Slots Looking For Lucky Last In Toy Show

Monday, 15 August 2016 08:21

As the curtain falls on Slots' career, her trainer and owners are set to say an emotional goodbye.

Their mighty mare will have her final start in the Listed Toy Show Quality (1300m) at Randwick on Saturday.

"I told the owners last run was supposed to be it, but the stud where she's going to stay while she waits to be served said she could have another run," trainer Grant Marshall said.

That prompted enthusiastic owners Tavis Chivers, Grant Hartmann and Kel Sullivan to wonder whether her career could be extended further, but the breeding barn awaits.

Not that they haven't had a great ride.

The Newcastle-based Marshall paid $1700 for Slots at a dispersal sale for Nathan Tinkler's Patinack Farm and the Group-placed mare has collected more than $320,000 prize money.

Her biggest win came in the Listed Just Now Quality at Doomben in December when apprentice jockey Lester Grace won his first stakes race.

Grace has ridden the mare in 12 of her past 14 starts, only missing out when senior riders took over in two unplaced efforts during the Queensland winter carnival.

"He's done a good job on her," Marshall said.

"We could have had him in Brisbane but we tried to change something and it didn't work."

Grace is booked to ride Slots on Saturday at Randwick, where she comes into the race off a last-to-first win at Canterbury on July 23.

"I nearly had tears coming out of my eyes last time," Marshall said.

While Marshall admits everyone will miss Slots, he says his son and the horse's strapper Ryan might be most affected by her retirement.

"He loves her. Every night he gives her a cuddle before he goes to bed," Marshall said.

And while the Just Now was her biggest success, Marshall's favourite of Slots' seven wins also involved his son.

Marshall was at a friend's wedding on a cruise ship, leaving Ryan and a float driver in charge of Slots as she kicked away for her first city victory at Canterbury in November last year.

"It was so good for my son," Marshall said.

Slots is set to meet the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Tycoon Tara, the winner of the Group Two Missile Stakes at her last start, in the Toy Show.

Among the other entries are the Tim Martin-trained Group One Queen Of The Turf Stakes runner-up Heavens Above and Godolphin Group Two winner Pearls.

Weather To Decide Derryn's Next Start

Sunday, 14 August 2016 08:01

Sydney jockey Tim Clark has been booked to ride last-start Caulfield winner Derryn in his Sydney debut.

Tom Dabernig, who trains in partnership with David and Ben Hayes, said the Lindsay Park stable intends starting Derryn in the Group Three Up And Coming Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.

They will also accept with Derryn in the Listed McKenzie Stakes at Moonee Valley as a precaution against wet weather.

Derryn is being aimed at the Group One Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill on September 10.

"He'll probably go to Sydney with the view to the Golden Rose but we might dual-accept with him at Moonee Valley on the same day just in case we got a shocking track up there or a bad gate," Dabernig said.

"He's our Golden Rose horse but a lot will be dependent on the weather."

Derryn returned from a break with an impressive 1000m win at Caulfield on July 30 and is likely to be the stable's only three-year-old representative in Sydney in the coming weeks.

But Lindsay Park does have a strong arsenal of three-year-olds gearing up for the spring.

"With the three-year-olds we'll have a few double-ups in the early races but as we go along I think they'll sort themselves out," Dabernig said.

"We'll keep an eye on possible Sydney races but we will concentrate more on Melbourne, our home base, before the Sydneysiders come down for the carnival."

Irish-bred former Hong Kong galloper Dibayani could be Sydney bound for the Group Two Tramway Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on September 3.

His main early spring goal is the Group One Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on October 3.

Dibayani returned with a second to Sooboog in the Aurie's Star Handicap at Flemington on August 6.

Dabernig said again the weather would guide the stable whether Dibayani made his way to Sydney for his next start.

Valley Pair Returning To Go One Better

Monday, 15 August 2016 08:21

Lyn Tolson and her daughter and training partner, Leonie Proctor, have fond memories of a Moonee Valley meeting last year when they almost pulled off a feature race double.

The two horses involved, Well Sprung and Just Magical, return to the corresponding meeting on Saturday, one chasing a stakes race, the other, honours in a handicap.

In 2015, Well Sprung took out the Listed McKenzie Stakes over 1200m while Just Magical went down by a length when second in the Listed Carlyon Stakes (1000m).

