Newnham Confident Against Magic Opposition
Thursday, 12th December 2019
Trainer Mark Newnham’s entrants in feature races are a threat at the best of times, but when he exudes confidence about a runner he’s seldom far off the money. At Wyong today, Newnham’s filly Every Rose (Choisir-Couredge, by Show A Heart) looks set to start in the red when she contests the Restricted Listed Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic (1100m) and the former jockey isn’t arguing with the market assessment. According to dailytelegraph.com.au, Newnham said, “She has come back really well off a short three week break after [winning] the Gimcrack. We are still a while out from her main goal ($2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic) but she is ready enough for this race [and] going every bit as good as I would like her to with a bit of improvement to come.” The biggest threats to Every Rose are expected to come from Strike and Farnan.
Every Rose (pic: Steve Hart)
4.50pm: Restricted Listed Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic (1100m)
Thursday, 12th December 2019
Team Corstens Eying Millions Carrot with Morrissy
Thursday, 12th December 2019
The Leon and Troy Corsten-trained Morrissy (Snitzel-Extension Of Time, by Dash For Cash) is being targeted at the $1 million Magic Millions Cup (1400m) on the Gold Coast in January, but as punters.com.au reports, needs to press his claims on Saturday when he lines up in a BM84 at Flemington over the same trip. According to Troy Corstens, the talented son of Snitzel has been unlucky to have missed out on a victory this preparation, recording two placings from three starts, but is ebullient about his chances on Saturday. "He's been a bit unlucky in two of his runs so hopefully we can put that to bed on Saturday and get a good win," he said. "I'm really pleased with him and I think the big, wide open, spacious track of Flemington should really suit him."Exciting Season To Continue for Noble
Thursday, 12th December 2019
New Zealand trainer Lance Noble is having an excellent season with his 3YO fillies and hopes it will continue with Manchu (Redoute's Choice-Empress Cixi, by Shamardal) on Saturday at Awapuni, reported racingnews.co.nz. Manchu has won a win and three placings from five starts and will step up in class to the Gr3 Eulogy Stakes over 1600m. "She has been racing pretty solidly and just got beaten last week," Noble said. "The start before that she finished third to Riodini, so the form stacks up okay. We originally weren't going to go to Manawatu, we were going to go straight to Ellerslie, but when the field came up with only seven nominations, we changed tack. I think 1600m should suit her and Manawatu has got a big, roomy straight, so that should suit her as well." Her only failure among her five starts to date was in the Gr2 James & Anne Sarten Memorial Stakes over 1400m, and Noble said, "She just drew wide that day and we got caught three and four wide the whole trip. Nothing quite panned out, it was mission impossible from where she was." Three other 3YO fillies in the Noble stable are worth watching out for, being Familia (Makfi-Enjay, by High Chaparral), Avadane (Savabeel-J'Adane, by Danehill), and Bavella (Snitzel-Zonza, by Zabeel). "Familia was a nice third last start (Gr3 Bonecrusher Stakes, 1400m) and she will head to the Ladies Mile (Gr2, 1600m) on Boxing Day," Noble said. "Avadane had a couple of weeks off after Riccarton (Gr1 One Thousand Guineas) and there is a Listed 1400m (Uncle Remus Stakes) race for her on Boxing Day. Bavella, we are just going to keep her fresh and she will wait until Karaka Millions night. There is a 3YO Gr3 1200m race (Mr Tiz Trophy) for her."
Bavella (pic: Kenton Wright)
Flemington Set for Summer Action
Thursday, 12th December 2019
The Victoria Racing Club (VRC) is gearing up for a sensational summer of racing, with Flemington to play host to six race days across December, January and February. In a first for Flemington, the summer action will kick off with the December Twilight Race Day on Saturday 14 December, one of three new twilight race days on the summer calendar. December Twilight Race Day will provide racegoers with a chance to experience racing at headquarters like never before, with gates opening at a later time of 2.00pm with the first race to be run at 3.00pm. Racegoers can enjoy all the food, entertainment and racing action throughout the afternoon and into the evening including dinner service, with the last race set to jump at 8.00pm.The Club Stand's spectacular Roof Garden will be the place to be for members looking to soak up the summer sunshine and take in all the action from one of Melbourne's most impressive rooftop venues. Best of all The Roof Garden and G.H.Mumm Champagne Bar will be open until 9pm, for all members to enjoy the famous Flemington hospitality.Substantial Reforms Underway for NZ Racing
Thursday, 12th December 2019
In New Zealand, the Racing Industry Transition Agency (RITA) is celebrating the introduction last week of the Racing Industry Bill, a significant milestone for the industry which includes substantial reforms to replace the Racing Act 2003. The first reading of the bill took place on Tuesday, and according to racingnews.com, RITA Chairman Dean McKenzie is thrilled that the Government has so thoroughly recognised and upheld the need for change within the industry. "The revitalisation of the New Zealand racing industry is well underway thanks to the commitment and support of the Government," he said. "The new Bill is the culmination of the most significant reform of racing since 2003 and follows the Racing Reform Act which came into force on July 1 and included the gradual repeal of the betting levy and enabling regulations for a Point of Consumption Charge and Betting Information Use Charges."Quackerjack Opens as Villiers Favourite
Thursday, 12th December 2019
Despite drawing barrier 11 for the Gr2 Villiers Stakes at Randwick on Saturday, the Mark Newnham trainer Quackerjack (Not a Single Doubt-Quack It, by Ustinov) has opened as the TAB favourite at $4.20, reported horsebetting.com.au. Rachel King has been booked for the ride with regular jockey Josh Parr unable to make the lighter weight. "He is a Rating 96 horse and we thought he would get 53 or 54 kilos so we booked Rachel," Newnham said. "It's unfortunate for Josh but we have to book jockeys so early now." Quackerjack enters the Villiers off two runs this preparation, a win in the Goulburn Cup over 1400m and second in the $1 million The Gong over a mile behind Mister Sea Wolf (Amadeus Wolf-Rose de France, by Diktat). "He is in good shape and he is holding his form," Newnham said, "This has been a plan six months in the making and it would be great if he could win the Villiers. It would have been nice to win the million dollar race on the way as well but the barrier (11) beat him." The winner of the Villiers gains an automatic berth in the Doncaster Mile in April. "If he can win the Villiers then you would think he would get into the Doncaster on a light weight," Newnham said. "He ran second to Kolding earlier this year so that's good form."
