Healey Out For Flemington Double
- Thursday, 24 June 2010 07:59
Peter Healey will target country Cups and lower-tier events with promising galloper Cheronbutch in the spring but the gelding will first try to make it four straight wins at Flemington on Saturday.
The Mornington trainer will give the Testa Rossa gelding only one or two more runs before a spell, including Saturday's Australian Lamb Company Hcp (1630m).
The four-year-old, who has won five of his 11 starts, scored first-up over 1200m at Ballarat on May 13 and followed up with successive Sandown victories over 1300m on May 26 and 1400m on June 9.
He was ridden on each occasion by Chris Symons who retains the mount on Saturday.
"There is a lot of upside with him and I don't think you'll see the best of him until he gets up to 2000 metres," Healey said.
"I don't think we'll be going much further with him this preparation. He's immature and still has a long way to go so we won't be silly about what races we look at for him."
Even though Cheronbutch has been winning on slow and heavy ground, both Healey and Symons believe the horse is far more comfortable on firmer tracks.
Costing only $14,000, Cheronbutch is out of a half-sister to 2001 Emirates Stakes winner Desert Eagle who went on to become Hong Kong Horse of the Year after a name change to Grand Delight.
Connections have had to be patient with Cheronbutch as he has had knee surgery and another operation to remove a flap of skin over a soft palate.
"You won't see the best of him until next season. We're not in a hurry to get there," Healey said.
Cheronbutch is $2.80 favourite with TAB Sportsbet ahead of Offenders at $3, Wednesday's Moonee Valley winner Have A Shot at $6.50 and veteran Riceman at $7.50.
Healey will saddle up another good chance in former Hong Kong sprinter Galbraith in the TCL Electronics Plate (1000m) which is a heat of the Victorian Sprint Series.
A rising eight-year-old, Galbraith won three 1000m races from 14 starts in Hong Kong and has won twice over 1000m at Moonee Valley and been placed twice over that trip at Caulfield in four runs for Healey.
His Valley wins have the trainer keen to aim the Anabaa gelding at the Group Two Moir Stakes (1000m) during the spring carnival.
"This horse has got serious super-speed," Healey said.
"I would love to have him back at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate day for the Moir."
Healey has done a good job managing Galbraith who has a degenerative bone disease which has attacked his joints.
Vets recommended retirement for the horse before he raced for Healey but Galbraith has responded to beach work.
The $150,000 Victorian Sprint Series Final (1200m) is at Flemington on July 10.
Pictures: Colin Bull & Fiona Tomlin
Reverend Lovejoy Out For Winter Win
- Thursday, 24 June 2010 06:45
The David Hayes stable is hoping to have two runners in next month's Winter Championship Final but will know more after Reverend Lovejoy contests Saturday's heat of the series at Flemington.
The six-year-old, formerly prepared by Adam Durrant in Western Australia, has had five starts since arriving at Hayes' Flemington stables.
Two starts back the Love A Dane gelding won over 1600m at Caulfield in April and he was a most unlucky sixth to Tee Emar when he struck interference near the 100m at his latest appearance at Caulfield over 1800m on May 1.
"He's had a let-up since that run and if he can win or run very well on Saturday we'll look at running him in the final," stable manager Gary Fennessy said.
"He's won up to 2000 metres and the 1420 metres on Saturday will probably be a bit short for him but we have to kick off again."
Brad Rawiller will ride Reverend Lovejoy who is weighted to carry 59kg, a kilogram less than topweight Pinnacles who resumed with a 1200m win at Sandown last Saturday.
Reverend Lovejoy earned his weight by winning 14 races in the west including the 2009 Coolgardie Cup (1614m) and the Listed Boulder Cup (1760m), both at Kalgoorlie early this season.
The Flemington track was rated a slow (7) on Thursday but that holds no fears for the stable as Reverend Lovejoy won on a slow surface at Ascot at his only wet track run.
"We'll keep him going into the early spring as long as his form warrants it," Fennessy said.
Hayes' other Winter Championship Final contender is Silky Smooth who ran third to Tiakinui in the Ballarat 1600m heat on Thursday.
"It wasn't ideal to run him today at the mile. We'd have preferred him to run at the 1420 metres on Saturday but he was number 36 in the order of entry and wouldn't have got into the race," Fennessy said.