This time Well Sprung tackles the Carlyon Stakes and Just Magical a 1200m benchmark 90 race.

"It would be nice if it could happen again but I think the Carlyon is a little bit harder this year," Tolson said.

Well Sprung has added only one victory to his McKenzie Stakes which came at his second race outing.

Tolson describes Well Sprung as a thinker and has fitted blinkers to his gear after trying to persuade his owners to geld him.

"As a colt he was very in-and-out and needed to have his mind kept on the job," Tolson said.

"When in amongst horses he was a thinker. When ridden out the back he thought it was fun and just watched what was going on up ahead."

Tolson isn't looking any further than Saturday's return but says there's improvement to come from Well Sprung.

"Hopefully he doesn't do those little things he did last time," she said.

"He's got the ability, it's just the brain that is the problem."

With two runs under his belt following a splint bone operation, Just Magical is ready to run well.

Tolson said the lack of suitable trials had the gelding underdone for his first-up assignment at Moonee Valley last month before running sixth to Sooboog in the Aurie's Star Handicap at Flemington on August 6.

Michael Walker, who rode horses at Moonee Valley last year, has been booked to ride them again.

O'Reilly Cyrus Still On Track For Rose

Sunday, 14 August 2016 08:01

Trainer Liam Birchley will continue to aim O'Reilly Cyrus at the Group One Golden Rose despite her Eagle Farm defeat.

O'Reilly Cyrus came from last in the middle stages to be a close up third in a 1200m-race on Saturday, one of four thirds Birchley had on the Eagle Farm program.

The filly took her prize money to $33,540 which will put her on the border of a start in the Golden Rose (1400m) on September 10.

Birchley said he would push on with plans to run O'Reilly Cyrus in the Golden Rose or another Sydney spring race.

"She ticks a few boxes. I know she is back in form, she will run the 1400 metres and handles a wet track. Now all I have to do is get her in the race," Birchley said.

Jockey Paul Hammersley, who rode O'Reilly Cyrus, also believes the filly is up to top class in the spring.

"It was a good run because I had to go back to last because of her bad barrier. She ran home very well," Hammersley said.

"I would like to see her from a good barrier and over a bit further."

It was a mixed day for Birchley who had one winner along with the four minor placings.

The 2015 Karaka Million winner Hardline showed he was getting back to his best with his third in the Benchmark 85 while another promising horse, Deconstructed, also ran a good third.

Another stablemate, Desert General, was yet another third after being pushed back into the inside running rail.

There was an irony in consistent galloper Beckham winning the Open Handicap (1400m).

"Beckham drew the outside barrier while Hardline and Deconstructed drew barrier one and Desert General had barrier two," Birchley said.

"Usually you want inside barriers but at Eagle Farm at the moment they are a worry because you get stuck on the fence which isn't the best going."

Dee Holds Strong Whip Hand With Weir

Monday, 15 August 2016 08:21

The new season in Melbourne may only be three meetings old but apprentice jockeys are already to the fore.

Michael Dee shares top billing with senior rider Nick Hall while fellow apprentices Ben Allen and Beau Mertens sit one win behind on three metropolitan winners apiece.

Dee finished second in last season's Melbourne apprentices' title behind Dylan Dunn and has carried that form over into the new season.

One person who has cottoned on to Dee's ability is leading trainer Darren Weir.

Dee was aboard two of Weir's haul of five winners at Flemington on August 6 and they combined with Kaniana for another winner at Caulfield on Saturday.

Fellow apprentice Ben Allen and Dee travel to give the Ballarat-based Weir a helping hand when he trials many of his horses and the trainer is only too happy to put them on in races.

"They come up and ride work and trials when they can so I'm happy to support them," Weir said.

"They come and do the hard yards like Johnny (Allen), Brad (Rawiller) and Harry (Coffey) and Michelle (Payne) when she's going.

"Naturally Mickey's got to ride for Mick (Price) as well, that's his priority, but when he can fit us in, it's good."

What impresses Weir is Dee's ability with the whip, especially with his winning ride aboard Sooboog in the Listed Aurie's Star Handicap at Flemington.

He said Dee's ability to use the whip in both hands extracted the best out of Sooboog.

