Furrion too good in Cup

The Lindsay Park-trained Furrion (GB) (Camelot {GB}) produced a strong staying performance to win the Listed Sungold Milk Warrnambool Cup and fuel loftier ambitions in the spring.

Rider John Allen gave him an economical run behind the pace and came through on the inner to be in front at the top of the straight and the 4-year-old never looked like getting pegged back.

Trainers David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig have the G1 Caulfield Cup as a long term goal for the gelding.

Group 1 test

Halvorsen (Magnus) will back-up at Flemington on Saturday ahead of a possible interstate trip for a Group 1 sprint.

He convincingly won the VOBIS Gold Dash at Caulfield last weekend and trainer Robbie Griffiths is planning to run the 3-year-old up in Saturday's Who Shot Thebarman H. for his first try on Flemington's straight 1200m-course.

Griffiths has the Group 1 Goodwood on May 18 in Adelaide in mind for Halvorsen.

Consensus fit and well

Stephen McKee has given rise to Consensus' (NZ) (Postponed {USA}) chances in Saturday's G2 A D Hollindale S. at the Gold Coast, describing her condition as much superior to how she fronted for last year's race.

The Postponed mare finished seventh in last year's Hollindale, and while the 7-year-old comes into the race after finishing last in the Gr.1 Legacy S. at Randwick last month, McKee has flagged an improved performance.

"We came up for this race last year and she was just about over the top, but she's arrived here in much better order this time so hopefully she'll go well," he said.

Gold Coast a finely cut mission

Cambridge trainer Tony Pike is keen to run stakes performers Intrigue (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}) and Indecision(NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) at the Gold Coast on Saturday, but there is little room for error in terms of the travel arrangements.

Pike has seven horses set to fly to Brisbane from Auckland on Friday and can ill afford any delays with the duo set to compete 24 hours later.

Intrigue will run in the Listed Gold Coast Bracelet with the G1 Queensland Oaks and the G1 Queensland Derby following options while Indecision starts in the Listed Silk Stocking S.

Status quo for The Oaks Stud

Cambridge stud farm The Oaks Stud has left their stallion service fees unchanged heading into the 2019 breeding season.

The farm’s stallion roster is headed by five-time Group 1 winner Darci Brahma (NZ), who will stand for a fee of $15,000 + GST. The son of Danehill, who is Singapore’s six-time champion sire, has left 38 individual stakes winners, including nine individual Group 1 winners.

He will once again be joined by Roc de Cambes (NZ) and Niagara who will both stand for an unchanged fee of $5000 + GST.

Kingman’s Calyx sensational on pavilion return

Long absent and much missed, Calyx (GB) (Kingman {GB}) burst back onto the scene in Wednesday’s G3 Merriebelle Stable Commonwealth Cup Trial S. over the same six-furlong strip over which he had proven so high-class in last year’s G2 Coventry S. at Royal Ascot.

“He was amazing,” commented winning jockey Frankie Dettori. “He’s blessed with so much speed, I think sprinting is his thing. He’s a serious horse and there is lots to look forward to.”

"Calyx is bred to be a miler, but he likes to sprint. All being well, we will be back here for the [June 21] Commonwealth Cup,” confirmed John Gosden. "I’ve been training him diligently to be a miler, but when he goes out there he wants to be a sprinter and that’s great. I haven’t encouraged him to do that, that’s just him.”

Cup hero passes away

The G1 Melbourne Cup winner Dunaden (Fr) (Nicobar {GB}) has died after a paddock accident at Overbury Stud in England aged 13.

Owned by Qatar Racing, Dunaden won the 2011 Flemington feature for Sheikh Fahad Al Thani and returned to Australia the next year to claim the G1 Caulfield Cup.

Following his Melbourne Cup success, Dunaden went on to claim the G1 Hong Kong Vase.

Byrne on comeback

Leading jockey Jim Byrne rode three horses in work at Eagle Farm on Thursday morning and was happy with the results.

"If it was off-season I would be pushing it, but I am still a couple of weeks off coming back,” he said. You have to be 100 per cent in the carnivals and I am not that yet," Byrne said.

Byrne has not ridden since early February when he aggravated a shoulder injury which needed surgery and then rehabilitation.

Jockey improving

Injured jockey Michael Hackett is showing positive signs after being in an induced coma following a race fall.

Hackett was one of three riders to fall at the Tomingley Cup picnic race meeting in central western NSW on Saturday and was transported to Sydney's Liverpool Hospital .

He is a lot more awake and more responsive to everyone around him. These are very promising signs," Racing NSW’S Dr David Duckworh said.