Randwick surface on the improve
Randwick racecourse manager Michael Wood is confident that Thursday morning's 24mm downpour will have no effect on the state of the circuit.
Wood expects the track to return to the Soft range for Day 1 of The Championships on Saturday, saying that strong winds and forecast warm weather will accelerate the drying process.
“I was a bit dirty driving in to work this morning but once I stepped my foot on it I was pleasantly surprised,” Wood told Racenet.
“It’s going to be an improving Soft track rather than one that’s getting wetter on raceday.
“I think we can get back to a Soft 7. I think that’s realistic and I won’t give up on it getting to a six at some point during the meeting on Saturday.”
Maurice makes his mark at Wyong
The Gary Portelli-trained Akihiro has gifted first-season sire Maurice (Jpn) his fifth Australian individual winner at stud.
The well-supported commodity relished the testing Heavy 10 conditions at Wyong, leading all the way in the 1350 metre affair under star hoop Brenton Avdulla.
Maurice (Jpn), sire of Akihiro | Standing at Shadai Stallion Station
Haut Brion Her scratched
Chris Waller-trained mare Haut Brion Her (Zoustar) has been scratched from Saturday’s G1 TJ Smith S. on vet’s advice.
The classy 5-year-old was set to link-up with leading Victorian hoop Jamie Kah in the premier weight-for-age sprint but was ultimately ruled out on Thursday afternoon.
Haut Brion Her
Icebath gains Doncaster start
Controversial G1 Doncaster H. omission Icebath (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) has obtained a start in the $3 million mile feature, after the Kris Lees-trained Gem Song (Your Song) pulled up lame in his off foreleg on Thursday morning.
The Brad Widdup-trained 4-year-old and last year’s $7.5 million The Golden Eagle runner-up missed the initial cut after Racing NSW handicappers opted to lower the mare’s rating by two points following her fourth placing in last Saturday’s G2 Emancipation S.
Nature Strip vulnerable
Trainer Joseph Pride expects gun gelding Eduardo (Host {Chi}) to continue on his winning ways when he steps out in this Saturday’s G1 TJ Smith S. at Randwick.
The Warwick Farm-based horseman has been delighted by the lightly raced 7-year-old's work since his last-start romp in the G1 The Galaxy H.
Eduardo
He said that arch-rival and current race favourite Nature Strip (Nicconi) could come unstuck, describing the Chris Waller-trained galloper as a “bully” who is vulnerable when challenged out in front.
“We can lead or ride him with a sit and potentially win as the good thing about this horse is that he is tactically versatile and adaptable,” Pride told RSN927.
Racing Victoria launch trackrider skills course
Racing Victoria is set to unveil a new trackrider skills program aimed at improving the skills of trackriders.
In a statement, RV said on Thursday that a rider accreditation program launched in November 2020 “to ensure the competency of trackriders and provide a framework for upskilling” would be implemented for new trackriders in July and in August for those already accredited.
“We see the trackrider accreditation as being a benefit to the industry by not only assessing and ensuring a rider can perform their job in a safe and competent manner, but to also help identify and progress those riders suitable for upskilling from slow through to fast work,” the statement read.
“RV is very aware that the attraction and retention of skilled and capable staff in the Victorian thoroughbred racing industry remains an issue. We are scoping several proposals to assist where we can with an industry workforce plan.”
Avantage eyes another Group 1
Star Te Akau mare Avantage (Fastnet Rock) will seek to claim a ninth Group 1 when she steps out in this Saturday’s G1 Fiber Fresh New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' S. at Te Aroha.
The star mare has drawn barrier eight in a field of nine and will renew her rivalry with star 4-year-old Levante (NZ) (Proisir) who herself is building an imposing record.
Avantage
Rubisaki nears return
Trainer Patrick Payne has identified Saturday week's G2 Sapphire S. as a likely starting point for his stable's first lady Rubisaki (Rubick).
Payne was delighted by the 4-year-old's Cranbourne trial on Tuesday, saying that she has come through the hitout in good order.
Rubisaki
"She did a good job, she isn't normally a good trial horse or trackworker but that's as good as she will trial," Payne told Racing.com.
"We have started with a clean slate, we didn't find much wrong with her last preparation, it was probably a combination of firm tracks and just going through that early 4-year-old stage.”
Payne outlined the G3 Proud Miss S. at Morphettville on May 15 as a potential next step for Rubisaki. However, he remains open to the possibility of lining up the multiple Group winner up in the G1 Goodwood H. or the G1 Sangster S.
Gytrash set for early return
Leading South Australian trainer Gordon Richards has earmarked next month’s G1 Goodwood H. at Morphettville as a potential target for star sprinter Gytrash (Lope De Vega {Ire})
Richards confirmed that he was leaning towards the feature sprint over the G1 Doomben 10,000 on the same day.
He said the Group 1 winner's return won’t be rushed, declaring that Gytrash will be put away until the spring if he’s not 100 per cent ready to go.
Gytrash
“You would think it makes more sense to stay at home and it would nice be to try and avenge his narrow defeat to Trekking last year,” Richards told Racing.com.
“He’d already had a month on the water walker in Sydney before returning home on Good Friday and he is in wonderful order."
Kay Cee a likely spring raider
Trainer Neville Parnham hopes to contest Victoria’s middle distance spring features with classy mare Kay Cee (Playing God).
Parnham confirmed the 2019 G1 Kingston Town S. winner to be in good order ahead of her looming racetrack return.
He said there were genuine excuses for her lacklustre summer carnival showing.
Kay Cee
"She's in work now, she's going to have three runs in the winter here in those weight-for-age races, and if she goes well there might be something we can pick out over the spring," Parnham told Racing.com.
"There's a few of those good mares' Group 1s that are in Melbourne, so we'd certainly look at them as long as she comes up well and races well during the winter here (Perth)."
Tiznow filly tops record-setting TTA 2-year-old sale
An Asmussen Horse Center-consigned Tiznow (USA) x Delta Weekend filly (USA) (A.P. Indy {USA}) topped Wednesday's Texas 2-Year-Olds In Training Sale at Lone Star Park, with a final bid of US$240,000 (AU$314,778).
The Virginia-bred juvenile was one of five six-figure transactions on an afternoon during which 89 horses changed hands for gross receipts of USD$2,910,000 (AU$3,816,694).
The Sale average was US$32,697 (AU$42,884) and the median was US$20,000 (AU$26,231), while the buyback rate was a low 14.4 per cent.
Sales Director Tim Boyce was pleased by the results, crediting the current state of the Texas thoroughbred industry to the positive sale results.
Rebel's Romance heads to the states
Last start G2 UAE Derby winner Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) will bypass May’s G1 Kentucky Derby in preference for a tilt at June’s G1 Belmont S.
The Charlie Appleby-trained and Godolphin-owned 3-year-old will head to America after his gelding status rendered him ineligible for Europe’s Classic
“Having spoken to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, we feel he needs more time, and he will now be aimed at the last leg of the US Triple Crown, the GI Belmont S.,” Appleby tweeted.