"When he rode Sooboog he was left hand, then he was right hand and the horse didn't know what was happening and off it went," Weir said.

"He looks good on them, he's strong and he can ride light.

"It's a big advantage."

First Seal Gearing Up For Spring Carnival

Sunday, 14 August 2016 08:01

John Thompson will take a step-by-step approach with Group One winner First Seal who is ready for a barrier trial ahead of her spring campaign as a five-year-old.

The trainer said First Seal would run in a barrier trial at Randwick on Friday ahead of her first-up run in the $400,000 Group Two Golden Pendant at Rosehill on September 24.

"At this stage we're starting off in the mares' races," Thompson said.

"We're coming into the spring so there's plenty of options there depending on what she's doing at the time."

First Seal won the Group One Flight Stakes in October 2014, one of five times she beat Winx home in their three-year-old season.

Since the Flight Stakes, she has not won again at the top level but has been runner-up in four Group One races.

The 2015 spring ended without First Seal getting to the races because of a hoof injury.

The mare returned to win the Group Two Millie Fox Stakes in the autumn and was second in the Group One Canterbury Stakes, but her campaign ended after her 12th in the Doncaster Mile won by Winx.

Another of the stable's leading spring carnival hopes, Zanbagh, was scratched from a trial on the heavy Kensington track at Randwick on Tuesday morning.

"We just didn't want to go on the wet track but we're a long way out from her first run so we've got plenty of time," Thompson said.

Zanbagh is also set to trial this week.

Thompson said Zanbagh would also run against her own sex in the lead-up to the Group One Myer Classic at Flemington on Derby Day.

Sir John Hawkwood, a horse who came to Thompson's stable after David Vandyke relocated to Queensland, is another set for a hit-out this week.

Sir John Hawkwood's first up-run is likely to be in the Group Three Kingston Town Stakes at Rosehill on September 10 as he heads towards the Group One Metropolitan Handicap at Randwick on October 1.

Zelady's Night Out Runs For Gollan

Monday, 15 August 2016 08:21

As premier Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan prepares to open his satellite stable in Sydney, Zelady's Night Out will try to kick-start the new venture with a feature win in the Silver Shadow Stakes.

Tommy Berry will ride the dual stakes-winning filly when she has her first start as a three-year-old in Saturday's Group Two race over 1200 metres at Randwick.

Gollan has finalised negotiations with the Australian Turf Club and will have 20 boxes at Rosehill from late this month.

He hopes to eventually have 32 boxes at Rosehill and have regular Sydney Saturday runners.

Zelady's Night Out hasn't run since finishing sixth in the Reisling Stakes at Rosehill in March.

The filly has won three of her five starts including the Group Three B J McLachlan Stakes and Listed Calaway Gal Stakes last season.

"Things didn't go right late in her campaign as a two-year-old but she has had a good break and I am expecting her to race well," Gollan said.

Zelady's Night Out is one of 14 entries for the Silver Shadow headed by the Chris Waller-trained Omei Sword who is the $3.80 favourite in the TAB's first market ahead of Calliope at $5.

Omei Sword won her debut in February then finished second to Godolphin's Calliope in the Group Two Magic Night Stakes.

At her third and most recent race start, Omei Sword was unplaced in the Group One Sires' Produce Stakes won by Yankee Rose.

Zelady's Night Out is at $26.

Aust Derby Winner Gearing Up For Return

Sunday, 14 August 2016 08:01

Australian Derby winner Tavago is on target to kick off his spring campaign in the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield.

Trained by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, Tavago is scheduled to have a 1000m jump-out at Cranbourne on Monday.

Tavago is one of a number of horses Busuttin and Young now have in work at Cranbourne after making the move from New Zealand last month.

The trainers are currently preparing their horses at a local property awaiting the completion of their on-course stables.

Tavago stayed in Australia following his Australian Derby success in April and underwent six weeks pre-training with Leon and Troy Corstens before Busuttin and Young took over.

Busuttin said Tavago was now around 40kg heavier than when he won the Australian Derby and while he will strip off some of that weight in coming weeks he expects him to race heavier than he did during the autumn.

The four-year-old Tavistock gelding begins his spring campaign in the Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 27.

