Jockeys clear for Group 1 rides
Glen Boss is free to ride star 4-year-old Kolding (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) in Saturday's G1 Futurity S. after having a suspension reduced in appeal.
Boss had incurred a suspension at Warwick Farm last Wednesday and Craig Williams was placed on standby to ride Kolding, but Boss was successful in getting the ban reduced to take the ride in the Group 1.
Glen Boss is free to take the ride on Kolding (NZ)
Appeals by Tommy Berry and Nash Rawiller into suspensions they received at the same meeting will be heard on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Craig Newitt has got a stay of proceedings which will allow him to ride Free Of Debt (Unencumbered) in Saturday's G1 Oakleigh Plate.
Newitt was to serve a ban from riding in his home state of Tasmania but has appealed and he is free to ride until that is heard.
He will need to get down to 50kg to ride the Chris Bieg-trained colt.
Farnan begins Slipper quest
Co-trainer Adrian Bott is hoping to launch 2-year-old colt Farnan (Not A Single Doubt) into the G1 Golden Slipper via Saturday's G2 Silver Slipper S. at Rosehill.
Farnan needs a win in either Saturday's race or the G2 Todman S. to earn a place in Australia's richest 2-year-old race at Rosehill on March 21.
Co-trainers Adrian Bott and Gai Waterhouse are hoping Farnan can win his way into the Golden Slipper
“He is obviously geared towards the Slipper and he needs to be able to win one of these races to cement a spot in the field,” Bott, who trains in partnership with Gai Waterhouse, told Racenet.
“We will look at the Silver Slipper, Todman S. and then hopefully through to the Golden Slipper if that’s enough racing for him.”
Farnan won his first two starts at Canberra and then in the Wyong Magic Millions 2YO Classic, before finishing 10th after being near the top of the market in the Magic Millions race on the Gold Coast.
He has prepared for Saturday's return to the track with a trial win at Warwick Farm.
Zahra aboard Sisstar
Mark Zahra will ride Sunlight's sister Sisstar (Zoustar) in Friday night's G3 Typhoon Tracy S. at Moonee Valley as she looks to rebound from a disappointing first-up run.
Zahra has never ridden Sisstar before in a race but the Tony and Calvin McEvoy camp has faith in him after he orchestrated an upset win in the G1 Lightning S. aboard Gytrash (Lope De Vega {Ire}) on Saturday.
Mark Zahra will take the ride aboard Sisstar
“Zahra will ride her on Friday night, we’re excited to have him on board,” Calvin McEvoy told Racing.com. “He rode her this morning, she's a hot filly, she’s hard work as you saw, but she had a good look around The Valley which is exactly what we wanted.”
Sisstar was well supported first-up in the Listed WJ Adams S. at Caulfield but finished 10th of 12. McEvoy backed her to bounce back.
“Despite having no trial and facing testing conditions, she was well below par,” he said.
“She’s trained on nicely since that run at Caulfield and we’d expect a much better showing from her on Friday night.”
She will be one of three McEvoy-trained runners with Grand Scholar (Wandjina) and Oh Please Dianna (Deep field) also nominated.
Colgan can't split Derby favourites
Vinnie Colgan can't split Two Illicit (NZ) (Jimmy Choux {NZ}) and Dragon Leap (Pierro) going into the G1 New Zealand Derby (2400 metres) at Ellerslie on Saturday week, but is happy to be aboard the filly.
Colgan is the most successful rider in New Zealand Derby history and got a further line on Dragon Leap when he rode second placed Scorpz (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) behind that gelding in Saturday’s G2 Avondale Guineas.
"I’m glad I don’t have to make the call between Dragon Leap and Two Illicit,” Colgan said. “He (Dragon Leap) has got Derby written all over him.
“He was off the bridle, trucking all the way, and Opie (Bosson) didn’t have to do much on him. I’m sure there was a couple more lengths there if he had squeezed him.”
Trained by Roger James and Robert Wellwood, Two Illicit was paid up as a late entry to the Derby on Monday confirming the much-anticipated match up.
Stocking use banned by RA
Racing Australia has introduced a rule banning the use of “nylon stocking and adhesive bandage” for tongue ties.
RA’s Veterinary and Analysts Committee and the Chairman of Stewards Committee combined to propose the rule change.
The new rules will require trainers to fit a leather strap or rubber band of at least 15mm in width or a Lycra or neoprene tongue tie at least 50mm wide.
The new rule comes into force on April 1.
Hanagan fractures vertebra
Leading British jockey Paul Hanagan is facing a spell on the sidelines after suffering a fractured T6 vertebra in a fall at Newcastle on Saturday evening.
Hanagan’s mount Requinto Dawn (Ire) (Requinto {Ire}) appeared to clip heels before stumbling a furlong out in the penultimate race on the card, a six-furlong sprint handicap. The dual Flat champion jockey was attended by medics on course, before being taken to hospital for X-rays and further assessment.
He stayed in hospital overnight and his agent Richard Hale said on Sunday, “He has a fractured T6. He was scanned and it’s a stable fracture.”
Requinto Dawn, trained by Richard Fahey, was reported to be unscathed following the incident.
Wargrave shines on White Turf
Wargrave (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) made all and scored by 1.5l over Hout Bay (Fr) (Whipper) in the 2000-metre Longines Grosser Preis von St Moritz on the final Sunday of action of the unique White Turf meeting.
Bred by Orpendale and Drakenstein Stud Pty. Ltd in Ireland, the 4-year-old was winning for the second time in 13 starts after selling to George Baker Racing during the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale last year.
Out of G3 Phoenix Sprint S. heroine Scream Blue Murder (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}), the colt is from the extended family of Gibraltar Blue (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}).
This was the third consecutive Sunday of White Turf, and the new King of the Engadine was Adrian von Gunten, who had already earned that crown in 2012, 2013 and 2016. It was also announced on Sunday that Credit Suisse had extended its partnership with White Turf through 2022, joining fellow main sponsors BMW and Longines.
