Exemplar earns Cup shot

A strong performance by Exemplar (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) at Flemington on Saturday has prompted his connections to look at spring staying features.

The 7-year-old has now scored two consecutive staying victories at Flemington, and trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace will now set him for The Bart Cummings on October 3. The winner of the 2500 metre feature earns a ballot exemption for the G1 Melbourne Cup.

“You’ve got to look at The Bart Cummings,” Eustace said. “It’s a race back here at Flemington and he’s a horse clearly in good form. He’s very, very sound and moving well. He’s been up for a while, but he hasn’t been over-raced.”

Mixed day for Rawiller

Nash Rawiller had a mixed day at Rosehill on Saturday, with a winning double aboard Desert Path (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) and Eduardo (Host {Chi}) soured by two suspensions.

Rawiller was outed for seven days for overuse of the whip on Desert Path and for seven meetings for careless riding on Eduardo in his victory in the G2 Missile S.

The penalties will be served cumulatively, starting immediately and expiring on September 1, which rules Rawiller out of the G1 Winx S. meeting on August 22.

Price and Kent go back-to-back

Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr celebrated back-to-back wins at Flemington on Saturday with the promising pair Cafe Rizu (Rubick) and Tavidance (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}).

Cafe Rizu emerged as a potential G1 VRC Oaks contender with her victory in the Grinders Coffee Roasters Plate, while Tavidance recorded his fourth win from just eight starts in the Seppelt Wines Trophy.

Cafe Rizu is by the speedy Rubick but is out of Calm Smytzer (NZ), who placed in the G1 Vinery Stud S. and is by the superb stamina sire Zabeel (NZ).

“She certainly threw more to the Zabeel side than Rubick,” winning jockey Damien Oliver said. “After riding her first-up, I thought she was going to love a mile or further.”

Kent Jnr was impressed with Tavidance, who bounced back in style after a disappointing last-start sixth at Caulfield.

"It worked out so well,” he said. “Rolling tempo, soft track, they opened up which allowed him to get off the fence which was always our concern. The way he went on with it was impressive.”

Price and Kent Jnr also had two wins at Moe on Saturday with Odeum (Written Tycoon) and Gypsy Choice (Choisir).

Octane continues revival

Phillip Stokes has continued his successful rehabilitation of Octane (I Am Invincible), who produced a strong finish to win the Farewell to Rob Gaylard H. at Flemington.

Octane was the highest-priced yearling sold in Victoria when he was knocked down for $1.4 million at the 2017 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.

He was sent to Stokes after winning just one of his first six starts, but since then the half-brother to G1 Newmarket H. winner The Quarterback (Street Boss {USA}) has won six of his seven appearances.

One original owner, Ken McDonald, showed faith in the son of I Am Invincible by buying out the rest of the ownership group for a sum believed to be around $40,000.

“I'm very happy for Ken McDonald, who was one of the original owners and gave him to us to train,” Stokes said.

Super six for Schofer

Apprentice jockey Hazel Schofer made New Zealand racing history with a six-win haul at Hawera on Saturday.

The 21-year-old is believed to be the first apprentice to ride six winners in a day in New Zealand, scoring victories aboard Shanghai Express (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}), Tavi Mac (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), Jazamour (NZ) (Azamour {Ire}), Beckidboo (NZ) (Ekraar {USA}), Dolcetto (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) and Aricina (NZ) (Redwood {GB}).

The sixth victory was the most emphatic as Aricina cruised to the lead at the top of the straight under a firm hold by Schofer.

Then the 4-year-old exploded away from her rivals, opening up a winning margin of 9.5l. She has now won two of her five starts, with those two victories coming in her two most recent appearances, by a combined margin of more than 14l.

Schofer is now in her third season of riding and has 31 career victories to her name. She began her career with 13 wins from 55 rides in 2018/19, then added 11 wins from 60 mounts last season.

Black Caviar and Winx relations stand together

Stallions related to two of Australia’s greatest racemares of all time will stand side by side at Riverbank Farm in Benalla this season.

Prince Of Caviar, a winning son of Sebring and the invincible sprinter Black Caviar (Bel Esprit), will stand his first season at stud at Riverbank this year at an introductory service fee of $4400 inc GST.

He joins a stallion line-up that also features Boulder City, an unraced half-brother to the legendary Winx (Street Cry {Ire}). A son of Snitzel, Boulder City commenced stud duties in 2018 and his oldest progeny are now yearlings.

"Standing Prince Of Caviar is a fantastic opportunity," said Riverbank Farm’s Russell Osborne.

“We thought we were lucky enough to get the half-brother to Winx, and to be able to get the son of the other greatest racemare we have seen is unbelievable.”

Osborne says he has been impressed with Boulder City’s first crop of yearlings.

“You probably won't see any at the sales because the people that have gone to him want to race them themselves,” he said. “But I would put some of them up against the best yearlings around and I think they'd measure up very well.”

Proven jumpers impress

Two strong performers from the 2019/20 New Zealand jumping season appear to have come back strongly a year later, playing starring roles in jumps features at Te Rapa on Saturday.

The Fairview Motors Waikato Hurdle produced a 14l victory by Tommyra (NZ) (Raise The Flag {GB}), who placed in this race last year and later won the K S Browne Hurdle at Ellerslie.

In a tight finish to the Signature Homes Waikato Steeplechase, it was It’s A Wonder (NZ) (Istidaad {USA}) who came out on top. A top performer for owner-trainer Harvey Wilson, the chestnut won last year’s Grand National Steeplechase at Riccarton.

QCAT upholds Currie charges

The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) has upheld three charges issued against trainer Ben Currie.

Queensland Racing Integrity Commission stewards opened an inquiry on April 13, 2018 into alleged activities that occurred at Currie’s Hursley Road stables in Toowoomba on the mornings of April 7, 2018 and March 24, 2018.

Stewards subsequently found him guilty of 12 charges pursuant to Australian Rule of Racing 178E(1) and disqualified his trainers license.

The QCAT decision has upheld three of those charges – that he caused a horse to be administered with medication on April 7, 2018 in breach of ARR178E(1) – and imposed a penalty of six months disqualification, effective from May 20, 2019.