"But with today's placing he's picked up some points to get into the final now and he should be spot-on for it."
Darren Gauci, who has won four Winter Championship Finals, landed his second heat win of the 2010 series aboard former New Zealander Tiakinui, now prepared at Bendigo by Matthew Enright.
Gauci won the Flemington 1400m heat on June 8 aboard the Peter White-trained Jungle Ruler who also won a heat at Cranbourne on May 30 with Danny Brereton in the saddle.
Gauci rides the Robert Hickmott-trained Tindal in Saturday's heat.
First emergency Doubtful Jack, from the all-conquering Peter Moody stable, is $3.20 favourite with TAB Sportsbet.
The three-year-old impressed with a 4-1/4 length victory after racing on the pace over 1400m against his won age at Flemington on June 5 and should take catching with the minimum weight of 53kg if he secures a start.
The Listed $200,000 Winter Championship Final (1600m) is run at Flemington on July 10.
Rodd Rides Moonee Valley Treble
- Wednesday, 23 June 2010 06:59
Michael Rodd has struck a purple patch of form, landing a winning treble at Moonee Valley on Wednesday just 11 days after his latest Group One success in the Queensland Derby.
Dariana's facile Derby win brought up Rodd's fourth Group One of the season and, although there were no spoils of that standard on offer at Moonee Valley, he did enjoy a similarly easy victory aboard Tinamou in the Essendon Jeep Grand Cherokee Handicap (2040m).
"He was just so happy out there, he could have gone around again in the last race and won," Rodd said.
Robert Smerdon's in-form wet-tracker led all the way to win the third race of his current preparation by 4-3/4 lengths.
The effort will encourage Smerdon to step Tinamou up in distance at his next start.
"On that win you'd reckon he would run 2400 metres," Smerdon said.
"He just travelled so well but with 59 kilos and a wide barrier it didn't appear to be the best recipe for success.
"Michael put that to bed early on though by going to the front."
Rodd also brought up the first city win for consistent filly Happy Angel and her ailing trainer Dale Schmitt.
Schmitt had previously been forced to watch his filly race from a hospital bed while battling cancer, so he took great pride in cheering her home to a short neck victory in the Essendon Jeep and Hyundai Handicap (1000m).
"I've been pretty crook for the last couple of months so it's been good to come today and enjoy my first city winner," Schmitt said.
"I've been battling throat and tongue cancer and had seven weeks of chemotherapy which finished in late April.
"The radiation just grabs hold of you and you can't do much.
"I was stuck in hospital when she won at Bendigo and Geelong so she's been a real tonic for me.
"We'll take her to the Dermody Stakes in Adelaide in late July and try to get her a stakes win."
Rodd's other victory came aboard trainer Shaun Dwyer's improving three-year-old Face Off who has been earmarked for stronger races in the spring after his second straight win since resuming from a spell.
Pictures: Colin Bull
Valley Winner To Have Another Shot
- Thursday, 24 June 2010 03:44
Trainer Tom Hughes intends on backing-up Have A Shot to race at Flemington on Saturday following his hard-fought victory at Moonee Valley on Wednesday.
Have A Shot raced close to the speed the entire trip under the guidance of Dean Holland before defeating Rollins by ¾ lengths in the $30,000 Essendon Hyundai iX35 0-78 Handicap (1533m) yesterday.
They spaced the others with Packing Success finishing third a further 3-1/2 lengths away.
Immediately after the victory, Hughes stated his intentions for the horse to run three days later in the $70,000 Australian Lamb Company Handicap (1630m).
“I’m a big chance of backing him up, that was the plan before today," Hughes said.
“You only have to look at his coat, you’d have to be a cruel person to turn him out into the cold,” he said before adding, “We don’t over work him, he is a happy horse.”
Describing Have A Shot as “just a nice little horse,” Hughes noted the five-year-old is racing in a rich vain of form.
“He’s had eight runs this preparation for five wins, a second and a third.”
That may be due to the relationship Holland has formed with the the son of Regal Shot. He has ridden the gelding in six of those starts for five wins.
“I love riding him and I’ve always got confidence in him when I’m riding him - he’s tough,” Holland said upon returning to scale yesterday.
