Taralye Foundation Race Day At Caulfield
- Friday, 21 May 2010 01:24
The Melbourne Racing Club is welcoming the Taralye Foundation back to Caulfield on Saturday for their fifth annual race day.
Based in Blackburn, Taralye is a Victorian based not-for-profit organisation that aims to improve the linguistic, educational and social development of young deaf and hearing impaired children through a range of diagnostic, early intervention and early childhood programs.
The Taralye Foundation seeks gifts and contributions from donors to fund new service initiatives, research into early intervention for children who are born deaf and for the expansion and development of Taralye’s statewide services.
In association with Melbourne Racing Club, it is proud to renew a partnership which is certain to have a significant impact on the lives of deaf and hearing impaired children in Victoria.
The Taralye Centre was opened in 1968 and the Taralye Foundation was established in 2002.
Hearing impairment is a significant condition in newborns, and permanent hearing impairment affects approximately 250-400 babies in Australia each year.
Saturday’s race meeting is a major focus in the annual fundraising efforts of the organisation when funds are raised for babies and children, both deaf and hearing impaired, at Taralye.
Taralye acknowledges and sincerely thanks the organisations who support them on this day with their generous sponsorship, in particular the Victorian Government, through their Responsible Gambling Awareness Initiative, who have supported the foundation in 2010.
Additional supporters of the Taralye Foundation this year include Catanach’s Jewellers, The Chase Hotel, Sportsbet, Australian Leisure & Hospitality Group, PFD Foods, Jimjoca and BWS.
Toulouse Lautrec Returns At Pakenham
- Thursday, 20 May 2010 14:00
The grey, Toulouse Lautrec, returns to the jumping caper at Pakenham on Sunday in an attempt to win his second Great Southern Steeplechase.
After a break of 18 months, resulting from a tendon injury, the old fellow is keen to get back among the up and over brigade.
He has been treated quite well weight wise with just four kilo above the limit for the trip of 3200 metres.
The big grey is the horse to beat, it’s just a matter of whether he handles Pakenham which is a tight circuit for steeplechasing.
He shouldn’t lack anything on the score of fitness, he has had three starts in flat races and a couple of trials which will have sharpened him up for Sunday’s assignment.
Nikolic Out To Clear His Name Next Month
- Thursday, 20 May 2010 03:47
Jockey Danny Nikolic is looking forward to the chance to clear his name when the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board next month hears nine charges laid against him.
Nikolic says his reputation has been damaged and he will defend the charges on June 21.
Stewards spent four months investigating 10 of his rides dating back to October last year.
The nine charges include two of improper practice and two of conduct prejudicial to the interests of racing relating to bets laid on betting exchange Betfair.
He is also charged with engaging in improper behaviour and four counts of leaving the jockeys' room during riding commitments to use his mobile phone.
No charges relate to his handling of any of his 10 rides that were under investigation.
Nikolic maintained his innocence throughout the marathon inquiry.
Picture: Colin Bull
Nicconi To Gallop At Caulfield
- Thursday, 20 May 2010 07:45
Dual Group One winner Nicconi will be the star attraction when he gallops between races at Caulfield as part of his build-up to next month's Group One King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.
The Melbourne Racing Club has organised for the David Hayes-trained sprinter to work alone over 1000 metres between the fifth and sixth races on Saturday.
Steven Arnold will ride Nicconi in the special gallop but champion international jockey Frankie Dettori will take the reins on the four-year-old in the King's Stand Stakes on June 15.
Hayes wants to give Nicconi a searching gallop to ensure he is close to his peak before leaving for England.
Nicconi has raced 15 times and earned $998,450 in prizemoney but has failed at his last two Group One starts in the William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on February 13 and Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 6.
Nicconi's six wins have included Group One successes in the 2009 The Galaxy and this year's Lightning Stakes.
Picture: Quentin Lang
Geelong Drought-proofed At Last
- Thursday, 20 May 2010 03:47
The Geelong Racing Club should never lose another race meeting because of water restrictions with a long-overdue opening of a $380,000 stormwater harvesting project that drought-proofs the racecourse.
