Werribee Centre Nearing Completion

Monday, 07 June 2010 07:45

The International Horse Centre at Werribee is due for completion in early August ahead of the arrival of international horses for the Spring Racing Carnival.

The new complex replaces the quarantine centre at Sandown which up until last spring housed the international visitors.

Paul Bittar, Racing Victoria Limited's chief strategy officer, said the turf was growing exceptionally well on the new Werribee track which has been fully renovated.

With the international horses working on the track leading up to the 150th running of the Melbourne Cup on November 2, racing won't resume at Werribee until December 4.

Horses To Follow - Flemington 5 June 2010

Saturday, 05 June 2010 06:17

These were the runners that caught the eye at Saturday's Flemington 5 June meeting.

Race 4: Banjo Peterson Series Heat 2 (2500m)

Oak Heart was the run of the race siting 3-4 wide for the duration for the second time this preparation and still finishing thereabouts.

There is no doubt Oak Heart is overdue for a win but be weary as the hard runs will begin to take their toll on the five-year-old.

Race 7: Ken Cox Handicap (2000m)

Don’t jump off the Freedman trained Marchelle Belle.

The form guide will show a whopping defeat but the consistent mare was given no chance going at break-neck speed over the first half of the race and knocking up on the turn.

Race 8: Eugene Gorman Handicap (1800m)

You can take nothing away from the winner Red Buttons who did all the work and carried weight to beat the in-form Tinamou.

Red Buttons looks to have come back in as good a form as ever and will take some beating in anything it contests this time in.

Predatory Pricer To Begin Cox Plate Prep

Monday, 07 June 2010 07:45

Predatory Pricer is due to arrive at trainer Mick Price's Caulfield stables early next week to begin a spring campaign aimed at the Cox Plate.

The former Paul Murray-trained galloper hasn't raced since wrenching a joint when 12th behind Viewed in the Caulfield Cup (2400m) last October.

"He's been in pre-training at Matty Feiss's for about three weeks and he'll probably come in to Caulfield next Monday or Tuesday and we'll begin work on him then," Price said.

"The Cox Plate is his main aim. He's won at weight-for-age and has got a turn of foot so he might run in the Liston first up.

"He's a lovely horse, I'm looking forward to (training) him."

The big chestnut Street Cry entire won the Group Two Liston Stakes (1400m) first up at Caulfield last August, beating Whobegotyou, Typhoon Tracy and Heart Of Dreams.

A four-time Group One placegetter, the half-brother to sprint star Takeover Target was placed twice at the highest level last spring when third to Heart Of Dreams in the Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield and a half-head second to Efficient in the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington.

Price was announced as the new trainer of Predatory Pricer after the Meringo Stud Syndicate, managed by Tony Hartnell, sold its share in the horse.

Picture: Sportpix

Sprinter Shows Touch Of Elusive Class

Saturday, 05 June 2010 06:15

Lightly raced four-year-old Elusive Touch has made an impressive start to the Victorian Sprint Series with a first up victory in the fourth heat at Flemington.

Formerly trained by Sydney's Tim Martin, the gelding was having only his second start for Mark Kavanagh on Saturday and scored a three-quarter length win over Grand Duels and the fast finishing O'Reilly's Clock down the straight 1200 metres.

Elusive Touch had hinted his ability to Kavanagh at his last start in January when he finished second to stakes winner Captain Coltish at Moonee Valley.

He has now won three of his seven starts with his only unplaced run being at his Newcastle debut in March last year.

Kavanagh's racing manager Merv Harvey said Elusive Touch was unknown on rain affected ground but handled the soft conditions at Flemington well.

"It was good to see him tuck in behind them and finish the race off well," Harvey said.

"He seems to get through the going all right and is heading the right way."

Harvey said Elusive Touch had come back a better horse this campaign after an autumn spell.

"We weren't happy with him after his Moonee Valley run so we gave him a break and it has done him the world of good," Harvey said.

Jockey Stephen Baster said Elusive Touch was a promising sprinter and there was still upside to him.

