Verstappen With Chance To Emulate Sibling

Friday, 19 August 2016 08:07

Promising colt Verstappen will be out to emulate his elder sibling when he makes his stakes debut at Moonee Valley.

The Danny O'Brien-trained Verstappen raced to a convincing maiden win on the Pakenham synthetic track at his first start and is one of the main chances in Saturday's Listed McKenzie Stakes (1200m) - a race his half-brother Well Sprung won last year.

Well Sprung, trained by Lyn Tolsen and Leonie Proctor, will also be in action on Saturday in the Listed Carlyon Stakes.

It opens up the possibility of a double for the brothers' dam Sprung for the second year in a row with Well Sprung and Tawteen successful at the corresponding meeting a year ago.

Verstappen and Tawteen are both by Stratum out of Sprung and the now-retired Tawteen won five from eight at Moonee Valley with three placings.

"The progeny out of that mare seem to have a real affinity with Moonee Valley, so hopefully he can carry on the tradition," O'Brien said.

O'Brien is looking forward to testing Verstappen in stakes company after his 4-1/4 length debut win.

"He had trialled very well and he's a really good style of a colt from a really good mare," O'Brien said.

"He had plenty going for him before he went to the races but that's always the moment of truth and he delivered.

"Obviously it's a jump to go from a maiden to a stakes race but the way he won and the type of colt he is, we're more than happy to see how he goes."

Verstappen was taken to Moonee Valley on Tuesday and galloped in company with stablemate Awake In Grinzing, pleasing O'Brien with the way he worked and handled the circuit.

The scratchings of Rampage and China Dream have reduced the McKenzie Stakes field to seven with the Darren Weir-trained Ken's Dream the $2.20 favourite after his nine-length Echuca maiden win.

Verstappen is at $3.60.

"There's a couple of horses in there that are very lightly raced that have shown really good ability like him, so those races are always a bit tricky because the horses aren't fully exposed yet," O'Brien said.

"But we haven't put a ceiling on our guy yet and we're hoping that he goes there and shows us that he's got plenty more to come too.

"We would be going in expecting him to run very well."

Tycoon Tara's Win No Fluke: Paul Snowden

Thursday, 18 August 2016 08:02

As the dust settles on Capitalist's first-up defeat, Peter and Paul Snowden head to Randwick in search of Sydney stakes atonement.

Capitalist's poor showing in the San Domenico Stakes at Rosehill last Saturday mystified his trainers in the aftermath.

The Golden Slipper winner's program has been altered and he is now on course for the Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington on October 29.

With the stable's big gun now looking to fire later in spring, the trainers' attention turns to Saturday when Tycoon Tara tackles the Group Three Show County Quality.

Tycoon Tara upset Group One winner Rebel Dane to win the Group Two Missile Stakes at Randwick on August 6 on debut for the stable.

The Snowdens scratched Capitalist from the Missile to avoid an extremely heavy Randwick track.

While Paul Snowden admits having only four rivals aided Tycoon Tara's chances, he has warned against discounting the performance.

"It was no fluke," Snowden said.

"A lot of people will knock her saying it was leader-biased that day but I think she's definitely got another good chance again on Saturday.

"She looks like a million bucks and she's racing accordingly."

Tycoon Tara is a $5 chance to win the Show County with Randwick Guineas winner Le Romain the $4.40 favourite.

Quick Feet will run in the Group Two Silver Shadow in the race before the Show County.

Snowden said he expects the fitness edge she gained from running in the Listed Rosebud first-up will give her an advantage over six of her eight rivals who are starting their campaigns in the race.

Quick Feet was fifth of seven runners in the Rosebud.

"It was a pretty good effort for a horse that didn't handle the track first-up on a heavy, very testing track," Snowden said.

Snowden is hoping jockey Kerrin McEvoy can sit behind the speed and allow Quick Feet to sprint home.

In-form Avdulla Relishing Opportunities

Friday, 19 August 2016 08:07

Brenton Avdulla is the form rider of the Sydney jockeys' room as the competition intensifies in the lead-up to spring.

Avdulla has ridden seven winners and eight placegetters from 25 rides on Sydney tracks this season, only missing the top five three times.

He finished fourth in the Sydney premiership last year and was the leading rider on NSW tracks.

Avdulla relished the chance to ride for Godolphin while No.1 jockey James McDonald was in the UK, as well as riding for premier Sydney trainer Chris Waller.

"I think racing is all about opportunities," Avdulla said.

"For trainers it's about getting the right horses, for jockeys it's about getting on the right horses.

"I'm getting on the right horses and trying to make the most of it."

Avdulla takes the ride on Group Two Silver Shadow Stakes favourite Omei Sword at Randwick on Saturday.

