, those that had a question he was the one that usually provided the answers.
Sadly Doug McClure is a part of an era in racing that is fading away.
Picture: Colin Bull
Benbow Makes Most Of Flemington Chance
- Saturday, 26 June 2010 07:15
Jason Benbow made the most of the opportunity to ride talented three-year-old Doubtful Jack, an impressive winner of Heat 6 of the Winter Championship Series at Flemington.
With stable jockey and Melbourne jockeys' premiership leader Luke Nolen serving a careless riding suspension, Benbow got the call-up from leading trainer Peter Moody to ride the gelding.
After Outlandish Lad crossed from a wide gate to take up the running in the 1420m event, Benbow was content to let Doubtful Jack ($2.40 fav) sit off the grey until letting him go for home in the straight.
Doubtful Jack, revelling in the heavy (10) going, had 5-1/2 lengths to spare at the winning post from Trustus ($7.50) with Swan Hill Cup winner Dr Nipandtuck ($18) three-quarters of a length away third.
"I don't mind it when they come that easy. For a three-year-old against the older horses he's pretty exciting," Benbow said.
"He just had to do to a little bit of work early, he didn't break that well from the barrier but once he got outside the leader he settled well and showed a great turn of foot at the top of the straight."
Doubtful Jack has now won five of his 11 starts but Benbow believes the best is yet to come.
"The scary part is he is still improving. When he goes to the Final he's going to be pretty hard to beat," he said.
The Listed $200,000 Winter Championship Series Final (1600m) is at Flemington on July 10 and Benbow said he would be throwing his hat into the ring for the mount.
The last three-year-old to win the Final was the George Hanlon-trained Cold Hearted in 1987.
Benbow has been part of the Moody stable for several seasons now and rides for the Caulfield trainer on the main fast work mornings three times a week.
However he described himself as the "call-up jockey" behind Nolen and Linda Meech who rides mostly in the country for Moody.
"But it's not a bad job," he said.
Benbow said he'd ridden only "four or five" winners in town this season and had a setback in November 2008 when he broke his right shoulder in a race fall at a Moonee Valley night meeting.
Benbow didn't realise his shoulder was broken and won the Group Three Sandown Stakes aboard Chasm the very next day.
"I was out for four months but it's taken me probably 18 months to get going again," he said.
The Moody stable took its tally to 74 winners in Melbourne so far this season after landing a winning double, having earlier scored with Commands two-year-old Servant.
Moody has a 33-win lead over nearest rival Mick Price.
Jockey Ben Melham landed a double, booting home Servant and the Tony Noonan-trained Whiston ($12) in the TCL Electronics Plate (1000m).
Pictures: Fiona Tomlin
Gippsland Racing: Tracey Likes Prospect Of A Valley Visit
- Monday, 28 June 2010 01:30
Prospect, trained at Moe by Tracey Templeton, scored his fourth win at Moonee Valley on Wednesday and took his career earnings past the $200,000 mark.
His previous victories at the track came in ’06 (as a three year-old), ’07 and ’08 (he was placed in (’09).
The most recent success came after a solid second in stronger company at the same track the start prior.
The six year-old now boasts seven wins and 12 minor placings from his 49 starts
It is not only Prospect who has an affinity with Moonee Valley – all his trainer’s seven metropolitan successes (since the 06/07 season) have come at the same track.
Moe has now provided eight of Gippsland’s 11 metropolitan winners this season and 18 of the last 23 over the past two years.
MIXED WEEK
Last week brought some mixed fortunes for the Latrobe Valley Racing Club. On the upside it announced Wight’s Motor World would against sponsor this year’s Cup, but on the reverse side, their re-scheduled meeting (from Geelong) on Friday was abandoned after race four.
Jockeys Danny Brereton and Ryan Maloney expressed concern with the state of the track after race four and reported their mounts had slipped in the vicinity of the 1100m.
After conducting remedial works, stewards and all riders inspected the track. Riders had concerns with traction and as the stewards were unable to give them an assurance that horses would be able to get their footing, the track was deemed unsuitable for racing.
Picture: Colin Bull
No Doubt About This One
- Saturday, 26 June 2010 05:50
Originally the first emergency, Doubtful Jack well and truly justified his position in the field by winning Heat 6 of the VRC-CRV Winter Championship at Flemington this afternoon.
