Mare to be immortalised

Champion mare Winx (Street Cry {IRE}) is to be honoured with a statue at Rosehill.

Trainer Chris Waller and the champion's owners have announced plans for the autumn, but have also advised the mare will be immediately retired if they don't believe she is at her best.

The winner of 22 Group 1 races, Winx will be the second horse to be honoured with a statue at Rosehill with inaugural Golden Slipper winner Todman (Star Kingdom {IRE}) the other.

The Australian Turf Club will discuss the project with Winx's connections and is also planning to honour her on each of the four days she is scheduled to race.

“Whenever Winx races, Royal Randwick and Rosehill Gardens will be covered in a sea of blue colour with Winx flags, special merchandise on sale and Winx Farewell Tour pins,” the ATC said.

“The Australian Turf Club will also begin consultation with the owners of Winx and trainer Chris Waller for plans to build a statue of Winx at her home course Rosehill Gardens to forever celebrate her remarkable career.”

ATC chief executive Jamie Barkley said Sydney fans were set for more rare moments in Australian racing history.

“We are thrilled and grateful to Winx, her owners and trainer Chris Waller for giving Sydney an opportunity to see her live on course for another campaign,” Barkley said.

“Winx is a once in a lifetime horse and the Australian Turf Club will be throwing everything at promoting racing for all of Sydney to enjoy and celebrate her runs.

“We are especially excited to begin plans for a statue of Winx at her home track at Rosehill Gardens.”

McEvoy baffled by cuts

Group 1 winning trainer Tony McEvoy is bitterly disappointed and shocked at the bombshell funding cuts announcement.

“We find it very difficult to understand the South Australia Government’s logic regarding its decision to pull $5.25 million from prize-money and infrastructure in our local industry,” he said.

“In an industry that generates over $400 million in economic benefit to the state each year and employs over 3600 people full time, how can they determine that there is a better use for those funds?

“What percentage of these jobs will be lost and how many new jobs will be created elsewhere?

“Racing and breeding in South Australia is steeped in more history than any other state and now finds its future in jeopardy.

“It baffles us that other states in Australia are receiving tens of millions in increased support from their local Governments while ours is taking away from the thousands of passionate supporters.

“The investment in our South Australian operations by our business and huge client base has been growing year on year and at a rate equal to or beyond any other comparable business nationwide.

“We have serious concerns for the repercussions this decision will have on our business, our neighbours’ businesses, the local economy and most importantly the longevity of the careers of thousands of hard-working people who make the South Australia racing and breeding industries run at such a high level.”

3YO proves too good in Arima Kinen

Youth triumphed over experience when Blast Onepiece (JPN) (Harbinger {GB}) won Sunday’s G1 Arima Kinen at Nakayama in Japan.

The 3-year-old upstaged his older rivals by staving off a late charge from the favourite Rey De Oro (JPN) (King Kamehameha {JPN) to win for the fifth time in his seven-start career.

Trained by Masahiro Otake for the Silk Racing Co., Blast Onepiece won the G3 Nigata Kinen three runs back before finishing fourth in the G1 Japanese St Leger.

The winner was ridden by Kenichi Ikezoe while Sydney-based jockey Hugh Bowman guided Cheval Grand (JPN) (Heart’s Cry {JPN}) into third. Brenton Avdulla finished 10th aboard Satono Diamond (JPN) (Deep Impact {JPN}).

Ten of the Arima Kinen runners are confirmed by a public vote with the remaining spots determined on a prize-money basis.

Blast Onepiece signs off a sensational year for Silk Racing, one of the syndication companies operated by Katsumi Yoshida's Northern Farm, and who also own star 3-year-old filly Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), winner of the G1 Japan Cup a month ago.

Derby dreaming for Lor

At just his his second Hong Kong start, Dark Dream (All American) has delivered a major warning to his potential Hong Kong Derby rivals after a demolition job at Sha Tin on Sunday evening, winning by 4 and 1/2 lengths eased down.

The winner of the G1 Queensland Derby was privately purchased in a deal reportedly worth over $2.5 million and transferred to Frankie Lor's stable. Lor trained a HKIR Group 1 double two weeks ago with Mr Stunning (Exceed and Excel) and Glorious Forever (GB) (Archipenko).

Dark Dream follows in the footsteps of Eagle Way (More Than Ready {USA}) and Ruthven (Domesday) as horses to have been sold to Hong Kong after winning the Queensland Derby.

He made an encouraging Hong Kong debut on the undercard of the Hong Kong International meeting earlier this month finishing an eye-catching third.

Smart filly back in stable

Christmas Eve will mark the return of the exciting 2-year-old Brooklyn Hustle (Starspangledbanner) to trainer Jason Warren’s Mornington stable.

She earned G1 Blue Diamond S. favouritism following her highly impressive debut victory at Moonee Valley at the beginning of December.