"She looks a very talented filly," Avdulla said.

"She ran second to Calliope last prep and I think she's improved."

Omei Sword is trained by Waller, as is Avdulla's mount in the Up And Coming Stakes, Pound Sterling, who is coming off a maiden win at Warwick Farm on August 3.

"It's obviously a big step up in grade but I think he's a horse to follow through the prep," Avdulla said.

He has two rides for Godolphin - Pearls in the Group Three Toy Show Quality (1300m) and Generalife in the Show County Quality (1200m).

"It's an even mare's race but Pearls seems like she's going well," Avdualla said.

"She's on the minimum weight and she's a stakes winner so I think she's going well enough to run well."

He said Generalife's starting point had been delayed by wet tracks but on the horse's day he could mix it with quality sprinters.

Avdulla also rides stayer Who Shot Thebarman who is going up against superstar stablemate Winx in the Group Two Warwick Stakes.

Deal Master Earns Chance At Listed Race

Thursday, 18 August 2016 08:02

Deal Master has already claimed a unique place in racing as the first winner for his sire and trainer Troy Corstens hopes the colt can give Master Of Design another milestone at Moonee Valley.

"Let's hope he can be his first stakes winner as well," Corstens said.

Corstens, who trains in partnership with his father Leon, will start Deal Master in Saturday's Listed Mckenzie Stakes (1200m).

Deal Master had a work-out at Moonee Valley on Tuesday morning along with stablemate Sweet Sherry, the former Brent Stanley-trained filly who is to have her first start for the Corstens team in Saturday's Cleanaway Plate (1200m).

Deal Master, from the first crop of 2012 Group One TJ Smith Stakes winner Master Of Design's, scored an on-speed win over 1000m on the Pakenham synthetic track at his debut on August 5.

Corstens is happy to give Deal Master his chance in the stakes race at his second start based on the way he has trained on since his 1-1/4 length win.

"I couldn't find any reasons not to run him in it, so we're running," Corstens said.

"His first-up run was good. He did a great job and fought off any challengers.

"He's a three-year-old on the way up and is showing quite a bit of promise. I know it's a monumental jump from a Pakenham maiden to a stakes race at Moonee Valley on a Saturday, but we've got nothing to lose."

The Mckenzie Stakes has attracted a field of nine with five last-start winners including the unbeaten Throssell who has his first start since winning the Listed Anzac Day Stakes at Flemington in April.

The Darren Weir-trained Ken's Dream, a nine-length winner in an Echuca maiden on debut, is the $2.20 favourite ahead of the Danny O'Brien-trained Verstappen, a 4-1/2 length Pakenham winner on debut.

Expectation Builds As Winx Nears Return

Thursday, 18 August 2016 08:02

Shrouded in pressure and expectation, Winx's return to racing creates the chance for her to build her legacy.

On Black Caviar's 10th birthday, Winx completed her final piece of trackwork before her attempt to win her 10th consecutive race in the Warwick Stakes.

There are stark differences between the pair, but the public are increasingly captivated by Winx as she writes her own chapter in history.

Champion mare Winx after her final hit-out at Rosehill

"She's the new Black Caviar so to speak," trainer Chris Waller said.

Winx is the short-priced favourite to win Saturday's Group Two race over 1400m at Randwick.

It will be her first run since the autumn in which she grew from a star to a champion.

"She simply has to maintain that for another season or two to be in the heights of a Black Caviar," Waller said.

Waller said he was unsure whether Winx could improve in her five-year-old season having broken the track record in the Cox Plate and won the Doncaster carrying 56.5kg at four.

"If she could improve it would be very exciting for everybody," Waller said.

"We hope that she can just sustain the level she's been at."

Waller is planning to give Winx five starts during her spring campaign which will climax with her Cox Plate defence at Moonee Valley in October.

The champion trainer has 62 Group One winners and six Sydney premierships, but Winx creates a different weight of expectation.

"The pressure of her winning is obviously something we haven't really experienced before," Waller said.

"The public pressure is greater than any other horse I've trained.

It's not just the public with lofty expectations.

After riding her in her final piece of trackwork at Rosehill on Thursday, jockey Hugh Bowman said his confidence was high ahead of Saturday.

"Obviously the expectations are for her to win again, but for me the main thing is she's very fit and well," Bowman said.

"As far as I'm concerned I think she's forward enough to resume at the level we all expect her to."

In a seven-horse field without a natural front-runner in the Warwick Stakes, Bowman said Winx could lead.

"I'll just work it out as the gates open but it's clear there's not going to be much pace," he said.

"My main concern will be having her comfortable."