The plan is to then tackle the Makybe Diva Stakes and Turnbull Stakes at Flemington in the lead-up to the Caulfield Cup on October 15.

"He's a stayer but as long as he's hitting the line in the first couple we'll be happy and then if he's going to be a legitimate chance in the Caulfield Cup he's got to be competitive in the Turnbull," Busuttin said.

"I think he'll get in well at the weights in the Turnbull unless he wins one before which I think would be doubtful."

Busuttin believes Tavago should be a dual Derby winner, as was last year's Caulfield Cup winner Mongolian Khan, after having an unlucky passage when sixth in the New Zealand Derby in March.

"The query from everyone is he just a wet tracker that got the right day," Busuttin said.

"That's a logical question, but we're fairly confident he will step up.

"He's come up brilliantly and we haven't squeezed him yet, but we will do soon."

Winx Ready For Warwick Stakes Return

Sunday, 14 August 2016 08:01

A Group One field will take on Winx in the Warwick Stakes as the mare makes her first racetrack appearance in the lead-up to her Cox Plate defence.

Despite some controversy during the week when it was revealed Winx had had a bone chip removed in April, trainer Chris Waller said she was in fine form heading to Saturday's Group Two race over 1400 metres.

As a precursor to the spring, Winx was taken to the raceday stalls at Rosehill on Saturday to re-acquaint herself with the atmosphere.

Jockey Hugh Bowman on Winx

Waller said the bone chip surgery was minor.

"The vet's report was that it was `long-standing and non-clinical and there were no signs of heat, lameness or pain'," Waller said.

"We are just looking after her longevity."

Winx has been given an easy time in two barrier trials leading up to Saturday's Group Two Warwick Stakes (1400m) and her opposition is expected to include four of her Group One winning stablemates - Vanbrugh, Preferment, Grand Marshal and Who Shot Thebarman.

"I couldn't be happier with all of them," Waller said.

After she racked up her sixth Group One win in the Doncaster Mile, Waller decided Winx would not run in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes a week later.

Sydney's richest race was won in her absence by Lucia Valentina who will be entered for the Warwick Stakes as will Rebel Dane, second to Tycoon Tara as favourite in the Missile Stakes on his return.

Trainer Gary Portelli said he believed a firmer track this week would be an advantage for Rebel Dane but the presence of Winx would not.

"There's not much we can do about it but this week the pressure won't be on me," he said.

"Rebel Dane is bigger and better than he has been in past preparations.

"Usually in the spring we have taken him to Melbourne for his early runs and brought him back each time.

"This time we decided to keep him here for the early races hoping he would be up and running before all the good horses got back.

"It hasn't quite worked out that way but I'm very happy with him and the way he's going."

Michelle Payne Could Ride At Breeders' Cup

Sunday, 14 August 2016 08:01

Michelle Payne has even more incentive to get race-fit with the ride on Azkadellia at the Breeders' Cup meeting in Santa Anita on the line.

Payne made history when she won the Melbourne Cup on Prince Of Penzance but was upset last week when she was told she would not be riding him when he made his spring return later this month.

Managing owner John Richards added fuel to the fire saying he believed she should retire after a serious injury which has kept her away from race riding since May.

She has made a rapid recovery from pancreatic surgery and has been passed fit by Racing Victoria's medical officer and the doctors who operated on her.

Payne has yet to resume riding but Azkadellia's owner Ben Connolly, who is also racing manager for the mare's trainer Ciaron Maher, said she was the jockey of choice if Azkadellia takes her place at Santa Anita in November.

Azkadellia's win in the Queen Of The Turf Stakes in April gained her automatic entry to the Breeders' Cup Turf for fillies and mares.

Connolly said both jockey and horse had to prove they were fit to make the trip to America.

"The Aussie spirit is to never give up, and give a mate a hand up and a fair go," Connolly said.

"She is a true Aussie battler made good, and I'll back her to the ends of the earth to do us proud again.

"I understand some in the industry may disagree with me, but I am not talking about putting an unprepared, unfit or unhealthy Michelle Payne on the horse.

"She has to get herself back to the level she was at when she won the Melbourne Cup, and remain healthy both physically and mentally."

Azkadellia is scheduled to make her return in September while Payne has been riding trackwork over the past couple of weeks in preparation for a return to the races.