Unforgotten's spring over
Star mare Unforgotten (Fastnet Rock) has been sent the paddock and won’t seen again until the autumn.
Trainer Chris Waller confirmed that the ATC Oaks winner, who held a nomination for the G1 Cox Plate, would be given a spell after finishing eighth in last weekend's G1 Ladbrokes S. at Caulfield.
Her 4-year-old spring campaign included a win in the G2 Chelmsford S. as well as a third in the G1 Epsom, where she was beaten less than a length.
Unforgotten was a NZ$360,000 buy at the 2016 Karaka Sales for Waller and she has won over $1.3 million with six wins from 13 starts.
Waller eyeing first Cup
Chris Waller believes Youngstar (High Chaparral {Ire}) can deliver him his first G1 Stella Artois Caulfield Cup on Saturday.
He told RSN that his mare has had the perfect preparation for the G1 race and he is confident she can live up to the market, which has her as equal favourite,
“She came through her Turnbull run very well and obviously that’s the most pleasing factor: not only did she run well but she’s come through in good shape," Waller said.
“Her work’s been very good, I haven’t had to do a lot with her. She’s not a big heavy horse yet, it’s been more maintenance work. Fourth run on Saturday and we’ve done everything we possibly can."
Waller has a long list of achievements in a decorated career, but the Caulfield Cup is not one of them, with his best finish fifth with Royal Descent (Redoute's Choice).
But he feels he has the right horse in the Queensland Oaks winner, who has the pedigree and the race record to be strong over the 2400m.
“I think see will be strong at the finish. She’s got the pedigree to back it up. There’s quite a bit of staying blood in her family and obviously being by High Chaparral, so sometimes you can see horses that are finishing off strongly and look like they’ll take that next step and then they don’t," he said,
“When you have the pedigree to back it up plus not only did she run in the Queensland Oaks she also ran in the Derby up there and probably should have won it."
Queensland strike set to stop major meetings
Queensland participants will go on strike on Saturday October 27, meaning all TAB meetings in the state look destined to be called off.
Meetings at Doomben, Gold Coast, Toowoomba and Townsville which have been programmed to coincide with Cox Plate Day, are unlikely to proceed after objections by a group comprised over jockeys, trainers, breeders and owners over how the spoils of a new Point Of Consumption Tax will be distributed.
The participants also plan to strike on Melbourne Cup Day, which threatens all programmed TAB meetings on that day.
"After years of neglect by various governments and with the current negotiations reaching a standstill with no sign of a positive resolution, the move to industrial action by the racing participants of Queensland is unfortunately now unavoidable," the Racing Industry Participants Association said in a statement.
"At this stage we will keep our commitment to allow the non-TAB meetings on both these days to proceed."
"This action has the full support of the four industry bodies comprising trainers, jockeys, breeders and owners and comes after a deadline yesterday for the government failed to deliver the requested commitment to return 100 per cent of the racing component of the Point of Consumption tax to racing."
"Despite claims that 100 per cent of this new tax will be returned to racing, the clear fact is none of this will be returned to thoroughbred racing this year. Prizemoney is our wages."
Cover Song Headed To Fasig
Celebrity chef Bobby Flay will sell Cover Song (USA) (Fastnet Rock) at Fasig-Tipton November. The graded stakes winner is in-foal to leading sire Dubawi (Ire).
Cover Song has received a host of updates over recent seasons. She's a half-sister to the multiple Group 1 winners U S Navy Flag (USA) and Roly Poly (USA).
“She has basically become too valuable for me to keep,” said Flay of his decision to sell the mare he purchased for $1,600,000 at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. “That’s really the bottom line. You don’t think you’re going to get six Grade 1 upgrades in a year when you buy something, but it happened, and this is probably one of the best families to be offered in decades.”
Waiting for Patrick Erin
Waller is sweating on a withdrawal for Patrick Erin (NZ) (Yamanin Vital {NZ}) to sneak into Saturday’s G1 Caulfield Cup.
“Unfortunately, he is the first emergency in the Caulfield Cup on Saturday, but if he does gain a start he certainly deserves his position there after winning the Metropolitan," Chris Waller told RSN.
“His runs this preparation have all been very good – not just winning the Metropolitan, but his run prior to that behind Avilius and Brimham Rocks seems to be good form.
“It was certainly an eye catching run and a tough 2400 metres is exactly what he is looking for.
“He is the winner of 11 races on varying tracks from good to soft, Corey Brown is booked to ride on Saturday from barrier 12 so we are just hoping to see him gain a start.”
Should Patrick Erin not gain a Caulfield Cup berth, the G3 Geelong Cup on Wednesday or the G2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup next Saturday are possible Plan B options.
New look Guineas market
Melt (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) and Xpression (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}) are the new equal favourites for next month’s G1 gavelhouse.com New Zealand 1000 Guineas at Riccarton.
They have been elevated to the top of the Classic market following confirmation that Avantage (Fastnet Rock) won’t be making the trip south.
Trainer Jamie Richards has confirmed that the filly will be side-lined for six weeks to recover from a muscular issue.
She was taken out of her latest engagement at Matamata and subsequent results of a bone scan have pinpointed the problem.
It is a major disappointment for the connections of last season’s champion 2-year-old, who had opened her 1000 Guineas preparation with a smart win in the G3 Gold Trail S., at Hawke’s Bay.
NZB Breeze-ups Online
The Breeze-ups for New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale are now available online to view.
Earlier this week, 397 youngsters breezed down the home straight at Te Rapa Racecourse with their last 200 metres of work filmed and timed.
Sale graduates have gone on to perform at the highest level and include the likes of three-time Group 1 winners Gingernuts (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}, Turn Me Loose (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB} and Mongolian Khan (Holy Roman Emperor {IRE}).
The sale will take place at New Zealand Bloodstock’s famed Karaka Sales complex on November 21 and 22.
Breeze-up videos can be viewed on New Zealand Bloodstock’s website.
Lofty targets for Wyndspelle
All avenues will be pursued with Wyndspelle (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) to boost his future stallion potential.
Group 1 goals are the targets for last season’s Toorak H., placegetter, who has made a pleasing recovery from the cold that forced him out of G1 Livamol Classic contention.
“He’ll go to the Thompson Handicap next Saturday and then he will have a freshen-up for the Captain Cook at the start of December,” co-trainer Johnno Benner said.
“We want to win a Group One race in New Zealand with him as he’s an entire.
“He’s a grouse horse to have around, he’s just a gentleman and every time he goes to the races he gives you 110 percent he deserves to win a decent race.”
Meanwhile, smart filly Miss Valencia (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) will be back in action on her home track at Otaki on Sunday.
She finished third on debut and was put aside after she won her following start at Trentham.
“Miss Valencia is a very promising filly that we think can get into the better fillies’ races after Christmas,” Benner said.
“She’s nice and forward for Sunday, she’s had a couple of good trials and she won a jump-out last week impressively.”
Part-owned by Cranbourne trainer Mick Kent, Miss Valencia was a NZ$47,500 Karaka purchase and is out of the Fastnet Rock mare Pastrana. She is a half-sister to the dam of the Singapore stakes winner Born To Fly (Mossman).