Katie Walsh Chasing Another Grand National

Thursday, 18 August 2016 08:02

Irish rider Katie Walsh remembers her first trip to Australia well and is hoping her second is just as lucrative.

The 31-year-old is a star attraction at Sunday's Ballarat meeting which features six jumps races including the Grand National Steeplechase.

In 2008 Walsh joined Nina Carberry, Shane Jackson and Alain Cawley in a series of jumps races in Adelaide and Melbourne.

"I got drawn on a couple of Patrick Payne's and had a couple of winners and a second, so I had a great experience," she said.

This year, Walsh follows her brother Ruby who rode Bashboy to win the 2015 Grand National while she will ride last-start Sandown winner I'll'ava'alf in Sunday's feature.

"A Grand National, no matter where it is, would be lovely to have on your CV," Walsh said.

"It's a lovely opportunity to come and ride and Ruby had a great trip last year and he was able to win it.

"Hopefully I'll have the same sort of trip. So long as I come out of the trip safe and sound I'll be happy."

Walsh captains an Irish team which also includes Australian-based Irish riders John Allen, Shane Jackson and Martin Kelly in a three-race series against Australian jockeys Steven Pateman, Brad McLean, Paul Hamblin and Braidon Small.

With 200 wins as a National Hunt jockey in a career of almost 15 years, Walsh says her career is in its twilight.

She has been relatively lucky with injuries - a broken collarbone, a broken ankle and a couple of concussions - and would like to get out of jumps racing relatively unscathed.

But she said she wouldn't change anything, having had a great career highlighted by her win in the Irish Grand National Steeplechase on Thunder And Roses and a placing aboard Seabass in one of the world's toughest races, England's Grand National Steeplechase at Aintree.

"It's not for everybody but it's something I absolutely love," Walsh said.

"Not every girl wants to grow up being in the army and not every little girl wants to be a National Hunt jockey, but I do.

"There's a good few girls that ride over the jumps, not as many as the boys naturally, but I find the opportunities are fantastic at home if you're good enough to get the job done."

New Divide To Travel The Highway

Thursday, 18 August 2016 08:02

Tas Morton doesn't like to dwell on his Vietnam experience, but every now and then he and his army mates get together to remember those who didn't come home.

Such was the case on Thursday when the Port Macquarie trainer attended a commemoration on the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan.

After the formalities of the occasion, Morton tipped his friends into New Divide at Randwick on Saturday with the horse at double figures for the Highway Plate (1600m).

"At the last veterans' reunion we had, I tipped them Jenks at Randwick on Anzac Day and he won so hopefully it's the same result again," Morton said.

That was in 2007 and Morton has had plenty of winners since but believes Saturday's 1600m-race is ideal for New Divide who was trained in Sydney as a young horse by Anthony Cummings.

"I got him from Goree," Morton said. "I don't usually buy second-hand horses but I thought he was one we could have a bit of fun with.

"I have scaled down and only have between six and eight horses which I race myself with friends.

"This horse gets in really well under the set weights conditions of the race.

"There's five of them on 59 (kg) and in any other race he would be giving them weight so it's ideal.

"The aim for him is the Port Macquarie Cup but he needs to get his rating up to about 70 to get in.

"I had him in one of these races two weeks ago but the track was too heavy so I decided to run him at Tamworth instead and of course the rain came there.

"He ran fourth and it was a good effort and he will improve on a better track."

To be ridden by Christian Reith, New Divide is a $15 chance on Saturday with Morton already planning his weekend, win or lose.

"We'll have a good night at Coogee before we go home," he said.

Warwick Stakes Tactics No Concern For Winx

Wednesday, 17 August 2016 08:53

For all the meticulous planning involved in Winx's return, race tactics are not a major consideration.

The i's have been dotted and the t's crossed, but tactics for the Group Two Warwick Stakes will rest solely with jockey Hugh Bowman.

Winx will have just six rivals including three stablemates at Randwick on Saturday.

Hugh Bowman riding Winx

A seven-horse field could mean tactics play a major role in her quest for 10 straight victories.

But trainer Chris Waller says the shape of the race will "look after itself".

"The more you complicate things the worse it becomes I find," Waller said.

"That's the beauty of the good jockeys."

Bowman has been with Winx for her six Group One wins, combining his judgment with the horse's versatility.

The pair won the Doncaster Mile from near last, the Cox Plate stalking the speed and the Chipping Norton Stakes from midfield.

"As soon as those barriers open they (jockeys) get a feel for where they should be and what's happening around them," Waller said.

"The more you restrict them, the worse it ends up."

Winx, the $1.35 favourite, will jump from barrier four on Saturday.

The horse most fancied to defeat her, Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Lucia Valentina, has drawn barrier one.

