Tassort in Slipper doubt

The G1 Golden Slipper S. campaign of pre-post favourite Tassort (Brazen Beau) is in disarray with the colt found to have bruising to his off-fore foot.

“Tassort has a minor issue that makes it difficult for me to prepare him properly for the Todman S.,” trainer James Cummings said.

“I will ease off the throttle over the next few days, meaning he will miss some work, and I will aim him at the Pago Pago S. on Saturday week.”

“At this stage I would rate Tassort a 50/50 chance to run in the Slipper.”

Racing NSW Veterinarians will inspect the colt next week.

Time To Reign is now the $3.50 favourite for the Todman with trainer Gary Portelli saying the colt will have a solid hit-out at Warwick Farm on Tuesday morning.

Vorster sweet on Sunlight

Barend Vorster has been impressed with his G1 Newmarket H. ride Sunlight (Zoustar).

He has moved to Australia to ride for the filly’s trainer Tony McEvoy, principally in South Australia but has the mount at Flemington with regular jockey Luke Currie unable to make the 50.5kg on Saturday.

Vorster, who has been riding in Singapore for the last 15 years, has been taken by Sunlight, who he has already partnered in a gallop.

"She's not a very big mare but she's got a great engine underneath her," he said.

"I was very happy with the way she stretched. She began nicely and within two strides she was skipping along and she really flew along.

"I said to Tony I haven't done some low flying like this for a while.

"She really gave me a great feel and pulled up nice and clear and I'm really excited and looking forward to the race.”

Cup planning well in hand

Lindsay Park is already planning its attack on the G1 Melbourne Cup.

Imported stayer Muntahaa (Ire) (Dansili GB}) starts his autumn campaign in Saturday's G1 Australian Cup at Flemington, which the stable hopes will lead to something bigger later in the year.

Muntahaa finished ninth in last year's Melbourne Cup when prepared by champion British trainer John Gosden and is owned by long-term Lindsay Park client, Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell Stud.

As they have done with a number of their imports, Lindsay Park will give Muntahaa a light autumn before looking ahead to the spring.

"This preparation is all about the Melbourne Cup," senior trainer David Hayes said.

"We want to see how he measures up at weight-for-age and then we can plot a program after that. We'll see what he does on Saturday, but I'd say he'll be Sydney bound after Saturday's race."

Muntahaa will be ridden on Saturday by Mark Zahra, who rode him in a Tatura trial over 1450m in January.

"It's a pretty hard feat to do, win the Australian Cup first-up,” Hayes said. “It's never been done before but he might be the horse to do it."

Slipper hopes going on line

Events from this week will have a huge bearing on the strength of Brendan and Jo Lindsay’s assault on the major juvenile races at the Sydney autumn carnival.

The Cambridge Stud principals have already won the Karaka Million with the Jamie Richards-trained Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) and on Saturday they will be represented in the G1 Sistema S. at Ellerslie with the Lance Noble-trained Bavella (Snitzel).

They will also have an eye on Sydney where their debutante Get Hitched (Lonhro) debuts in the G2 Reisling S. at Randwick.

Meanwhile, the Chris Waller-prepared Still Single (More Than Ready {USA}) picked up black type when second in the G2 Sweet Embrace S. with all four of the Lindsays’ fillies holding nominations for the Golden Slipper.

“We’ve got four marbles in the draw that might make the grade, but a lot will depend on what they all do next,’’ Brendan Lindsay said.

‘’Probabeel is more likely to go to the Sires as planned, but things could change depending on what she does in the Magic Night Stakes.

‘’The same goes for Bavella if she can bounce back in the Sistema S. on Saturday. She’d have to win and win really well to take her to Sydney and if she did win well we might consider the Golden Slipper, though there’s also the G2 Percy Sykes S. that could be a really nice race for her instead of the Slipper. "

Walker appeals ban

Michael Walker has lodged an appeal against a careless riding suspension incurred at Sandown in a bid to ride Aquis Farm-owned 2-year-olds in Sydney.

Walker, who was banned by Racing Victoria stewards for 10 meetings for his winning ride on Eighteen Carrot (Epaulette) last Wednesday, needs a reduction of three days to be able to ride at Randwick on Saturday.

Walker is Aquis’ retained jockey and has been tentatively booked for G1 Golden Slipper hopefuls Dubious (Not A Single Doubt) in the G2 Todman S. and Vincere Volare (I Am Invincible) in the G2 Reisling S.

Walker, who pleaded guilty, will front the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board on Tuesday.

Trainer cops fine

Caloundra trainer Darryl Hansen has been fined $5000 and Yarrapower (Hinchinbrook) disqualified after the gelding was found to have elevated levels of bicarb (TC02) following a win at Doomben.

Stewards charged Hansen with administering an alkalinising agent within the one clear day limit of Yarrapower's win on April 21. He pleaded not guilty and is likely to seek an internal review.

It was an unusual case because three tubes of blood were tested instead of the usual two. Two of the tubes returned samples under the allowable threshold.

Expert evidence was taken from staff from the Racing Science Centre and stewards were comfortably satisfied Hansen had administered alkalinising agents within the one clear day period.