"He just raced that little bit fresh and held them off to the line but I think he is probably a nicer horse than that if he relaxes a bit early," Baster said.

Harvey said Elusive Touch would race on through the eight-heat Victorian Sprint Series to the $150,000 final at Flemington over 1200 metre on July 10.

"This is about his level," Harvey said.

Pictures: Fiona Tomlin

Moody Hearing On Wednesday

Monday, 07 June 2010 01:35

Trainer Peter Moody will front the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary (RAD) Board this Wednesday over charges laid by stewards over a positive swab returned by five-year-old mare Returntosender.

After winning the $70,000 W.J. (Bill) Adams Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield on April 3, Returntosender returned a positive post-race urine sample to the prohibited substances of n-butyl hyoscine and dipyrone which is contained in Buscopan / Spasmogesic.

The administration of Buscopan or Spasmogesic is used to assist horses recovering from colic.

Two weeks after her victory at Caulfield, Returntosender won the $150,000 Group 2 Panasonic Queen Of The South Stakes (1600m) at Morphettville.

The daughter of Elusive City has failed to race since.

This Wednesday’s hearing will commence at 10:30am.

Picture: Jenny Barnes

Black And Bent Cruises Home Again

Saturday, 05 June 2010 05:59

The Robert Smerdon-trained Black And Bent continued on his winning way with an easy victory in heat two of the Banjo Paterson Series at Flemington.

The rising five-year-old has successfully been mixing hurdling and flat racing and made it five straight wins and six wins from his last seven starts in the $100,000 2500m event.

Black And Bent ($4.80 fav) completed a hat-trick on the flat on Saturday since his win in the Galleywood Hurdle (3200m) at Warrnambool on May 5.

Smerdon paid tribute to part-owner Mike Symons who does all the programming of the Black Hawk gelding.

Next for Black And Bent is the $100,000 Australian Hurdle (3400m) at Sandown on June 19 while the $150,000 Banjo Paterson Series Final (2500m) at Flemington on July 10 must also come under serious consideration.

Smerdon said that a couple of runs back Symons had even considered the Group Two Brisbane Cup (2400m) at Eagle Farm next Saturday for Black And Bent.

Ridden by Glen Boss, Black And Bent was travelling beautifully in the first three throughout and went on to score a comfortable 1-3/4 length win over Mt Gambier Cup winner Montjeu Madame ($10) with the winner's stablemate Come On Cugat ($6.50) a short head away third.

"Today was the toughest competition he's taken on, but he's been making big steps and surprising everyone all the way through I guess," Smerdon said.

"Glen (Boss) expressed some concerns about the track (a dead 5). He said it was heavy underfoot and he didn't think you'd be able to make much ground so I left it to him to ride him how he felt."

Boss, who was having his first ride on Black And Bent, described him as a beautiful horse to ride.

"He's so relaxed and very confident about what he's doing and he gave me a beautiful ride in the race. He jumped well, put himself into the race and switched off," he said.

"When Come On Cugat came around me at about the 1400 metres he got on the bridle a little bit but as soon as I asked him to he switched off again and he really towed me, from that point he was the winner.

"It was really a matter of when I was going to go."

Picture: Fiona Tomlin

Gippsland News: Stable Continues On Winning Way

Monday, 07 June 2010 01:11

Peter Gelagotis continued his great season at Sale on Sunday when The Phoenician scored a strong victory.

The four year-old appreciated the heavy 8 track, his only previous success coming on a heavy 10 at Stony Creek.

“He had it all in his favor today. He is definitely a big track horse and he likes it wet. Then when the pace was on it fell into his hands,” Gelagotis said.

“The horse is still learning and although he hadn’t won here before, he likes Sale and has run a few good races here.

“I was fairly confident after his work on Tuesday morning on the grass at Moe. He galloped with Solander, who is no slouch on the track and he accounted for her easily and backed it up with his performance today.