The state government, along with the Regional Racing Infrastructure Fund, Racing Victoria Limited (RVL) and Country Racing Victoria (CRV), funded the project after Geelong was unable to use its turf track from March through to July last year because of inadequate water.
Geelong members have long waited for drought-proofing action despite the obvious stress on the Geelong water supply.
Deputy premier and racing minister Rob Hulls, who officially opened the new water system on Thursday, said the project's ability to tap into a previously unused water source would supply more than enough water for the Geelong track's irrigation purposes.
"This project represents the future for the Geelong Racing Club in that it provides independence from the community's water source and allows the club to keep its racecourse in prime condition," Hulls said.
"It can pump 110 megalitres of stormwater into useable water to irrigate the Geelong racecourse, which uses about 70 megalitres a year."
Hill Faces Charges Next Week
- Thursday, 20 May 2010 07:15
Apprentice Jack Hill will have three mobile phone-related charges heard by the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board next Wednesday.
Racing Victoria stewards charged Hill with making a false declaration, giving false evidence and for having a mobile phone in his possession in the jockeys' room at Wednesday's Sandown meeting.
Picture: Colin Bull
Vasil Appeals Against Fine
- Thursday, 20 May 2010 01:25
Trainer Tony Vasil has opted to go to the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary (RAD) Board after lodging an appeal against the verdict handed out in regards to the sale of three-year-old filly Elviine.
Vasil was found guilty and fined $1,500 on Tuesday of failing to notifying stewards that his filly Elviine bled from both nostrils prior to her sale in December 2009.
The Caulfield-based trainer will contest both the decision and severity of penalty imposed by Racing Victoria Limited (RVL) stewards.
His appeal hearing has been scheduled for Friday, June 4 at 11:30am.
Elviine is now trained in Queensland by Natalie Mccall and has only had one trial at Eagle Farm whilst in her care.
Picture: Quentin Lang
Boy Wins Winter Champ Heat At Bendigo
- Thursday, 20 May 2010 07:07
Georgia’s Boy maintained his unbeaten record at Bendigo after winning the first heat of the VRC/CRV Winter Championship series this afternoon.
Ridden positively from barrier four by Brent Stanley, Georgia’s Boy raced in the box-seat before sprinting quickly at the top of the straight to hold off the late challenge of Dr Nipandtuck.
Trained by Gary Sherer at Tatura, Georgia’s Boy ($6-$7.50-$6) defeated Dr Nipandtuck ($12-$15) in today's 1300 metre race with Lord Pyrus ($4.20-$5) finishing a further length adrift and 1.3 lengths from the winner.
True Tales ($6) appears to have a bright preparation ahead of him, finishing nicely from the rear of the field to finish fourth while Reverberates ($5) failed to make any impression from her midfield position.
Favourite The Red Emperor ($4.80 fav) finished in sixth position after racing three-wide the entire trip.
The win ensured Georgia’s Boy is yet to be defeated from three starts at Bendigo.
“He’s super honest and this is just his pet distance over 1300 or 1400 metres,” Stanley said.
“He drew good and it was always our intention to race in the first three or four.
“He is a horse that doesn’t usually dashes but today he surprised, he dashed quite quick and held them off nice,” he added.
Boasting a record of five wins and eight placings from 26 starts, Georgia’s Boy has accumulated $163,884 in prizemoney.
The second heat of the Winter Championship series will be held on Sunday, May 30 at Cranbourne.
Winter Championship Standings (after Heat 1)
Georgia’s Boy – 10
Dr Nipandtuck – 8
Lord Pyrus – 7
True Tales - 6
Reverberates – 5
The Red Emperor – 4
Kudeta – 3
Raid The Royals – 2
Monsieur Feraud – 1
Sheedy – 1
Price Chasing Bonus With Unbeaten Gelding
- Thursday, 20 May 2010 00:41
Winning a jump-out on Tuesday morning in eye-catching style unbeaten three-year-old Our Baby Bonus appears ready to pick up where he left off.