“He’s still learning. Everytime I get off him I say he’s still learning but everytime I get off him he’s improved.”
Holland is set to take the reins once again this Saturday with Have A Shot drawn barrier three.
Have A Show boasts an overall record of five wins from ten starts with his prizemoney in excess of $66,000.
Pictures: Colin Bull
Racing To Resume On Geelong Synthetic Track
- Wednesday, 23 June 2010 05:39
Racing Victoria Limited (RVL) has today confirmed that racing will resume on the Geelong Synthetic track next Tuesday, 29 June.
The reconstructed track, which reopened for training on Monday, successfully hosted nine trials this morning with over 50 horses in action.
“The feedback from the jockeys and trainers competing at the trials was positive so we’re now committed to the resumption of racing on the Geelong Synthetic track next Tuesday,” RVL Chief Executive, Rob Hines, said.
“Whilst the journey to this point has taken longer than first expected, RVL, the Geelong Racing Club and our contractor Pro-Ride Australia have remained committed to preparing a first class racing and training track for the industry’s benefit.
“The Geelong Synthetic track is a unique asset for Victorian racing and we now look forward to delivering a consistent racing product for the industry and punters alike to enjoy.”
Nominations for Tuesday’s meeting have been pushed back 24 hours to 12 noon tomorrow, with weights to be released at 3pm and acceptances taken at 9am on Friday, 25 June.
A total of six race meetings are programmed on the Geelong Synthetic track from now until the conclusion of the 2009-10 racing season on 31 July.
Horses To Follow - Moonee Valley 23 June 2010
- Wednesday, 23 June 2010 14:00
The rail was out a fair way at Moonee Valley and it seemed you had to be very good to make ground - the following horses did, and caught the eye doing so.
Race 2: Essendon Hyundai i30 Handicap (1533m)
Exclusive Choice was well out of his ground in the early stages and look quite impressive working his way through the field but wasn't able to make up the difference.
Just third up after a short spell expect Exclusive Choice to step out and win at his next outing.
Race 3: Essendon Jeep Wrangler (1533m)
Mont Fleuri was checked to last at the start of the event and tailed the field for much of the event.
Proving that good horses can overcome perceived track bias Mont Fleuri flew through the field over the last 300m and scored comfortably on the line.
Good for another win this prep and will go on to bigger things next time in.
Race 7: Essendon Jeep Grand Cherokee Handicap (2040m)
Tinamou was in a race of his own out in front and clearly the best horse in this race, however Why Do You Ask is on a mission for longer races and was the best of the beaten brigade.
Just second up over 2000m and really struggling in the heavier patch of the course, Why Do You Ask was still able to find the line.
In a run or two over more ground this six-year-old will be very hard to beat at nice odds.
Prospect Brings Up Prizemoney Milestone
- Wednesday, 23 June 2010 04:02
Seasoned sprinter-miller Prospect passed the $200,000 mark after winning the $30,000 Essendon Hyundai i45 0-78 Handicap (1533m) at Moonee Valley on Wednesday.
Trained by Tracey Templeton at Moe, it was very much a family affair with her husband Paul, two daughters and son trackside to watch Prospect prevail.
Craig Newitt drove Prospect forward out of barrier seven before establishing a geniune tempo mid-race.
As they turned for home Newitt skipped away and opened up a 1-1/2 length advantage on the chasing pack.
Dashatin, who had settled in third position, was caught flat-footed as Prospect sprinted but accelerated late to make the finish interesting.
Prospect ($4.20-$6-$5) defeated Dashatin ($11-$15) by a half length with nine-year-old multiple stakes winner Raid The Royals ($51-$71) finishing a further 1-1/4 length in third.
Express Star ($4.20-$5-$4.60) was unable to give Nathan Rose a race-to-race double after only holding his ground fairly in the straight to finish fourth, four lengths from the winner.
After the handicapper allocated Prospect with 59 kilos, Templeton chose not to take a claim as she believes Craig Newitt suits the six-year-old gelding.
“It was wonderful, they do hit it off really well together. He rides him well and we didn’t want to split that up,” Templeton said with records showing that Newitt has won on Prospect three times from eight rides.
Newitt said Prospect enhanced his own chances with an uncharacteristic slick start out of the stalls.