Winx has had two barrier trials in the lead-up to Saturday and will have her final track work hit-out on Thursday morning.

Waller said Vanbrugh was beginning his path towards the Group One Epsom Handicap at Randwick on October 1.

"He's one that can be watched through the spring," Waller said.

"He's one we think has a realistic chance of being in the Epsom and we're keeping him fresh for a race like that."

Waller said Grand Marshal and Who Shot Thebarman were starting their long-distance spring preparations in the Warwick Stakes.

"They need to start somewhere and they're weight-for-age horses but it's obvious they will struggle to win the race," he said.

Both Grand Marshal and Who Shot Thebarman are Group One winners over 3200 metres.

Heatherly Favourite For Carlyon Stakes

Thursday, 18 August 2016 08:02

Group-winning sprinter Heatherly is favourite for the Carlyon Stakes at Moonee Valley but her trainers have warned a heavy track could force a change of plans.

Heatherly is at $3.20 for the Listed 1000m sprint and impressed in a jump-out at Flemington last week when she won by several lengths.

But a possible eight to 20mm of rain is predicted in Melbourne on Friday and co-trainer Simon Zahra said if the track was downgraded to heavy it would prompt a rethink with a long spring ahead.

"We don't like running horses first-up on heavy tracks," Zahra said.

"So hopefully we don't get a lot of that rain."

Heatherly ended her previous campaign with strong form in feature sprints, dominating the Group Two Rubiton Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield before her third in the Group One Oakleigh Plate in February when she led until the final 50m.

Zahra said they gave Heatherly a good spell after the Oakleigh Plate and he hoped that would be to her benefit this spring.

"She didn't have a lot of runs last campaign but it was over a fair period, so she got three months out which is a rarity going from autumn into a spring preparation," Zahra, who trains in partnership with Mathew Ellerton, said.

"We just gave her plenty of time to make sure she was over the campaign and she seems to have come back in great order."

The speedy mare's campaign is likely to include the Group One Moir Stakes (1000m) at the same track next month.

A short-course specialist, Heatherly ran along in her 800m jump-out last week and Zahra said the mare had shown her best when she was allowed to get into her natural rhythm.

He said there would also be improvement to come out of Saturday.

"She's not screwed right down. It's a long spring, but her trial the other day was a pretty good jump-out," he said.

"She did it quite strong and ran a bit of time. She had a good blow so she seems to have come back in good order."

Wild Rain, Beau Rada and Sunday Escape have been scratched from the Carlyon Stakes while Craig Newitt has picked up the ride on O'Malley replacing the suspended Michael Dee.

Classy Colt Spirit And Fire Wins Debut

Wednesday, 17 August 2016 08:53

Blue blood colt Spirit And Fire has won strongly on debut at Canterbury to strengthen Hawkes Racing's three-year-old team ahead of spring.

A $700,000 yearling, Spirit And Fire is by More Than Ready out of Amelia's Dream.

The racing career of Amelia's Dream was cut short by injury, but not before she won her two starts by a combined 15 lengths including a dazzling display in the 2008 Group Two Silver Slipper.

Spirit And Fire kicked strongly on the rails to win a 1200m three-year-old maiden handicap on Wednesday.

The colt ($1.80 favourite) held off a late charge from the Chris Waller-trained Zumbelina ($26) with Ebenos ($4) third.

Co-trainer Michael Hawkes said Spirit And Fire had been raring to go after they were forced to scratch him from races in Queensland and Hawkesbury.

"Yes he's blue blood but you've got to go out there and do it," Hawkes said.

Hawkes said he would wait to determine whether Spirit And Fire tackled a stakes race during this preparation.

"It's not something we're going to decide on right now but he's got above average ability and hopefully you might see him in some better races," Hawkes said.

"Yes he's probably got the ability but he's just mentally not there."

Spirit And Fire is owned by American billionaire businessman B Wayne Hughes' Spendthrift Australia Syndicate.

Hawkes said the colt had taken time to mature, foreshadowing further improvement in the next six months.

"The horse has done a great job today. He'll learn a lot from that," Hawkes said.

"Hopefully he's just a natural racehorse."

Jockey Tommy Berry said he didn't rush Spirit And Fire out of the gates and allowed him to take the lead after 100m.

"He never changed legs. He was on his front leg the whole way," Berry said.

"If he'd changed legs he really would have dashed but he never did, so he's got a lot of improvement."

Fellow jockeys Brenton Avdulla and Deanne Panya both continued their rich veins of form with two winners apiece at the meeting.

Avdulla's double came on the Chris Waller-trained Gretna and Godolphin horse Allision, while Panya rode Untamed Diamond and Serve And Volley to victory.