SAVQUAW SOLID

Gelagotis was very happy with the run at Flemington the day prior of his promising stayer, Savquaw, which finished third in the $101,000 David Bourke Provincial Plate, while he was happy to overlook the run of Belgietto (also at Flemington).

“Given the circumstances of how the race unfolded I thought it was a super effort from Savquaw - he is racing very well at the moment,” the trainer said.

“Belgietto got a good bump when they came out of the barriers and I think that put him off his game. The other factor is that they couldn’t make up any ground from back in the field, so the pattern was against him.

“I am not going to mull over the run because there were excuses, so it is just a case of putting it aside and pressing on with him.”

Gelagotis also reported his Listed sprint winning mare, Floramour, came back into work this week with an early spring preparation in mind.

“We will target some of the early carnival sprints with her and then see how things pan out from there,” he said.

COUPLE TO FOLLOW

There were a couple of good runs at Sale from horses that may pay to follow. Mario Farrugia saddled up two runners for two seconds and in the case of Come On Bill it was his third consecutive second. However, it was stable mate Bally Tambo that caught the eye, flashing home for second from well back in a form reversal. He looks set to atone soon.

It also won’t take Georgealmighty long to break his maiden status for Moe’s Tracey Templeton after he made ground against the early pattern, while another win does not seem far away for No Dispute, from the Griffiths yard.

June is a quiet month for Gippsland racing with just one other meeting for the month back at Sale on the 19^th.

Picture: Colin Bull

Larrikin Leica Flemington A Lot

Saturday, 05 June 2010 05:26

Leica Larrikin brought up his third win at Flemington and his fifth win from thirteen starts when he won the David Bourke Provincial Plate at Flemington this afternoon.

Under regular rider Mathew Cahill, Leica Larrikin had the last run at the big Provincial Plate field, storming down the outside of the track with the plucky Kallogg trying to outsprint him.

Leica Larrikin ($7.50-$8.50) was too big and too strong for Kallogg to get past, using his huge stride to advantage in the concluding stages.

He held out Kallogg ($4.60-$6.00), ridden by Brad Rawiller, by a short head on the line, while Savquaw ($7.50-$11) was third, a further length away.

Trainer Richard Freyer could not remember how many Provincial Plates the Freyer family had won but recalled winning it in 1958 with Tory, ridden by Roy Higgins, then a 3kg claiming apprentice.

Freyer had ambitions of winning this year's Wagga Cup but they were thwarted when Leica Larrikin suddenly fell ill.

"You just couldn't believe that he was in perfect order the Thursday night before the Wagga Cup and the next morning he had what you would call a head cold", he explained.

"He got over that within a week and I'd seen this race on and I thought well it won't completely cover the Wagga Cup but it nearly will."

Leica Larrikin needs a big track like Flemington when he gallops anti-clockwise because he is really not comfortable on his left leg.

"He hung the whole trip which he does the Melbourne way", Cahill observed.

Cahill praised Leica Larrikin's determination to win , saying:

"He really knuckled down and the last 100 metres he really dug deep."

Despite his affinity for Flemington, Freyer has no ambitions to run Leica Larrikin in the 150th Melbourne Cup in November.

"I'm not going to be mad on the Melbourne Cup, I'll probably put him in the Caulfield Cup", he suggested.

"I'll give him another twelve months because the way you listen to people talk about the Melbourne Cup they'll have to run three divisions without us trying to be in it", he quipped.

Photos: Fiona Tomlin

Tan Tat Brav To Rebound In Creswick

Sunday, 06 June 2010 05:15

Trainer Doug Harrison will push on with plans to run last-start failure Tan Tat Brav in the Listed Creswick Stakes at Flemington on Saturday.

Harrison said the exciting three-year-old had seemingly taken no harm from a barrier incident which led to his lacklustre performance in the Adapt Australia Handicap (1000m) at Moonee Valley on May 29.

After becoming fractious and momentarily cast in the barriers vets declared Tan Tat Brav was fit to run at the Valley but he showed no speed and was under pressure at the 600m.