“He began a lot better today then he normally does,” Newitt said.
“He takes five or six strides to find his feet but today he flew the lids, I used him and he got there.
“He didn’t really back off, he ran them along at a genuine tempo the whole race but this sort of track suits him as he’s able to kick off the corner and pinch a winning break,” he said.
As to what Templeton has in mind for Prospect, “We’ll go home, have a look and see what’s coming up but enjoy the win first.”
A winner of seven from 49 starts, Prospect has won in excess of $215,000 in prizemoney.
Pictures: Colin Bull
Nikolic Case May Lead To Rule Changes
- Wednesday, 23 June 2010 11:45
The Danny Nikolic case may lead to an expanding of the rules governing what jockeys can and can't say about their mounts prior to a race, Richard Smith SC, representing Nikolic, told the Racing Appeals And Disciplinary Board on Wednesday.
On the third day of the hearing when summing up, Smith said it would be inappropriate for the Board in the Nikolic case to draw a line regarding where a jockey's comments became prejudicial to the interests of racing.
"If you were only permitted to answer questions about a horses chances only in the positive as opposed to honest responses it would be a very dangerous or unfair thing to punish the jockey for answering the question honestly," Smith told the Board.
"It may be that the Board is of the opinion that the jockey is asked about how his horse is going to go in the fifth, that the jockey has to say `what's your occupation, are you a professional punter, do you have a Betfair account, is it your habit to lay horses'.
"Maybe that's the system, we think that would be ridiculous.
"We say that if a jockey has communicated to an associate that his mount is not trying today, that would undoubtedly constitute improper conduct and conduct prejudicial to the interests of racing."
Board chairman Judge Russell Lewis said: "If a honest answer is given and the jockey knows someone is going to act upon it, that's where the jockey gets into trouble.
"Jockeys give opinions on TVN about their mounts day in day out and the stewards allow it to happen."
Smith said the rules were a matter for racing authorities and pointed out that jockeys in Japan were "locked up" a day before a race meeting and could not contact anyone else other than their family to say goodnight to the kids or something of that nature.
Smith said the public perception of the case was of no relevance whatsoever.
He summed up his case by saying there was not a whiff of evidence to prove that Nikolic gave information to associates including warning off professional punter and commission agent Neville Clements that his mounts couldn't win or that he should go out and lay them to lose.
Nikolic has pleaded not guilty to two charges of improper practice and two of conduct prejudicial to the interests of racing.
"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.
And that 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 "most likely had the bets in question been win bets rather than lay bets we would not be sitting here today".
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 Racing Victoria stewards, after grilling Nikolic about the frequency and his timing of calls to Clements, that an inference could be made that Clements, a former rails bookmaker, was a layer of horses and that Nikolic knew that.
"There is an irresistible inference that these people had extreme confidence to lay these horses knowing that one of Australia's best jockeys had passed on information," he said.
The RADB will announce its decision next Tuesday.
Spring Launching Pad For Face Off At The Valley
- Wednesday, 23 June 2010 03:03
Michael Rodd brought up an early double after Face Off impressively won the $30,000 Essendon Hyundai i30 0-68 Handicap (1533m) for three-year-olds at Moonee Valley this afternoon.
The victory also ensured trainer Shaun Dwyer maintained his healthy affiliation with the inner city circuit after Disputed Bid won at the previous Moonee Valley meeting on June 14.
Ridden closer to the speed in comparison to his maiden win at Bendigo last start, Face Off quickened off the back of early leaders Mr Crane and Canny Be A Bulldog to win comfortably.
However the result may have been slightly different had Jacob Rule found clear galloping room earlier in the straight for Clang And Bang.
Face Off ($5-$7) defeated Clang And Bang ($5-$6) by three-quarters of a length with Canny Be A Bulldog ($15-$17) a further two lengths adrift in third.
Exclusive Choice ($2.80-$5.50) did its best work late to finish fourth while the heavily-supported favourite Wassaic ($4-$4.20-$3.50 fav) settled last and finished eighth.
Face Off defeated the smart Orinoco last start at Bendigo over the minimum distance and Dwyer said stable confidence was not all that high going into that event.