“She's back with me on Monday,” Warren said. “She had ten days in the paddock at Rosemont Stud and ten days at their water walker and we're all happy with how she's done.

Warren said the filly spent most of the first week at Rosemont lying down recovering from the rigours of her first racing campaign.

“It's good that she's gone down there and chilled out, cleared her head,” Warren said.

Brooklyn Hustle is likely to resume in the fillies’ division of the Blue Diamond Prelude at Caulfield on February 9, two weeks before the Blue Diamond S.

“We've already had our Christmas present at Moonee Valley seeing how good she is. Times don't lie,” Warren said.

“So it's nice having another horse getting ready for a Group 1.

“She'll have a jump-out around ten days out from the Blue Diamond Prelude and go into the Diamond after that.

“She won't be wound right up first-up and I'll use the Prelude to clean her up for the Diamond.”

Massive bonus on line

Outback Barbie (Spirit Of Boom) will collect a $500,000 bonus if successful in the G2 Vo Rogue S. at Doomben on Saturday.

She won a leg of the Summer 3-Year-Old Triple Crown, the Listed Mode S. before finishing runner-up to stablemate Zoustyle (Zoustar) in the Listed Gold Edition.

The filly will be among the favourites for both races and trainer Tony Gollan believes she deserves her chance.

“She was one of many horses who were unlucky in the Magic Millions 2-Year-Old Classic this year and then she has rarely had much luck since,” he said.

“When she won her first start at Doomben last year she hadn't grown out, but she is now a lovely 3-year-old and I think she will be an even better four-year-old mare.”

Gollan would love to see Outback Barbie jump from a handy gate on Saturday.

“It is a matter of getting her into her rhythm and she seems to do that from a good barrier,” Gollan said.

Gollan confirmed Zoustyle would most likely miss the autumn carnival in Sydney to concentrate on the Queensland winter carnival.

“It is just a case of managing his career as he is a gelding and will hopefully be around for a long time,” he said.

Dressage work helping Vassilator

G1 Caulfield Guineas runner-up Vassilator (NZ) (Zacinto {GB}) has undergone dressage training in a bid to improve his racing manners.

After running second to The Autumn Sun at Caulfield, Vassilator ran seventh in the Carbine Club Stakes at Flemington on November 3.

After giving him a couple of weeks in the paddock, trainer Colin Little sent the colt for some dressage work before bringing him back to his stable.

Little says the early signs are positive, although he has also resorted to using another piece of gear in trackwork.

“His weakness is when he gets on horses' heels and has to be restrained he gets his head in the air,” Little said.

“He ran last in the Guineas Prelude because of that and his last run in the Carbine Club he got his head in the air and over-raced and when they're doing that they're not breathing.

“He didn't used to do it. His first couple of runs he was laid back but as he's had more and more racing he's got keener.

“We've tried blinkers and different bits and all sorts of things and are now using the Market Harborough (breastplate) which keeps his head down.

“You can't use it in a race but in training it seems to be helping."

Vassilator was the first horse entered for the inaugural running of The All-Star Mile at Flemington on March 16.

“The email came through and instead of waiting, because I knew the owners would want him in, I put him in straight away and he was the first horse in,” Little said.

Double century for Bary

John Bary hit a notable milestone in style with promising youngster The Fugitive (NZ) (Wanted) at Awapuni.

The victory was the 200th winner of the Group 1 winning trainer’s career and Saturday’s success with the colt came as no surprise.

“We’ve thought a fair bit of him for a while now so it was good to get this one under his belt,” Bary said.

“He looked to do it fairly easily as he had them all off the bit on the corner and there was plenty still in the tank at the finish.”

Bary admitted he was a little on edge when The Fugitive got loose before the start, but recalled a previous incident of the same nature a few years ago that had ended in victory for him.

“Funnily enough Survived got loose here one day and then came out and won the Manawatu Classic so maybe it can be a good omen at times,” he said.

“He is a bit of a thinker this horse but when he gets down to business, he is very professional. He can get on the toe but once he is on the track he knuckles down well.

“This will be a good learning experience for him so there is a lot to look forward to.”

Bary will now monitor the colt’s recovery before committing to any future plans, but long term has an eye on the G1 Sistema S. at Ellerslie in March.

Change works oracle

Chris Waller’s decision to switch things around with Sir Bacchus (Sebring) has resulted in the 6-year-old’s return to winning form.

Waller has a small stable at Warwick Farm and he sent the gelding there following a poor run at Rosehill last time out.

Sir Bacchus has responded positively to his new surrounds and claimed the December H. on his adopted home track on Saturday.

“He has been a frustrating horse to follow,” Waller said. “But he has been good for his owners.

“First-up he was brilliant, but second-up he was not the same so I brought him across to the Warwick Farm stable where he has been in a day yard. It's done the trick."

Sir Bacchus cost $130,000 and has returned his owners, a group headed by Louis Mihalyka's Laurel Oak Bloodstock, more than $540,000.