Quackerjack (pic: Steve Hart)
Jockey Bayliss Returns to Australia
Thursday, 12th December 2019
High profile young jockey Regan Bayliss has confirmed he will not renew his riding contract with the Hong Kong Jockey Club when it expires on December 31, reports racing.com. The 22-year-old arrived in Hong Kong in February and rode four winners before injury cut his season short in June. He has ridden two winners so far this season. Bayliss told his twitter followers he would be returning to Melbourne where he will resume race riding from early January 2020. Bayliss is a three-time Gr1 winner in Melbourne, having partnered Redkirk Warrior (Notnowcato-Flag, by Selkirk) to back-to-back Newmarket Handicap wins in 2017 and 2018, and victory in the 2018 Black Caviar Lightning.Victoria Derby winner Extra Brut Dies in Accident
Thursday, 12th December 2019
Former Victoria Derby winner Extra Brut (Domesday-Dom Perion, by Redoute's Choice) died in Hong Kong on Tuesday morning after being injured in an accident on a walking machine, reports skyracingworld.com. The Gr1 winner had been scheduled to have a barrier trial at Sha Tin later that morning. "It is very sad, very unusual accident," trainer Frankie Lor told the South China Morning Post. The 4YO had his first start as a spring 3YO, winning four of his seven starts, including the Gr1 Victoria Derby, and Listed VRC UCI Stakes, as well as running third in the Gr1 LKS Mackinnon Stakes. In the autumn, he had two starts before being sent to Hong Kong, where he most recently ran third in his Hong Kong debut over a mile in the HKJC Chevalier Cup. Extra Brut's dam has a yearling full-brother to him.
Derby Hero Authorised Sold to Turkey
Thursday, 12th December 2019
Gr1 Epsom Derby winning stallion Authorized (Montjeu-Funsie, by Saumarez) is the latest high-profile sire sold to Turkey. According to the Racing Post, the Turkish Jockey Club are looking to reinvigorate their stallion ranks for the 2020 season, and debatably Authorized is their most significant purchase yet. Trained by Peter Chapple-Hyam in the UK, the 15 year old Gr1-producer sired Australian champions Hartnell, Complacent and Pounamu, yet his fame in Turkey has preceded his purchase, including local champions Toruk Macto and Bici Bici. He will join stallions Bodemeister and Super Saver from North America and Myboycharlie from France.Japanese Darling Back for Gr1 Arima Kinen
Thursday, 12th December 2019
In a final coup for Japanese racing after a superb season, it has been confirmed that Japanese Horse of the Year Almond Eye (Lord Kanaloa-Fusaichi Pandora) will indeed take her place in the already strong field of the Gr1 Arima Kinen (2500m) on Dec 22 at Nakayama Racecourse. bloodhorse.com reports that trainer Sakae Kunieda is pleased with the mare's progress since missing the Gr1 Hong Kong Cup earlier in the month due to an elevated temperature, and regular jockey Christopher Lemaire has deemed her ready to run at her best. "It could be the race of the decade with a lot of Gr1 winners [engaged]. Hopefully, Almond Eye will show her class again," he said in a video posted by World Horse Racing. The multiple Gr1 winning daughter of Lord Kanaloa has not raced since the end of October, when she triumphed in the Gr1 Tenno Sho in Tokyo.
Leading British Trainer Says No To Apprentices
Thursday, 12th December 2019
Leading British trainer Andrew Balding, the original master of star jockeys Oisin Murphy and William Buick, has decided to stop accepting apprentices into his stable, reports racing.com. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) have imposed new rules granting apprentice jockeys a greater slice of earnings and riding fees from March next year. The BHA decision has been supported by the Professional Jockeys Association but not the National Trainers Federation, with other leading British trainers such as Richard Fahey, Richard Hannon and Mark Johnston against the move. "I can safely predict that under your new amendments, the young jockeys of the future will almost all be related to trainers as nepotism will be the only reason that trainers are incentivised to give young inexperienced jockeys rides," Balding wrote in an open letter to BHA CEO Nick Rust.