“The Kiwi’s put me off they reckoned it couldn’t win at 1000 metres,” Dwyer said.
“But really at Bendigo, everything gets a chance with a long straight.
“It was like a good barrier trial for him last time,” he said before adding, “He’s improved since his last run.”
Dwyer has trained such horses for these connections as Atapi and Pacific Dancer and believes Face Off could develop into a horse that could win a “third-tier race” over the spring carnival.
“He looks like he could get 2000 metres on that but at this stage I just want to have a nice think about it because he’s a nice horse and he needs to go the right way.”
Face Off is by Face Value and is the latest foal to race from the dam Garden Flower. He is the seventh named foal of the dam and is the fifth winner.
Face Off has won both his Australian starts to boast a record of two wins and a third from six starts with his prizemoney hovering around the $30,000 mark.
Rodd rode the winner of the first race of the day, the Dale Schmitt-trained Happy Angel.
Pictures: Colin Bull
Bush Jockey Could Get Flemington Call-up
- Wednesday, 23 June 2010 08:45
Wangaratta trainer James Fraser may call on the services of bush jockey Robert Beattie when his grand campaigner Dr Nipandtuck lines up in Heat Six of the VRC Winter Championship at Flemington.
Despite a comprehensive last-start victory in the Swan Hill Cup and some good form in metropolitan grade over the last month, Fraser has been unable to engage a leading rider for Dr Nipandtuck in Saturday's $75,000 race.
"You would be amazed by how many jockeys I have called to take the ride," Fraser said.
"We're only a little stable so when the horse comes to town the guys that have been riding him like Steven King and Matty Pumpa get off to ride for bigger stables.
"It's understandable because they might only get four or five rides a year from us but they get forty or fifty from the bigger guys."
Although better known as a bush jockey, Fraser said he would have little hesitation in booking Beattie for the weekend on the strength of his record on the horse.
Evidently Beattie and Dr Nipandtuck have something of an affinity, pairing up five times for two wins and two placings.
"Robbie loves the horse and would give his left testicle to ride him anywhere so at this stage he'll probably ride him this week," said Fraser.
Dr Nipandtuck's Swan Hill Cup win gave Fraser little option but to target the Winter Championship as the horse's consistent rating keeps him out of weaker events.
"I had him down to a rating 89 and I was just starting to lick my lips a bit and then he comes out and wins the Swan Hill Cup and shoots back up again," Fraser said.
"There used to be open handicaps at every provincial meeting but they just don't happen any more so we are forced to race him in stronger company."
Following his winter campaign, Fraser will aim his stable star at his fifth consecutive Melbourne Cup carnival.
In his four previous Cup week campaigns Dr Nipandtuck has never failed to earn a cheque for his connections, with a close-up fifth in the Group One 2007 Emirates Stakes one of his best performances.
Fraser recently bid farewell to his promising two-year-old Slamming who won impressively at Flemington in May.
The son of Invincible Spirit was sold to Asian interests following that victory and will continue his career in Hong Kong.
Pictures: Colin Bull
Mont Fleuri All Class At The Valley
- Wednesday, 23 June 2010 02:58
Class prevailed in the $30,000 Essendon Jeep Wrangler Handicap (1533m) with Mont Fleuri coming from last to salute in the shadows of the post today at the Valley.
Mont Fleuri ($2.10,$3) was shuffled back to last in the early stages and with the first two winners having led all the way Apprentice Nathan Rose had his work cut out.
However Rose found the best going along the rail and rode the filly for luck, finding nice runs into the race and hitting the line strongly to score by a long neck over Jetta ($10,$12) with the fast finishing Nenagh ($16,$21) a short neck away.
The unlikely win defied a front running pattern and Rose was not short for words to describe the performance.
"You certainly can't beat class," said Rose.
Rose observed that interference early in the event threw his race strategy out the window but was confident the filly would still run a big race.
"I got a push at the start and our plan got turned on its head," said Rose.
"At the top of the straight I thought I would run a nice placing but in the last 100m she really had a big crack at the second horse and did a terrific job."
A daughter of Cape Cross, Mont Fleuri has now won twice from 10 starts after going down only four lengths in the 1000 Guineas (1600m) back in spring and takes her career earnings over the $100,000 mark.
Photo by Colin Bull.