Breakthrough for She Will Reign's sister

She Will Reign's (Manhattan Rain) younger half-sister Rosina Kojonup (Shamus Award) broke her maiden in style at Hawkesbury on Wednesday.

The filly led all the way to win by 1.25 lengths with a big gap back to third and trainer Bjorn Baker described Rosina Kojonup as 'a bit of a work in progress'.

“I dare say there’ll be a few horses come out of that race today, it looks like it was stronger than your average provincial maiden,” he said. “She's a strong and fast filly with a great pedigree and has always shown us good ability."

“I think she’s heading for better things but we’ll just take her one step at a time at the moment.”

It was just her second start after she made her debut back in May in the Listed Woodlands S. at Scone.

She was a $425,000 2017 Easter Sales purchase shortly after her older half-sister won the G1 Golden Slipper S. The younger half brother by Time For War, Time To Reign, has won both of his two starts and is set for the 2019 Golden Slipper.

Latrobe, Rekindling to Hong Kong

Lloyd Williams has confirmed that 2017 Melbourne Cup winner Rekindling (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}) will join this year's Irish Derby winner Latrobe (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in heading to Hong Kong, and then onto Europe.

Both Joseph O'Brien trained gallopers will possibly head to the Group 1 Longines Vase (2400m) on December 9, with Rekindling a chance to make his first racetrack appearance since winning the 2017 Melbourne Cup., Williams confirmed to RSN.

Latrobe was narrowly beaten in last Saturday's G1 Mackinnon S. and Williams has opted to leave him and Rekindling in the care of O'Brien and target them toward the major European races in 2019.

Other Spring Carnival competitors headed to Hong Kong include Melbourne Cup placegetter A Prince of Arran (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}) and Red Verdon (USA) (Lemon Drop Kid {USA}).

Chris Waller's Comin' Through (Fastnet Rock) is a strong possibility to head to Hong Kong despite a quarantine impasse which means horses are currently unable to return directly to Australia.

Ballot-free status for Andrew Ramsden S.

The Victoria Racing Club (VRC) have confirmed that the Listed Andrew Ramsden S. will now be a ballot-free entry race for the G1 Lexus Melbourne Cup.

With concerns over the lack of locally trained and bred horses in Australia's richest handicap, the VRC have added the Andrew Ramsden S., which is run in late May, to its list of races which get the winner a free ticket to the 3200m feature on the fist Tuesday in November.

The race has also had its prizemoney doubled to $400,000 and has been shortened to 2800m, while it will also be restricted to three, four and five-year-old horses.

“The VRC conducts a thorough review of racing at Flemington each year, and The Andrew Ramsden presented an opportunity to enhance the staying program at Flemington for Australian-trained horses,” VRC chief executive Neil Wilson said.

“Unlike the other four Lexus Melbourne Cup ballot exempt races, the timing of The Andrew Ramsden outside of spring means the winner can have their program tailored towards the Lexus Melbourne Cup, something which owners and trainers will appreciate.”

The G3 Bart Cummings, the G1 Caulfield Cup, the G1 Cox Plate and the G3 Lexus S. are the other four Australian races which offer a ballot-free entry to the Melbourne Cup.

Freedman and O'Rourke to unite

Michael Freedman and Edward O'Rourke plan to form a training partnership.

Freedman, who only returned from Hong Kong this week, and O'Rourke, his former foreman, met the Racing NSW licensing committee on Wednesday,

"We'll get through that and assuming that goes OK I would hope it's soon after that," Freedman told RSN927.

Freedman and his wife Anna decided to return to Sydney, primarily for family reasons, where their teenage triplets are at school.

"In the end there was a number of factors involved, the main one being my wife and I were missing our kids and vice versa," he said.

"We figured at the stage of life we are at, where I want to be and enjoying my training, we made the decision to come back."

Explorer cadetship applications open

Thoroughbred Industry Careers is inviting applications for its inaugural intake for the Explorer Cadetship' Program.

The program, a 12-month stud and stable horsemanship program, provides an educational pathway for people who aspire to work in Australia's thoroughbred industry.

"The racing and breeding industry is enjoying exceptional growth at the moment, which means there’s job opportunities as far as the eye can see,” leading trainer Chris Waller said.

“With a program like the Explorer Cadetship, young people will be able to experience these opportunities whilst getting valuable hands-on experience learning from the best horse people in the thoroughbred industry.”

The first intake of 40 students will take place in February with further information available.

Waller takes over Savvy Coup

Leading trainer Chris Waller will take over the handling of G1 Livamol Classic winner Savvy Coup (Savabeel).

Former trainer Michael Pitman confirmed to theinformant.co.nz that the mare would head across the Tasman to be prepared by his old friend Waller.

"We had a long discussion between the owners and Diane, Matthew and me and we agreed that Australia is where her future belongs,” Pitman said. “She will be far easier to place over there and there are so many opportunities for a mare of her calibre."

“I think it’s the right decision, it’s times like this that you can’t have your cake and eat it too. I’ve got huge respect for Chris Waller and his operation, there’s none better anywhere and I’m sure he’ll do the right thing by her and her owners"

Pitman is still undergoing treatment for cancer, but does not intend to slow down his training operation with his son Matthew in Christchurch.