Well-bred mares shine at Bendigo, Warwick Farm
Two mares out of Group 1 winners are headed toward stakes races over the spring after wins at Bendigo and Warwick Farm.
Silent Roar (Street Cry {Ire}) is out of SA Oaks and Derby winner Zarita (NZ) (Pentire {GB}) and proved too classy in a BM64 race at Bendigo over 1600m, winning by 2.25l.
She was a $550,000 buy at the 2016 Easter Sales and looks to be headed to some better races having claimed her second win in seven starts.
Silent Roar as a yearling
Aqua D'Ivina (Pierro) showed plenty of fight to win a BM76 race at Warwick Farm, and is now headed to a Listed race over the Melbourne carnival according to her trainer Matthew Smith.
Out of G1 winner Aqua D'Amore (Danehill), the 4-year-old overcame a life-threatening colic attack earlier this year to win her third race from six starts.
She was a $160,000 buy at the 2016 Magic Millions Yearling Sale.
Aqua D'lvina as a yearling
Verdon on Caulfield Cup brink
Having come through a much-publicised difficult plane trip, Red Verdon (USA) (Lemon Drop Kid (USA) is still in danger of missing a run in next week's G1 Caulfield Cup.
Trainer Ed Dunlop is keen to run Red Verdon in the 2400m race ahead of the Melbourne Cup, but the horse is currently 20th in the order of entry.
"Let's hope we get a start at Caulfield, we are just out of the race at the moment," foreman Robin Trevor-Jones told Racing.com.
"If he wasn't to get in we would probably, and that is probably, go to Geelong but there is the option of going to Moonee Valley as well, that is just a little later."
"As you know our English horses aren't as good at backing up as the Aussies, whether the trainer (Dunlop) would think Geelong and Melbourne Cup is a better option or to Moonee Valley is a better option I still need to work that out with him."
Red Verdon was part of the shipment of horses who were stuck for 16 hours in Sharjah aboard a plane which required a windscreen to be repaired.
Heartbreak for Dunn
Favourite Care To Think (So You Think {NZ} is out of the $1.3 million The Kosciuszko (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.
The Matt Dunn trained 5-year-old returned an elevated temperature on Wednesday and has been withdrawn.
"Of course it was a hard decision but he is a genuine Group One horse and we couldn't risk him on a trip from Murwillumbah to Sydney," Dunn said. "I had been happy with him and he had trialled well at Ballina. But he was race favourite and we had a responsibility to have him at his best."
"We will give him a break and we can look at the Magic Millions carnival and then the autumn and winter."
The Kosciuszko is a set weights and penalties race for country-trained horses. The 12 slot holders won their place in the race in a public sweepstake after buying an eligible ticket for $5.
No Ladies in Melbourne Cup
Trainer Allan Sharrock admits it is his fault Ladies First (NZ) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) won't be running in the G1 Melbourne Cup after he forgot to pay the entry fee.
Ladies First was missing when first acceptances for the race were taken on Tuesday, ruling the Auckland Cup winner out of the race.
"It was plain and simply an oversight and I have to own that," New Plymouth based Sharrock said.
"(Owners) Humphrey and Fiona (O'Leary) were very understanding and I'm incredibly grateful for that. I woke up in hot and cold sweats last night. It's a sackable offence as a trainer but they have been great."
Jon Snow (10th on the order of entry), Vin De Dance (17th), Zacada (34th), Charles Road (35th) and Pentathlon (58th) are the remaining New Zealand-trained entries in the race.
Richards takes time with Embellish
G1 NZ 2000 Guineas winner Embellish (NZ) (Savabeel) is nearing a racetrack return but will have another trial later this month.
Embellish hasn't been seen at the racetrack since running eighth in the G1 Australian Guineas in March and trainer Jamie Richards said he is no rush to get him back.
He trialled last week at Cambridge and will have another trial at Waipa on October 18.
“He’d been off for a long time and needed that trial last week,”Richards said. “He’s also had his issues so we’ll get a better line on him at the Waipa trials.”
Richards was also planning another trial for G3 OMF S. winner Chance To Dance (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}).
“He was almost ready to go but returned an ordinary blood (test) so we backed off him a bit,” Richards said. “He’ll trial at the end of the month.”
