New Slipper favourite
Todman S. winner Yes Yes Yes (Rubick) has lost favouritism for the G1 Golden Slipper S. after drawing the outside barrier for the $3.5 million race at Rosehill.
The Chris Waller-trained colt will jump from barrier 19 in the capacity field of 16 plus three emergencies, but is now a $7 chance with Cosmic Force (Deep Field) the new $5 favourite after drawing barrier two.
The James Cummings-trained Godolphin-owned horses have come up with contrasting draws, with Microphone ((Exceed And Excel) drawing one, Tenley (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) six and Pin Sec (Lonhro) five while Kiamichi (Sidestep) has 17 and Exhilarates (Snitzel) 18.
Microphone and Tenley share the second line of betting at $6 after the draw.
The Anthony Freedman-trained Blue Diamond Stakes winner Lyre (Lonhro), also owned by Godolphin, has drawn 13 and will come in two barriers if the first two emergencies don't gain a start.
Redzel staying in Sydney
With his focus on the G1 TJ Smith S. at Randwick later this autumn, Redzel (Snitzel) will stay in Sydney for the G1 Galaxy at Rosehill.
The dual Everest winner is nominated for both Saturday's Galaxy and the G1 William Reid S.at The Valley in Melbourne on Friday night.
"I think we'll stay here in Sydney (for The Galaxy)," Snowden said. "It's all about the TJ for me. It's a race we really want to win.
"And it is a better fit, for me, just racing here locally rather than travelling to Melbourne and back.
"Admittedly he's better off at the weights in Melbourne at weight-for-age, but it's all about what our target race is."
Redzel
Pioneer Passes Away
Multiple Grade I winner and star stallion Pioneerof the Nile (USA), best known for siring 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (USA), has died suddenly at the age of 13, WinStar Farm announced. According to the farm, Pioneerof the Nile bred a mare on Monday morning and started acting uncomfortable once he was back in his stall. He was en route to the clinic when he died.
“We are all extremely saddened by the loss of Pioneerof the Nile,” said WinStar Farm’s Elliott Walden. “He was a superior physical specimen, a Triple Crown Sire, and a unique personality. All of us at WinStar are heartbroken.”
Bred and owned by Zayat Stables during his racing career, Pioneerof the Nile won both the GI CashCall Futurity and GI Santa Anita Derby and was runner-up in the 2009 GI Kentucky Derby. He entered stud at Vinery in 2010 and spent three years there before transferring to WinStar in 2013. He was perennially among the leading sires and was represented by Eclipse 2-Year-Old champion Classic Empire (USA) in 2016.
Rain no barrier to Danzdanzdance
Multiple Group 1 winner Danzdanzdance (NZ) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) is in Sydney for a tilt at Saturday’s G1 Ranvet S. and while the dismal weather forecast has many connections on edge, the same cannot be said for trainers Chris Gibbs and Michelle Bradley.
“Michelle is really pleased with the way she has travelled and said she ate about two thirds of her feed, despite arriving quite late, and she has drunk plenty of water which is the main thing,” Gibbs said.
“They are staying with Jim and Greg Lee in Randwick, the same place she stayed last year.
“She settled well last time so hopefully she will bounce out of it and put on that little bit of weight that she shed off on the trip, which is usually the normal thing.
“I certainly want it to rain, that’s going to help us. You never want it bottomless, but she will go into it fit and if I had a choice between one extreme or the other I’d take heavy over firm.”
Danzdanzdance
Back in action
His escape from a lead pony at trackwork brought Heir To The Throne's (NZ) (Pentire {GB}) preparation for autumn feature races to a premature end.
After the mishap at Caulfield, trainer Henry Dwyer backed off on the brother to 2015 G1 Melbourne Cup winner Prince Of Penzance (NZ).
Heir To The Throne returns at Sandown on Wednesday in the Le Pines Funerals H.
The 4-year-old was successful over the same course and distance in December before running third over 1600m at Flemington on New Year's Day.
Heir To The Throne
"He got loose off the pony at Caulfield one morning after his most recent run at Flemington," Dwyer said. "He galloped a couple of laps of the track and it took the stuffing out of him.”
Heir To The Throne had a barrier trial at Cranbourne earlier this month, finishing just over two lengths from the winner over 990m.
"That was to see how his fitness was," Dwyer said. "He seemed to pull up pretty well from it which was good.”
Weather keeping mare home
The prospect of a heavy track at Rosehill for the G1 Ranvet S. has delayed plans for Rondinella (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) to go to Sydney.
“She’s not heading to Sydney this weekend, but we certainly still have some hope that she will get over there,” Wellwood said.
“There are two main options, there’s the BMW or the Chairman’s.”
She put in a bold showing last start, finishing third in the G1 New Zealand S. at Ellerslie earlier this month, and Wellwood was pleased with his mare’s run in the race.
“I thought it was a really good run from her,” he said. “The track definitely didn’t suit her and the two mares who beat her are proven on heavy surfaces.”
Rondinella
Currie stood down again
Ben Currie will seek an extension of a stay so he can continue training after an internal review reaffirmed a decision to stand him down pending an inquiry into jigger charges against him.
Queensland's leading trainer was stood down after stewards charged him with seven offences including use of a jigger.
Ben Currie
He sought an internal review of the decision and he went to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal seeking a stay.
On February 20, Currie was granted a stay which was to remain in place for five days after the internal review was determined.
A Queensland Racing Integrity Commission deputy chairman Mark Ainsworth confirmed on Monday the internal review had ruled against Currie and the order to stand him down from training would be reinstated.
Currie will now seek an extension of the stay order in QCAT, probably later this week.