Winning by a widening 5½ lengths, Doubtful Jack ($2.50-$2.40F) never looked liked being beaten in the run. Second was the consistent Trustus ($7.50-$7.00-$7.50) with three quarters of a length to Dr Nipandtuck ($13-$18) in third place.
Jumping well from barrier 8, rider Jason Benbow had Doubtful Jack in the lead early before Michael Rodd brought Outlandish Lad across from his outside barrier to take over.
Benbow was content to let Doubtful Jack lob along in second place for the middle section of the race before clicking him up to take the lead at the 400 metre mark.
From then on the race became a procession, with Doubtful Jack going further in front with each stride.
"For a three year old against the older horses, he's pretty exciting", Benbow said.
"He had to do a little bit of work early because he didn't break that well from the barrier, but once he got outside the leader he settled good and showed a great turn of foot from the top of the straight."
Benbow has had a long association with Doubtful Jack's trainer Peter Moody, riding trackwork three days a week.
However on race day he normally has to take second place behind stable jockey's Luke Nolen and Linda Meech.
"Its always good when Luke gets suspended", Benbow quipped to the waiting media.
"Linda's established herself as the provincial jockey and Luke's the city jockey."
"I'm the call-up jockey but its not a bad job."
"The scary part is that he is", was Benbow's response when asked if Doubtful Jack was still improving.
"If he goes to the final he's going to be pretty hard to beat."
And Benbow will be trying hard to retain the ride in the $200,000 Winter Championship Final to be run at Flemington on the 10th of July.
"I'll definitely be putting my hand up", he said.
Photos: Fiona Tomlin
Veteran Victorian Mare Retired
- Sunday, 27 June 2010 14:00
Veteran mare Camille With Class has been retired after aggravating an injury in a race at Bendigo last Sunday.
The rising nine-year-old was eased down to finish alongside Lara’s Glitter in last place by Andrew Mallyon in the $22,500 Santons of Bendigo Country Showcase 0 - 72 Handicap (1600m) for fillies and mares.
Mallyon reported to connections upon returning to scale the mare did not feel well within herself and a subsequent veterinary check revealed she had re-injured a joint which saw her last preparation come to a premature holt at Ballarat.
Trained by Kelvin Southey at Mornington, Camille With Class won two country showcase races and is a dual city placegetter ensuring her prizemoney stands at $117,290.
The daughter of With Class recorded seven wins and 25 placings from 77 starts.
She was a three-quarter sister to Southey’s first winner Chloe With Class, who managed to win three races at Moonee Valley.
Camille With Class will spend the next phase of her life as an eventer at a pony club.
To view the form history of Camille With Class, click here.
Picture: Colin Bull
Gritty Victory For The Handsome One
- Saturday, 26 June 2010 05:29
It wasn’t pretty but The Handsome One won the $75,000 Hanan Displays Handicap (1200m) for three-year-olds at Flemington on Saturday.
Trained by Greg Eurell and ridden by Dale Smith, The Handsome One raced in fourth position behind the leaders Beyond Pardon and My Girl Helen.
When My Girl Helen raised the white flag approaching the final furlong, The Handsome One loomed up and joined a line of several runners across the track only to go home the better.
Beyond Pardon provided staunch resistance to The Handsome One but it only delayed the inevitable.
The Handsome One ($4.40-$4.60-$4.40 fav) defeated Beyond Pardon ($4.60-$5) by a short half head with Briefed ($5.50-$6) making up ground when it was seemingly over.
Recorrido ($11-$14) finished strongly up the inside of the straight to run fourth while Heard The Latest ($16-$21) held its ground fairly for fifth.
Smith has partnered The Handsome One at all five of his starts and believes he has a future.
“I rode his first start at Traralgon and as I said I thought there was something special,” Smith said.
“He’s really dug deep today, first-up on a Heavy (10) and wasn’t 100 percent comfortable but only good horses can do what he did.
“He stuck the ears back and really had a good fight today – he never gave it up,” he added.
The Handsome One has been gelded since last preparation where it managed to win at Traralgon on debut and then at Caulfield before trailing Denman in the Listed Zeditave Stakes (1200m) and Manfred Stakes (1400m).
“With him being gelded, he feels a lot better in his action in stretching out and really hit the line good today,” Smith said.
Smith believes the son of Shamardal will “get a mile” later this prep.
The Handsome One boasts a record of three wins from five starts with $149,000 in prizemoney next to his name.
Pictures: Fiona Tomlin