Colt remains undefeated
Progressive colt Mansa Musa (Snitzel) successfully retained his unbeaten record following further success at Warwick Farm on Wednesday, which earns him a shot at black type.
Off the back of a Gosford debut victory, he made all the play in front in the American Pharoah @ Coolmore Australia H., and, after dashing clear 300 metres from home, he had in enough in reserve to remain undefeated.
“He’s needed a bit of time,” trainer Gerald Ryan said. “We’ll test him in the Brian Crowley Stakes on the 20th, 1200 metres may pull him up but we’ll see.
“He was a bit colty early on, but he’s settled down now and he’s a thorough gentleman.”
Mana Musa is out of the Elusive Quality (USA) mare One Sweet Day, whose three foals to race are all winners and she boasts an international pedigree. She is a half-sister to the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest winner King Charlemagne (USA) (Nureyev {USA}), who was a Group-winning producer at stud.
Mana Musa had worked alongside stablemate Trapeze Artist (Snitzel) ahead of his Warwick Farm success and Ryan is delighted with his The Everest contender.
A three-time Group 1 winner, Trapeze Artist was a last-start fourth in the G2 Premiere S.
“He’s come out of the race terrific, he looks better for it and trimmed up,” Ryan said. “I’m very happy with the horse.”
Internationals free to run on Guineas day
Horses currently stabled at the Werribee International Horse Centre are eligible for release from quarantine on Saturday week.
Racing Victoria has announced that Australia’s Department of Agriculture and Water Resources has confirmed that, subject to all import conditions being met by the horses, including negative equine influenza tests and satisfactory final veterinary examinations.
The approval means the 24 horses from Europe can run, if planned, on Ladbrokes G1 Caulfield Guineas Day.
The announcement has alleviated concerns around quarantine periods that arose last weekend after a plane carrying horses from London to Melbourne was delayed in transit at Sharjah Airport for 20 hours after a cracked windscreen.
“The Department were satisfied that the 19 horses affected by the damaged airplane windscreen while in transit to Melbourne were maintained in conditions that managed the biosecurity risk during their lengthy delay in Sharjah and throughout their flight to Australia,” RV General Manager – International and Racing Operations, Paul Bloodworth, said.
Nine chasing a dream
Nine horses have accepted to take on the wonder mare Winx (Street Cry {IRE}) in the G1 Turnbull S., at Flemington.
She will be chasing her 28th successive win and 21st Group 1 victory in Saturday's 2000 metre feature ahead of the G1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.
The winner of last year's Turnbull, Winx has barrier eight in the field of 10 with trainer Chris Waller also accepting with Winx's stablemate Youngstar (High Chaparral {IRE}).
Caulfield Cup favourite Kings Will Dream (IRE) (Casamento {IRE}) has drawn the inside gate while dual Flemington Group 1 winner Grunt (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ} will jump from gate eight.
Top family on show
A filly from the family of a former European Horse of the Year made a stirring first-up impact at Ruakaka on Wednesday.
The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained Last Sight (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}) made a successful debut in the Burgundy @ Cambridge Stud Juvenile.
Pride of place in the 2-year-old’s pedigree page is Minding (IRE) (Galileo {IRE}), who was a multiple Group 1 winner.
Last Sight settled into a cosy spot behind the pace and she quickly took advantage of a rails run 200 metres from home to make the ideal start to her career for breeder-owner Kevin Hickman.
“She had a bit of luck in the run and finished off really well,” Wellwood said. “We’ve got to thank the team at Valachi and to win a 2-year-old race at this time of the season, everyone has got to do their part so it’s a good result.”
Looks could be deceptive
Quality filly Melt (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) may not be looking the part just yet, but she’s ready to play it in Saturday’s G2 Sacred Falls Hawke’s Bay Guineas.
“She’s still a hairy-looking goat, her coat hasn’t come through but she’s very sharp,” trainer Nigel Tiley said.
“It’s a good field, but I know she’s improved and with a bit of luck in the running she’ll be hard to beat.”
A multiple stakes winner and Group 1 performer as a 2-year-old, The Andrew Fowler-bred and owned Melt is unbeaten this season ahead of her showdown with the colts and geldings in the Hastings age group feature.
Ambitious out for spring
Ambitious (JPN) (Deep Impact {JPN}), who held Group 1 entries for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups and the Cox Plate, will take no further part in the spring carnival.
Trainer Anthony Freedman’s stable has told Racing Victoria that the 6-year-old had not pulled up well after the G1 Turnbull S., at Caulfield and would be spelled.
A Group 2 and 3 winner in Japan, Ambitious finished runner-up in the G1 Tancred S., in the autumn and finished third in the G1 Doomben Cup during the Queensland winter festival.
He resumed with a sixth placing in the G2 Dato Tan Chin Nam S., before beating one runner home in the Underwood.
