Group 1 next for Amphitrite
Lindsay Park senior trainer David Hayes is looking forward to the coming weeks with stable newcomer Amphitrite (Sebring) following a first-up win in G3 TAB The Vanity at Flemington.
"We've only had her 11 days and she arrived in great order from the Darren Weir stable and luckily we've been able to hold her form," Hayes said.
"It's an exciting month ahead as we're heading to the All-Star Mile, hopefully she gets enough votes to get in, via the Guineas.
"She's a progressive filly and exciting to get as it's all ahead of her. With some Group 1 winners you get they may be past their best.
"I know she ran a shocker at her last start, they often do at the end of their preps, so it's a real relief to see her come back and do that."
Amphitrite's winning connections
Tasmanian too strong
Star Tasmanian 3-year-old The Inevitable (Dundeel) has most likely extended his stay in Victoria with a hard-fought win at Flemington the in the G3 CS Hayes S.
It was the diminutive gelding’s fifth victory on the bounce and set him up for a tilt at the G1 Australian Guineas.
“He’s a ripper. He’s very small and lucky to be 15 hands, but he’s got a great turn of foot,” trainer Scott Brunton said. “What a thrill.”
The Inevitable settled in midfield and one off the fence and produced a sustained finish to beat the frontrunner Age Of Chivalry (NZ) (Mr Remarkable {NZ}).
“He felt the winner from the 600, it’s so exciting,” rider Siggy Carr said. “The sky’s the limit with him.”
Bonecrusher next assignment
Last-start G1 Herbie Dyke S. winner On The Rocks (NZ) (Alamosa {NZ}) will bid to double his top-flight tally and further enhance his future stallion value at his next appearance.
“He’s a box of fluffies and loving all the attention,” said Pam Gerard, who runs the Matamata operation of the Flemington-based Michael Moroney. “He’ll run in the Bonecrusher S. next.”
She was referring to the G1 Bonecrusher New Zealand S. at Ellerslie on March 9.
On The Rocks has won five of his 12 starts and he is out of a half-sister to Efficient (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), Group 1 winner of the Melbourne Cup, Turnbull S. and the VRC Derby.
Currie asks for time
Ben Currie has asked for a two weeks deferment of a hearing in which he will be asked to show cause why he should not be suspended.
The Toowoomba-based trainer was hit with seven animal cruelty charges including use of jiggers.
Currie already faces 28 charges from a raid on his stables in April last year and four unrelated positive swab charges.
Ben Currie
He has been instructed to appear before stewards at 10am on Monday to argue why he shouldn't be suspended until the charges are dealt with.
Currie's barrister Jim Murdoch said Currie's legal team had written to chief steward Peter Chadwick asking for a deferment.
Schabau does it again
Import Schabau (Ger) (Pastorius {Ger}) remained unbeaten in Australia with a tenacious win as a short-priced favourite at Flemington.
Schabau was successful at his Australian debut at Flemington on New Year's Day and registered his second victory taking out Saturday's Lawn H.
Trainer Robert Hickmott said the tempo of Saturday's contest was against Schabau who will now be stepped up in distance if he's to continue racing further into the autumn.
"He's a mile and-a-half plus horse, but he still showed a turn of foot," Hickmott said.
"They ran a 10.98 (second) last furlong. He did that very well and was brave to the line."
Hickmott said if Schabau pulled up well he would be back at Flemington to run in the Listed Roy Higgins Quality over 2600m on March 2.
Visitor takes the glory
Glory Days (NZ) (Red Giant {USA}) made her first visit to Ellerslie a memorable one when she dug deep to win the G2 Coca-Cola Avondale Cup.
Despite the unfamiliar surroundings, Glory Days handled her first experience of racing right-handed with aplomb as she produced a sustained finishing run to win for the ninth time in her career.
“This is my biggest moment by far,” trainer Bill Thurlow said. “It means a hell of a lot as we only have a little, wee team.
“She’s a horse we have always loved and had a lot of time for, but to come and do this is bit of a dream really.
“She has 53.5kg in the Auckland Cup, which is quite a luxury weight, so we will just keep her ticking over and come back in three weeks’ time.
Sydney a step closer
Ever Loyal (Sebring) almost certainly earned himself a trip to Sydney with a facile victory in the Dunstan Feeds H. at Ellerslie.
“That’s what we wanted to see and it was expected, he was a short price,” trainer Tony Pike said.
“He’s a pretty progressive horse so it’s onwards and upwards. There’s a nice race in Sydney for him at the end of the month, the Liverpool City Cup.
“It’s a Group 3 race handicap over 1300 metres and we want to try and get his prize money up for a possible longer-term race like the Stradbroke H.”
Placed in last season’s G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas, Ever Loyal is raced by successful Australian breeder and owner Rob Ferguson, who was formerly a part-owner of Magic Millions.
