Ho to take Classique ride
Kerrin McEvoy will not make the trip to Hong Kong to partner Classique Legend (Not A Single Doubt) in the G1 Hong Kong Sprint, with local jockey Vincent Ho set to take the ride.
Uncertainty around international travel plus two weeks of mandatory hotel quarantine upon his arrival back into Australia, which he would be yet to complete by Christmas, were the major factors in McEvoy’s decision to forego the ride.
Kerrin McEvoy will not make the trip to Hong Kong to partner Classique Legend
Inspirational Girl drawn wide
G1 Railway S. winner Inspirational Girl (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) has drawn barrier 18 for Saturday’s G1 Kingston Town Classic, but trainers Grant and Alana Williams are not too disheartened by the draw.
“Everyone says that the barrier is not going to help, but she runs from off the pace and I still think that she will be able to get two or three runners behind her at some stage and if that is the case she will be running on,” Grant Williams told NZ Racing Desk.
“I don’t think it’s the A-grade Kingston Town like in past years because of what we have gone through with COVID-19.
“We have got the best jockey on (William Pike) and yeah, we haven’t got a great barrier draw, but she’s in great nick and I thought she won the Railway with a bit in hand. I still think we have got a good chance.”
Inspirational Girl (NZ)
Jenni ready for another Cup
After overcoming a foot abscess which saw her miss out on running in the G2 Zipping Classic, the David Brideoake-trained Princess Jenni (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}) is ready to add another country Cup to her CV in the Listed Pakenham Cup on Saturday.
"The foot abscess meant she couldn't run in the Zipping Classic, which was a bit of a nuisance, but we've pressed on and she's coming into this race fresh and in good shape," Brideoake told Racing.com.
"Jye (McNeil) rode her so well at Bendigo and it's nice to have his services again as he's really taken giant steps in his career."
Princess Jenni (NZ)
All-Star target for Journey
Inaugural All-Star Mille winner Mystic Journey (Needs Further) will return for her second tilt at the race next year and trainer Adam Trinder said she is in great order after returning from a spell.
"That's the plan of attack with her,” Trinder told Racing.com of The All-Star Mile. "She's back in training, been back in 10 days now. She will kick off in the back end of January in the Ladbrokes Stakes, a weight-for-age 1200 metre (race) here in Tassie.
"Then we will move forward to The All-Star Mile, if she can gain the votes. We will just assess off the back of her first run whether she totally preps in Tassie… or whether she looks to head to a Futurity in February.
"We will get more clarity throughout the month of January, I would suggest."
Mystic Journey
Odeum to be tested
Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr will look to test the G1 Thousand Guineas winner Odeum (Written Tycoon) with the stable setting the G1 Australasian Oaks as her main target next campaign.
"Odeum has thrived (since spelling). She's improved in the paddock, she looks enormous," Kent Jnr told Racing.com.
"She's going to start work early next month and kick off in the Kewney at Flemington. That's the rough plan.
"Sheamus Mills, the managing owner, has indicated he wants to have a go at the Australasian Oaks. He wants to find out (if she can get 2000 metres)."
Odeum
Well-bred filly wins on debut
Cheaperthandivorce (NZ) (Savabeel), the daughter of G1 New Zealand Oaks winner Boundless (NZ) (Van Nistelrooy {USA}), made the perfect start to her racing career on Wednesday winning the TW Moore 1400 at Rotorua for Roger James and Robert Wellwood.
The daughter of Savabeel had finished second behind subsequent winner Explosively (NZ) (Sweynesse) at her only trial performance which lead Wellwood to believe she would put in a good showing on debut.
“We were pleased with her trial leading into the race,” he said. “The fact that the horse that beat her came out and won at Te Rapa gave us a bit of confidence.
“It was still impressive to see her perform so professionally on Wednesday and see her put them away so easily.”
Trainers happy ahead of Captain Cook
Co-trainer Roger James and Robert Wellwood couldn’t be any happier with Hypnos (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) and Concert Hall (NZ) (Savabeel) ahead of Saturday’s G1 Captain Cook S. at Trentham.
“All we can do is be happy with what we are sending into the race and I think they have both had great preparations, they’ve had patient careers and they are both in career peak form,” James told NZ Racing Desk.
Savabeel mare Concert Hall heads the TAB’s fixed-odds Captain Cook Stakes market at NZ$3.70 and the Joan Egan-bred and raced 6-year-old has won eight of her 21 starts, including last year’s G3 Cuddle S. and October’s G3 Thompson H., both at Trentham.
“You never set plans in concrete,” James said.
“Originally we thought we’d go to the Counties Cup but she did so well after her previous win and I thought why don’t we look at going to the Tauranga S. and keep our options open? We can either back up in the Counties Cup or go to the Captain Cook.
“She was so impressive at Tauranga that we’ve taken the second option, hence why they are clashing.”
Sharrock to keep firing
New Plymouth trainer Allan Sharrock has his team firing on all cylinders, as evidenced by his current fifth standing on the trainers’ premiership in addition to an impressive strike-rate of 4.42, with 19 wins on the board from 84 starters this season.
The multiple Group 1-winning trainer is matter of fact about the stable’s strong run of form.
“I think it is just having better horses. I have a really good team,” he told NZ Racing Desk. “I have some young ones that will be jumping out on Friday too. It is quite exciting.”
Allan Sharrock's runner Justaskme (NZ) | Image courtesy of Race Images
Lord Kanaloa leads Shadai roster
Lord Kanaloa (GB) leads the Shadai Stallion Station roster for 2021. The sire of recent dual G1 Japan Cup heroine and Horse of the Year Almond Eye (Jpn), he will command ¥15,000,000 (AU$194,975) tops among the 30-member roster next year.
Shadai welcomes three new recruits for the upcoming breeding season - G1 Arkansas Derby hero Nadal (USA) ¥4,000,000 (AU$51,993), G1 Irish 2000 Guineas victor Siskin (USA) ¥3,500,000 (AU$45,494) and G1 Champions Cup winner Le Vent Se Leve (Jpn) ¥1,500,000 (AU$19,497).
A trio of stallions stand at ¥10,000,000 (AU$129,983) and are already fully booked for 2021-dual Japanese Classic scorer Duramente (Jpn), Epiphaneia (Jpn), the sire of this year’s Japanese Fillies’ Triple Crown victress Daring Tact (Jpn); and young sire Kizuna (Jpn). Maurice (Jpn), the “Beast from the East”, will stand for ¥8,000,000 (AU$103,987).
