Moonee Valley – Pictorial Review

Tuesday, 01 June 2010 02:01

A typical off-peak Saturday meeting was held at Moonee Valley on the weekend with the victory of Our Baby Bonus, clearly the highlight of the afternoon.

Robert Smerdon trained three winners and Jason Maskiell rode a treble.

The Virtual Formguide’s Fiona Tomlin was trackside to capture all the action.

Race 1 - $70,000 Tattsbet.Com Hcp (1200m)

1st: Enzed Girl (2yo Filly, Stravinsky - Nella Dane)

Trainer: Robert Smerdon

Jockey: Jason Maskiell

2nd: Flokkati

3rd: Gunawati

Race 2 - $70,000 Adapt Australia Hcp (1000m)

1st: Our Baby Bonus (3yo Gelding, Dash For Cash - Mother To Me)

Trainer: Mick Price

Jockey: Jason Maskiell

2nd: Sunday Rose

3rd: My Girl Helen

Race 3 - $70,000 Programmed Property Serv. Hcp (1600m)

1st: Beyond Pardon (3yo Gelding, Invincible Spirit - Unbridled Fire)

Trainer: Robert Smerdon

Jockey: Jason Maskiell

2nd: Stoneblack

3rd: Base

Race 4 - $70,000 Gillies Pies Country Cup 0-89 (3000m)

1st: Black And Bent (4yo Gelding, Black Hawk - Summer Gambit)

Trainer: Robert Smerdon

Jockey: Mark Pegus

2nd: Titch

3rd: Mr Riggs

Race 5 - $70,000 Geoff Torney Cup (1600m)

1st: Tindal (4yo Gelding, Testa Rossa - Indian Spice)

Trainer: Robert Hickmott

Jockey: Jack Hill

2nd: Bird Of Fire

3rd: The Sportsman

Race 6 - $70,000 Sportingbet Hcp (1200m)

1st: Philda (5yo Gelding, Secret Savings - Suraya)

Trainer: Mick Kent

Jockey: Nick Hall

2nd: Arch Symbol

3rd: El Mandon

Race 7 - $70,000 Gillies Famous Pies Hcp (1500m)

1st: Believe 'N Achieve (3yo Filly, Beautiful Crown - Mal de Mer)

Trainer: Mark Kavanagh

Jockey: Mark Zahra

2nd: Pink Shimmer

3rd: Belscenica

Race 8 - $70,000 Kyabram Club Hcp (1000m)

1st: Altitude (4yo Mare, Danzero - Highest)

Trainer: Peter Snowden

Jockey: Jordan Mallyon

2nd: Take All Of Me

3rd: Elumino

Pictures: Fiona Tomlin

Dwyer Hoping For First Time Luck

Monday, 31 May 2010 07:15

Rookie trainer Henry Dwyer will be trying to kick off his career with a winner on Saturday when Laspiel starts in the David Bourke Provincial Plate at Flemington.

Laspiel will be having his first start under Dwyer's name in the $100,000 1600m event which is restricted to horses which have started in at least four non-metropolitan races in Australia in the past 12 months.

Dwyer, 26, had a brief stint as a trainer with a couple of horses while studying horse management at Marcus Oldham College at Geelong before taking up a position with the Robert Smerdon stable at Caulfield where he has worked for the past two years.

Laspiel, a rising six-year-old by Singspiel, has been trained by Smerdon throughout his career until now, winning four races and being placed in six of his 29 starts.

"When Laspiel came up for sale about eight months ago, I bought him and got my Mum and a few mates into him. They were keen to support me in my endeavours and it's their first horse," said Dwyer who has two horses in work.

"Robert continued training him but when he gave me the opportunity to have a couple of boxes at his stables I decided to put the horse in my name."

Laspiel has performed well for his new owners winning a $100,000 0-82 1600m event at a Moonee Valley night meeting on February 26 and snaring another three placings from eight starts this preparation.

After the Moonee Valley success he was runner-up to the impressive import Fanjura over 1700m at Caulfield on March 20 before running sixth to Herculian Prince in the Neville Sellwood Stakes (1900m) at Canterbury on April 5.

He struck an unsuitably heavy track when seventh to Lady Avacan in the Hamilton Cup (2200m) on April 18 before a close third to Kert over 1700m at Warrnambool at his latest outing yon May 4.

"He's a nicely put together horse and a flashy type. He's run some good races for us since we've had him," Dwyer said.

Nick Hall will ride the gelding on Saturday in the Provincial Plate which attracted 33 nominations.