Trainer Mick Price was a keen observer of the 650m jump-out and was soon pondering a course of action for the son of Dash For Cash following the four length victory.
"This time of year we will definitely be looking to maximise his earning potential by focusing on Super Vobis races," said Price flicking through his race calendar.
"At this stage we will probably start out in the Super Vobis 1000m race at Moonee Valley on the 29th."
The Three-Year-Old Handicap in question carries a $30,000 Super Vobis bonus to the winner and would certainly be a good stepping stone to the Listed $125,000 A.R. Creswick Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on June 12.
But Price is reluctant to set the gelding's preparation in stone and whilst he admits the Creswick is enticing, he is keeping his options open.
"We will think about the Creswick and I don't believe he will have any drama's with the 1200m," said Price.
"Ideally we will find winnable Open Handicaps with the Super Vobis incentives."
Stable apprentice Jason Maskiell was the pilot for the jump-out and wasn't backward when assessing the lightly raced gallopers ability.
"Not many horses can match his turn of foot," said Maskiell after the work out.
"He showed great early pace today and dictated the short sprint on his terms"
"I have always had an opinion of him but I think he has improved again this time in," Maskiell added.
There is a lot to like about the speedy grey who was selected by Price himself at the 2008 Inglis Autumn Yearling Sale for just $42,500 a figure already eclipsed with career earnings in excess of $100,000.
Photo by Fiona Tomlin & Colin Bull
Mont Fleuri To Get Another Brisbane Tilt
- Thursday, 20 May 2010 06:45
Promising filly Mont Fleuri will get another chance to head north for a Brisbane campaign after failing in her comeback run from injury at Flemington two weeks ago.
Trainer Lee Freedman was hoping that the daughter of Cape Cross would already be in Queensland for the carnival but kept her home after her unflattering last-start eighth to Dubleanny.
Freedman's racing manager Sam Pritchard-Gordon said blinkers would go back on the filly in the hope of an improved run in Saturday's Sportsbet.com.au Thing Handicap (1200m) at Caulfield.
"She can be a bit tricky and last time overraced early and then finished the race off only fair," Pritchard-Gordon said.
"Had she been in a bit of form she would be in Queensland now but she will get another chance.
"She will have to run a much improved race but I think Caulfield suits her."
Mont Fleuri's only win was at her race debut at Caulfield in March last year when the stable flagged her as potentially its best two-year-old.
She showed promise in the spring, placing third to Irish Lights and Set For Fame in the Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m), and was beaten just over length when fifth to Majestic Music in the Group Two Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m).
She had fetlock chips removed after losing form at her next two starts in the Thousand Guineas and Wakeful Stakes.
"We were really excited about her but she never carried it through last spring," Pritchard-Gordon said.
He said her first-up run could be forgiven as she hadn't raced for six months after the fetlock surgery.
Pritchard-Gordon said Mont Fleuri was a finicky eater which also made it a challenge to get the best out of her.
Chris Symons, who is the only jockey to win on Mont Fleuri, retains the ride.
Among her rivals on Saturday is the Peter Snowden-trained Screen who confounded the stable when she finished behind Mont Fleuri in second last place at Flemington when also resuming.
Paul Snowden said that Screen overraced for the first time in her four runs and would have a gear change and race without winkers on Saturday.
"After they went a furlong (200m) we knew she was going to fall in a hole," Snowden said.
"It is not in her nature to overrace like she did but she came through the race okay and has done super since."
Screen was also on the comeback trail from injury after being badly galloped on and stripping one of her heels half-off at Moonee Valley in December.
At her two previous starts the Lonhro filly had won at the Valley and at Kilmore.
Championship Contender Returns To Form
- Wednesday, 19 May 2010 14:00
Today marks the start of the prestigious VRC/VRC Winter Championship Series at Bendigo but it was a winner at Betfair Park Sandown Lakeside yesterday that already looms as a genuine series contender.