Jimmy Choux relocates

Former champion Australasian 3-year-old and five time Group 1 winner Jimmy Choux (NZ) has been sold to prominent Western Australia owner-breeder Alan Macalister and will stand next season at Wayne and Tracy Rodwell’s Rosalee Park Stud in Serpentine.

The owner of Redwood Park Stud and a sizeable broodmare band, Macalister’s leading racing representatives include the Group 1 winning mare Magnifisio (Magnus) and the recently retired Group 2 winning filly Whispering Brook (Hinchinbrook).

Jimmy Choux, who was New Zealand’s leading first season sire in 2015-16, has been a consistent source of winners in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore. This season he has been represented by New Zealand Group 1 performer Bostonian (NZ) and Australian stakes winner Manolo Blahniq (NZ).

“Jimmy Choux continues to sire winners on a regular basis and he also sires a lovely line of sales yearlings,” Rich Hill managing director John Thompson said.

“We wish Alan and his team all the best with him and I’m sure he will be a welcome addition to the Western Australia breeding scene. I would also like to thank leading Perth agent John Chalmers for his role in negotiating the sale.”

Trainer says forget last start

Archie Alexander hasn’t been put off by the recent failure of Saccharo (Magnus), who steps out in Saturday's $300,000 VOBIS 3YO Sires at Caulfield.

"I think Saccharo had a lot of things against him last start," he said. "He pulled up with a dirty scope.

"He was also very wide in the run and nothing went right for him. I think you forget that run and if he puts in his Bendigo Guineas run he'll go very close.”

Fifth in the G1 Caulfield Guineas in the spring, Saccharo got home strongly for third in the Listed event at Bendigo two runs back.

Sidestep strikes in Europe

Group 1 producer Sidestep (Exceed And Excel) has sired his first European winner with Real Appeal (Ger) successful on debut at Chantilly.

Trained by Mattieu Palussiere the colt, who was sent out favourite, is from the family of the champion sire Thunder Gulch (USA).

Sidestep shuttles to Haras du Logis in France from his Australian base at Telemon Thoroughbreds, who stand the sire of this season’s G1 Golden Slipper S. winner Kiamichi on behalf of Darley.

4YO hits new level

Progressive 4-year-old Rock On Wood (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) remains unbeaten in his current campaign after scoring his biggest career victory in Thursday’s Listed Manawatu ITM Anzac Mile at Awapuni.

Trained by Leanne Elliot and ridden by her son Ryan, the gelding made full use of a seven kilogram advantage over proven Group 1 performer Shadows Cast (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) to down the topweight.

“We were pretty nervous and I didn’t know whether he had got there or not,” she said. “That was amazing.

“Ryan knows him quite well, so I don’t really say too much. I didn’t want him back as far as last time and he had him a bit further forward, so it was just as well.”

Higher honours beckon

Genuine sprinter Bandipur (Commands) is likely to be tried at black type level in the near future following further success at Flemington.

The James Cummings-trained 4-year-old wasn’t overly tested to win the Beersheba Sprint, the seventh victory of his career.

“He’s just a tough, genuine racehorse and I certainly think we’ll be looking at a stakes race for him,” stable representative Kate Grimwade said.

Luptons making presence felt in Travis

A good percentage of Mark and Cath Lupton's racing team will tackle Saturday's G2 Travis S. at Te Rapa.

The couple co-bred and co-own Etah James (NZ) (Raise The Flag {GB}) and race Yearn (NZ) (Savabeel), with Mark Lupton training the former himself and leaving the conditioning of Yearn to Matamata trainer Karen Fursdon.

"It's a bit odd, training one to race against another one we own, but they raced together in a sprint at Te Aroha earlier this month, though that was far too short for Etah James," Lupton said.

The step up to 2000 metres has Lupton optimistic he can cause a boilover with Etah James, who won the G3 Lord Reims S. before troubled by ligament issues while Yearn will be having her first run beyond a mile.

No surgery for jockey

John Keating will not require surgery on neck and back fractures following a fall at Wangaratta.

He won the final race on Wednesday, but fell about 20 metres after the post when his mount Bonfire Gold (Golden Snake {USA}) stumbled.

Keating suffered stable fractures to the T4 and T7 vertebrae and a high neck fracture, but a Victorian Jockeys' Association statement on Thursday said after further assessment at Royal Melbourne Hospital, surgeons have decided the jockey doesn’t need surgery.

Apprentice Alexandra Bryan, who fell from sixth-placed Another Prince (Kuroshio) in the same incident, has a broken left collarbone which also does not need surgery