Picture: Colin Bull

Gippsland News: Bunroy Has The Locals Celebrating

Tuesday, 01 June 2010 01:10

Bairnsdale trainer, Danny Cunningham, produced Bunroy (having only his second start for the stable) to win for a host of locals owners at their home club on Saturday.

The four year-old mare was purchased from Brian Cox at Wodonga along with multiple winner, Toffee, which also raced on Saturday, finishing midfield.

Cunningham said “the horses arrived in great order and were very well educated. They were a credit to their previous trainer,” he said.

Nobby McMahon, who was behind the purchase of the horses and their subsequent syndication, is a long time friend of the Cox family and said he was pleased for the local group who came into ownership of the horse.

“Quite a few of them are first time owners and we had the group here today to enjoy the win and that is what racing is all about,” he said.

“It was a good run for up for us at Sale and with a bit more luck the mare would have run into a place.

"We were able to box seat today and Luke Currie pushed out in the straight and she won well,” said Nobby.

TRIP WORTHWHILE

Moe trainer, Tracey Templeton, made the long trip to Geelong worthwhile last week when three year-old filly Sendari broke her maiden status.

“She was home bred by Wayne Ivey, from Sale and is raced by he and his family, so it was pleasing from that aspect for them all to enjoy the win,” said Tracey.

“She is a real trier and has pulled up well, so we are thinking about giving her a chance at a mid-week metro race.

“There is a suitable event for three year-old fillies coming up at Moonee Valley and we might head that way. As it happens there is also a nice race there for Prospect, so we could have two runners at the meeting,” she said.

Sendari has now had three starts for a first, second and third and more development and maturity, more wins are in store.

RETURN TO FORM

Four time metro winning mare Afterburn showed a return to form on Sunday when a solid second in the $35,000 VRC CRV Winter Championship series (heat two) at Cranbourne.

It was one of six second placings for Gippsland trainers over the weekend.

Afterburn has been a terrific mare for trainer, Julie Scott and her band of local owners, having filled a quinella position in 18 of her 31 race starts.

Picture: Tim Bull

McLean Suspended By RVL Stewards

Monday, 31 May 2010 06:51

Racing Victoria Limited (RVL) stewards today concluded an inquiry into a report from Racing Analytical Services Limited (RASL) regarding a urine sample provided by licensed jumps jockey Brad McLean at the Sandown meeting on 21 April, 2010.

Analysis of the sample showed the presence of Phentermine, a banned substance under the Australian Rules of Racing.

Phentermine is consistent with the use of Duramine which is an appetite suppressant.

Mr McLean pleaded guilty to a charge under AR81B and was suspended for the period commencing at midnight on 6 May, 2010 and concluding at midnight on 18 June, 2010.

The suspension is to be served concurrently with the penalty he is currently serving for a similar breach of the rules handed down by Racing South Australia stewards.

In reaching penalty, RVL stewards took into account Mr McLean’s guilty plea and the time he has lost through injury following a recent race fall.

Picture: Colin Bull

White Ends Up Lakeside With Chopper

Monday, 31 May 2010 21:15

Tasmanian trainer Gary White isn't shy when it comes to bringing his stable stars across Bass Strait having made a number of successful trips in the past with the likes of Tempest Tost, Angel's Jewel, Rhumb Line and Lord Baracus.

On Wednesday White will saddle up Lake Crescent in the $30,000 Flying Solo Handicap (1300m) at Betfair Park Lakeside but admits not everything has gone to plan thus far.

White had intended on sharpening the four-year-old gelding up with a 1100m dash at Caulfield on the 22nd of May but a poor barrier draw against a classy field forced White's hand latter scratching the horse he affectionately calls 'Chopper'.

"We were hoping to start Chopper at Caulfield but he would've been giving horses of equal ability a big head start and I was concerned it would dent his confidence," said White.

"Unfortunately we were balloted out of our next option so we find ourselves at Sandown"

"You have to start somewhere," White added.

Despite not being an ideal starting point for the Tasmanian sprinter White is confident Lake Crescent has the potential to feature in the Winter Championship Series during the month of June.

"The wet track and distance at Sandown are going to be a big ask first up," said White.

"I trained his mother and a number of his relatives and they are a very tough and courageous breed so he will no doubt put everything on the table and when he steps out again he will be even better for the run."

"The winter sprint series is still our main goal," added White.

A winner of five of his last eight runs Lake Crescent's only obvious failures have been on heavy tracks and and over the 1400m trip but according to White there is a lot more to the runs than meets the eye.

"I don't think it's so much the distance or track conditions because on occasions he has done a power of work and still run a strong 1400m, although in saying that I don't think he likes it really heavy," said White.