In contrast to his first-up win at Sandown where he was unextended going to the line, the colt trailed the field home at Moonee Valley , finishing nearly six lengths behind the winner Our Baby Bonus.

Harrison blamed the barrier incident for the poor showing and reported to stewards last week that the horse had taken no harm from the experience.

"I haven't found anything untoward except for a bit of muscle tightness," Harrison said.

"He doesn't look to have anything greatly wrong with him and I think he just got upset on the day with all that happened to him.

"It was one of those spur of the moment things vets have got to make a decision on, but he should not have run."

"The good thing is he went back in the barriers and that was probably the best he's jumped out in all of starts.

"While he jumped well he didn't get going at all which was foreign to what he's done before."

A $360,000 yearling, Tan Tat Brav looked a star in the making when he won his race debut by seven lengths at Bendigo in July last year but he pulled up shin sore after his next run when second at Moonee Valley.

He later had a knee operation for bone chips and was diagnosed as a roarer which also required a throat operation.

He made his comeback to racing last month at Sandown where he scored a soft half length win over 1000 metres on a heavy track.

Harrison said Tan Tat Brav was vulnerable second-up over 1000 metres at the Valley with the edge off him but he wanted to give him an extra run before the Creswick (1200m) which he sees as a chance for the colt to get some black type before a spring campaign.

He admitted the events of last start had dented his confidence in the horse and that he was considering a gear change at Flemington, most likely a cross over nose band.

Steven King, who has ridden Tan Tat Brav at his two runs this campaign, will again be offered the ride.

Past Creswick winners have included Bow Mistress, King Phoenix, Rose Of Marizza, Apple Danish, Mr Royston, Naden, Recapitalize and last year Red Element.

Mick Price holds the key to Saturday's feature with stablemates Dubleanny, who has won four of her six starts including her last three in a row, and Our Baby Bonus who is unbeaten in four starts.

Pictures: Colin Bull

Elusive Touch Gives Them The Slip

Saturday, 05 June 2010 04:50

Elusive Touch saluted for the first time since transferring from the Tim Martin stable in Sydney to Mark Kavanagh's Flemington setup late last year.

The lightly raced four-year-old gelding bought up win number three in the $75,000 All Victorian Sprint Series Heat Four (1200m) at his home track Flemington today.

Elusive Touch ($2.50,$2.70,$2.50) was only fairly away but showed a lot of speed and Steven Baster rode brilliantly to take the sit behind leader Grand Duels ($5,$7.50) where he settled with cover for most of the straight.

When Grand Duels rolled to the middle of the track he appeared to have Elusive Touch's measure, but the latter dug deep and was going away on the line to score by almost a length with O'Reilly's Clock ($15,$16,$15) running on a neck away third.

Despite strong support in the betting ring, and an impressive debut for the new stable back in January, stable foreman Merv Harvey admitted he was still unsure how the gelding would handle the softer conditions.

"We weren't sure how he was going to handle this track today but he appeared to get through it well," said Harvey.

"It was just good to see him tuck in behind them and finish the race off good."

Harvey explained that Kavanagh felt the gelding needed a spell following his January debut and believed that his decision had been vindicated.

"Mark decided after the Moonee Valley run to give him a bit of a break, he hadn't had much of a break, so we gave him a good spell bought him back and its done him the world of good," Harvey said.

The stable is undecided on the next option for Elusive Touch who lacks experience for his age and according to Harvey the decision will hinge on how the gelding pulls up.

"There isn't a lot around for him this time of year so we will see how he pulls up and decide where to go to then," he said.

Baster didn't waste any time making the most of his riding opportunities in the absence of Kavanagh's stable jockey Michael Rodd.

He observed that although the race played out well for Elusive Touch, the gelding could only improve when able to relax in the early stages of his races.

"He raced a little bit fresh early today but he held them off well," said Baster after the win.

"I think he will be a better horse when he relaxes a bit more early in his races."

It was the third win from just seven starts for the four-year-old and takes his career earnings to more than $100,000.

Photo by Fiona Tomlin.