Jockey trio out of Caulfield Cup contention
Mark Zahra, Glyn Schofield and Tye Angland will all miss the Caulfield Cup in two weeks' time after all were suspended on a busy day of Group 1 racing across Australia.
Schofield was given a 10-meeting ban for his winning ride aboard Avilius (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) in G3 The Bart Cummings (2500m) for careless riding.
Zahra was found guilty of the same charge and received the same penalty for his ride on runner-up Krone (Eurozone) in the G2 Edward Manifold Stakes.
Both men have opted to defer their ban, with Schofield on Le Romain (Hard Spun {USA}) in The TAB Everest at Randwick next week and Zahra on Krone and Declarationofheart (Declaration of War {USA}) in the Thousand and Caulfield Guineas respectively.
Jye McNeil received a nine-meeting ban at Flemington as well.
At Randwick, Angland was outed for seven days for careless riding aboard Aramayo (Poet's Voice {GB}) in the G1 Spring Champion S.
Angland pleaded guilty to shifting out and contacting Tarka (All Too Hard) at the 300m mrk. He is unable to ride from Sunday October 14 to Sunday October 21, meaning he will miss any rides on Caulfield Cup day.
Big Dea out
Brisbane trainer Steven O'Dea enjoyed a remarkable day out at Randwick on Saturday with a double from siblings Doubt Defying (Not a Single Doubt) and Sesar (Sebring).
O'Dea had not trained a Sydney metro winner before Doubt Defying's success in the Cellarbrations Hcp and then 80 minutes later was toasting Group 2 success with Sesar in the Roman Consul S.
“It really is satisfying to get this colt to come here first up as a 3yo. He showed so much raw ability last prep. To go on and do what he’s done today, they were hectic early," he said of Sesar.
"I can’t say I wasn’t worried in the first half of the race when he was off the bridle chasing. He was starting to struggle coming to the turn, but the run came on the fence and there was plenty of room there. He went through his gears.”
Sesar is now headed to Melbourne to the Listed Gothic S. before contesting the G3 Carbine Club S. over the Flemington carnival.
Both of O'Dea's winners are out of Sarthemare (Street Cry {Ire}).
Gun start for 2yo at Doomben
A superb Doomben debut from 2-year-old Guntantes (Rothesay) has trainer Robert Heathcote and jockey Dale Smith extremely excited.
Guntantes put on a sizzling display over the 1050m in Brisbane's first metro 2YO race of the season, winning by nearly four lengths, impressing his experienced jockey.
"I have ridden some very good two-year-olds in Melbourne for trainers like Mick Price and this bloke is up with them," Smith said.
The colt's dam Cantantes has already produced two stakes winners in Excellantes and Funtantes and while she passed away earlier this year, Heathcote feels she may have left them with the best of the lot.
"We lost Cantantes in February after a long career at stud but she might have left us something special," Heathcote said. "Maybe he will be the best. We can only hope."
The first Brisbane 2YO fillies race was won by Courseshewill (Unencumbered), who made it two wins from two having won the traditional season-opener at Toowoomba two weeks ago.
She is now to be set for the Magic Millions.
Meanwhile in Adelaide, the Lindsay Park-trained Sebrakate (Sebring) upset the more fancied stablemate Fanaar (Stratum) in South Australia's first 2-year-old race of the season.
Derby goal for talented Langkawi
The long-term target for the promising Langkawi (Helmet) is the G1 New Zealand Derby.
The gelding put an end to four consecutive runner-up finishes on Saturday when won the Stella Artois Special Conditions event at Hastings on Saturday.
Langkawi is trained by part-owner Peter McKay, who has tipped a particularly bright future for the horse.
“He’s still a green horse and he’ll be better after Christmas when he’s more mature,” he said.
“When he knows what he’s doing he’s going to be a pretty good stayer. He’s not quite ready yet to take on the Guineas horses, we’ve tagged the Derby for him.”
He is from the same family as Puccini (Encosta De Lago), who won the Classic for the stable in 2014.
Ridden by McKay’s son Shaun, Langkawi raced in the leading pack and finished determinedly in the run home to open his account at his fifth appearance.
Awatane turns back clock
Memories of a former class act flooded back at Hastings on Saturday when Awatane (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) returned an impressive first-up effort.
The lightly-raced 6-year-old came from last in the running to claim the Mardigras Events H., and account for Bella Gioia (NZ) (Swiss Ace), who ran second in the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas two years ago, and last season’s G3 Cambridge Breeders’ S., winner Power O’Hata (NZ) (Power {GB}).
Awatane is trained by Alby MacGregor, who also prepared relative and Group 1 winner Fritzy Boy (NZ) (Brilliance {USA}).
“He’s a pretty fair horse this one and he is out of a half-sister to Fritzy Boy,” he said.
Fritzy Boy claimed the G1 Mudgway Partsworld S., (now the Tarzino Trophy), 10 years ago and he was also a multiple Group 3 winner.
Premature end at Riccarton
The Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting at Riccarton on Saturday came to an abrupt end.
A track inspection took place after the opening event, in which Red River Rock (NZ) Red Giant {USA}) slipped near the 600 metre mark.
At that stage, stipendiary steward Matthew Williamson said it was a ‘racing incident’ and all jockeys were happy to continue riding.
However, after race three they certainly weren’t with Faux Pas (NZ) (Dalghar {FR}) also losing its footing.
Another delegation of stewards, club officials and jockeys viewed the problem area and the meeting was subsequently called off.
“It’s just devastating. I can’t understand it, there were no indications during the week that anything was wrong,” Club chief executive Tim Mills said. “We are going to endeavour to race on Tuesday.”
Captain Cook path for Wyndspelle
Wyndspelle (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) was forced to miss Saturday’s G1 Livamol Classic, but plans are already in place for another top-flight target.
“He’s had an elevated temperature and we wouldn’t risk him,” said Johno Benner, who trains with Hollie Wynyard.
“He’ll go to the Thomson H., now and then the G1 Captain Cook S.”
Wyndspelle was a Group 2 winner and Group 1 placed when trained by Donna Logan before the gelding crossed the Tasman for a stint in Victoria with Michael Kent.
Although he failed to win in Australia, he did finish third in the G1 Kennedy Mile last year and was relocated to his new quarters for this campaign.
Wyndspelle was a first-up sixth in the G1 Tarzino Trophy before finishing well for third in the G1 Windsor Park Plate.