White believes Lake Crescent has earned his opportunity at a Metropolitan City track observing that people often dismiss interstate form as inferior based on times and margins.

"You cannot line the two up,"said White referring to Victorian and Tasmanian form.

"I cant tell you the amount of times I have seen horses improve lengths in Melbourne purely because of the true tempo of the racing over here"

"Of course it is an expensive trip and you need to be confident you have the right horse," White added.

Riveted Wins Casterton Cup

Sunday, 30 May 2010 15:15

Riveted led from start to finish to be an emphatic winner of the $40,000 Luxbet.com Casterton Cup (2000m) at Casterton on Sunday.

Trained by Ciaron Maher at Warrnambool, Riveted was only having his fourteenth start and his first beyond a mile, but was too brilliant for his rivals whilst profiting from a track with a distant advantage for leaders.

Rated to perfection by Matt Pumpa, Riveted ($8-$5 eq fav) defeated Picalero ($5-$6) by four lengths with Magical Sunday ($4-$5 eq fav) struggling to gain clear running at the top of the straight only to finish a further three and a half lengths adrift in third.

Riveted was a last start winner of the $15,000 Blue Lake Handicap (1550m) at Mount Gambier over their two-day carnival defeating the Jarrod McLean-trained Speedymac by one and a quarter lengths with recent Morphettville winner Billy The Brat finishing fifth.

Boasting a record of four wins and four seconds from 13 starts, Riveted has accumulated $42,300 in prizemoney with his best arguably still to come as a five-year-old next season.

Picture: Colin Bull

Trainer Stanaway Wants Rule Change

Monday, 31 May 2010 08:45

Distraught trainer Bryce Stanaway says the qualification rules for Victorian jumps races are flawed and contributed to the death of his horse Prince Vitality.

Prince Vitality took off too early at the first fence in the King Alfred Steeplechase Prelude (3800m) at Casterton on Sunday, crashed into the live hedge and was later euthanased because of a shoulder injury.

Stanaway said he blamed himself for not taking the seven-year-old to Casterton to school before Sunday's race.

He said he had to trial the gelding over the modular fences at Pakenham in order to qualify him to race over the live hedges at Casterton.

Casterton is the only track in Victoria which still races over live hedges.

The club held its first jumps meeting in 1861 - the same year as the first Melbourne Cup.

"Prince Vitality and any other horse that hadn't schooled at Casterton shouldn't have been allowed to run," Stanaway told Sport 927.

"I blame myself for what happened but I also say RVL (Racing Victoria Limited) haven't helped the situation at all.

"Fancy saying that you can jump modulars which are nowhere near as good as the live hedges at Casterton and you are qualified to race over them.

"I feel if you school over Casterton which has the best fences in Victoria, you should be qualified to race at any jumping track in Australia."

An experienced jumps trainer in New Zealand before moving to Australia, Stanaway was upset and emotional about losing Prince Vitality.

"People don't realise. This is like losing part of my family. This is the best schooled horse I've ever taken to the races," he said.

"He's jumped 44-gallon drums, logs, power poles (and) truck tyres."

Stanaway said another problem he encountered as a trainer was that there are no modular jumps to practice on near his stables at Torquay.

"We can't go in to Geelong. We haven't even got a galloping track there," he said."

Stanaway said rising 12-year-old Elwood, who has been brought out of retirement for a steeplechasing campaign, would probably be retired again as he had to race twice in hurdle races before being eligible to go `chasing due to some "ridiculous rules that are half the problem".

"In New Zealand I've had five and six year-olds who have had the first start in their life in a steeplechase," he said.

"RVL and the (RVL) stewards are telling me I have to go crash through their piddly little speed humps (hurdles) and then teach him to jump nice and clean (over the bigger obstacles) again.

"It'll just about be the finish of me. It's broken our hearts."

The death of Prince Vitality, the second horse fatality in a jumps race so far this season, has been referred to the Jumps Review Panel which meets on Wednesday.

Picture: Greg Irvine

Horse Euthanased After Jumps Fall

Sunday, 30 May 2010 07:59

Jumps racing in Victoria has suffered another death with Prince Vitality euthanased after a fall at Casterton on Sunday.

The seven-year-old injured his shoulder when he fell at the first fence in the steeplechase.

The race had to be abandoned when the horse ambulance became bogged down between two jumps meaning two horses had to alter course.

The death of Prince Vitality will be referred to the Jumps Review Panel.

New obstacles and protocols have been introduced to jumps racing this season in an attempt to save the sport after immense pressure for it to be banned.

Victoria and South Australia are the only two Australian states which conduct jumps racing.

Picture: Greg Irvine

Options For Smerdon Jumps Stars

Monday, 31 May 2010 07:45

Fresh from a winning treble at Moonee Valley on Saturday, trainer Robert Smerdon may try for a jumps double with half-brothers Some Are Bent and Black And Bent at Sandown on Wednesday.

Smerdon decided to accept with Black And Bent, who won his fourth straight race at Moonee Valley on Saturday when he scored impressively on the flat over 3000m.

However, he has also nominated the rising five-year-old for Saturday's $100,000 Banjo Paterson Series Heat 2 (2500m) at Flemington.

Smerdon's original intention was not to run Black And Bent over jumps again until the Australian Hurdle (3400m) on June 19.

With regular rider Brad McLean under suspension and not due to resume riding until June 19, Steven Pateman will ride Black And Bent and Some Are Bent if they take their places in the Winterset Hurdle and Redleap Steeplechase (3300m) respectively.

Both are topweights and will carry 70kg with all of their rivals on the 64kg minimum. Some Are Bent will have seven rivals and Black And Bent just five.

Black And Bent is racing in career-best form, winning at five of his past six starts.

The Black Hawk gelding won a Sandown 3300m hurdle beating Grizz by a half-head on April 21 before taking out the Galleywood Hurdle (3200m) at Warrnambool on May 5, beating Grizz by 1-3/4 lengths.

Dual jumper of the year Some Are Bent hasn't raced since falling in the Grand Annual Steeple (5500m) at Warrnambool on May 6.

But the rising nine-year-old pleased Smerdon with a soft second to Our Santa in a 2800m trial with Pateman aboard at Pakenham last Monday.

Some Are Bent, who carried 71kg when he won the Brierly Steeple (3450m) at Warrnambool on May 4, will go on to the Australian Steeple (3900m) at Sandown on June 19.

McLean, meanwhile, was suspended for six weeks on Monday on a charge of having a banned substance in his system when a urine sample was taken from him in a random drug test at Sandown on April 21.

Analysis of the sample showed the presence of phentermine which is consistent with the use of duramine, an appetite suppressant.

McLean was suspended from midnight on May 6 until midnight on June 18.

The suspension is to be served concurrently with the penalty he is currently serving for a similar breach of the rules handed down by Racing South Australia stewards at Oakbank for which he was outed from May 14 until June 11.

In reaching penalty, RVL stewards took into account McLean's guilty plea and the time he lost through injury after his fall from Some Are Bent in the Grand Annual.

Picture: Fiona Tomlin

Kite Wood A Cup Hope For Godolphin

Sunday, 30 May 2010 04:45

Kite Wood is emerging as a Melbourne Cup contender for the Godolphin stable in its bid to end to finally win Australia's most famous race.

Godolphin has come close with four placings in the Melbourne Cup and the prospects of another raid on the race by the world renowned stable look positive.

Leigh Jordon, Racing Victoria's general manager - racing operations, said it remained unclear which horse or horses would target the $6 million handicap ahead of the closing of entries on August 3.

However Kite Wood, a Group Two winner at Longchamp in France last weekend remains a distinct possibility.

"The race was over 3100 metres, he gave a great front running display and won in the manner of a horse that would be suited to the Melbourne Cup," Jordon told Racing Victoria Online.

The four-year-old will now be set for the Group One Ascot Gold Cup over 4000m on June 17 - day three of the famous Royal Ascot Carnival.

"We'll be watching that race with great interest to see how Kite Wood and several other quality stayers perform," Jordon said.

Another Godolphin horse creating interest for Jordon is former French-based galloper Cutlass Bay despite his failure in the Group One Tattersalls Gold Cup (2100m) at The Curragh in Ireland on May 23.

The previously unbeaten four-year-old won the Group One Prix De Ganay - a ballot exemption race for the Cox Plate - at Longchamp on May 2.

"The reports are he failed to handle the ground at The Curragh, but he's obviously a high quality horse so we'd definitely be interested in attracting him to this year's carnival," Jordon said.

Under the guidance of trainer Saeed bin Suroor, Godolphin's three seconds in the Melbourne Cup have come courtesy of Crime Scene (2009), Give The Slip (2001) and Central Park (1999), while Beekeeper finished third in 2002.

The Melbourne Cup is one of the few major races in the world to have eluded Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin operation.

The stable's biggest victory in Australia came with the win of 40-1 shot All The Good in the 2008 Caulfield Cup (2400m) with Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle.

McEvoy rode for Godolphin for several years in Europe before returning home to become the number one jockey for Sheikh Mohammed's Darley Australia.