Colless and Harris to Ride in Singapore This Weekend
- Monday, 19 August 2002 00:00
NOEL HARRIS
Jockey Noel Harris from New Zealand, is currently in second position in the New Zealand jockey premiership. The 47 year old riders application is sponsored by trainer Laurie Laxon.
Jockey Harris has ridden extensively in other countries including Australia and the MRA circuit. His total career wins of over 1900 included numerous Group and Listed races such as Cox Plate, Sydney Cup, Wellington Cup (three times), Auckland Cup (two times), VRC Oaks, New Zealand Derby and Wellington Derby (four times).
When he was previously riding in the MRA circuit, jockey Harris won the Singapore Gold Cup and Perak Sultan Gold Vase in 1978 and the Lion City Cup in 1979. He was the MRA Champion Jockey in 1979.
Jockey Harris goes to scale at 53 kg.
GLEN COLLESS
Australia rider Glen Colless, 34 years of age, is currently fifth in the Queensland Metropolitan Premiership. His application is sponsored by trainer Stephen Gray.
Jockey Colless has ridden over 500 career winners including Group and Listed races such as Queensland Sires Produce Stakes, QTC Grand Prix (two times), Stan Fox Stakes and Expressway & Premier Stakes.
Jockey Colless goes to scale at 53kg.
Media Release - Singapore Turf Club
Mistegic Shines, Rubitano Flops in McEwen
- Monday, 19 August 2002 00:00
Mistegics spring plans remain on track after
he held out the fast finishing Shaye Spice to win Saturdays listed Ian McEwen Trophy
(1000m) at Moonee Valley.After jumping out of the gates in good style the Strategic gelding sped to the front and held a narrow advantage before slipping clear of his rivals at the top of the home straight.
An expected challenge from the in form sprinter Rubitano never eventuated and that gelding weakened badly over the concluding stages to finish at the tail of the field.
Winning trainer Lee Curtis said Mistegic will spend a few days resting at his northern Victorian property before a Group One target.
"Hell stay here in Victoria and run in
the Manikato next," Curtis said referring to the Group One Manikato Stakes (1200m) at
Moonee Valley next month.
"Hes such a good little horse and hes very tough," Curtis said. "He always gives us his best, and you cant ask for any more than that."
Leading Melbourne based rider Damien Oliver will retain the ride on Mistegic for at least his next run in the Manikato.
Oliver jumped off Shaye Spice to ride Mistegic on Saturday and he has already been booked to again partner the gelding next start.
The favourite for Wednesday nights Scobie Breasley Medal likened Mistegic to the internationally proven Australian sprinter Falvelon.
"There wouldnt be a lot between them," Oliver said. "Both of them (Mistegic and Falvelon) are high class sprinters."
Glen Boss, who is recovering after suffering a
serious fall while on an international riding stint, is expected to be reunited with
Mistegic after the Manikato.
Oliver said on Saturday the gelding pleased him with his win although he was a little shell shocked at the below par performance of Rubitano.
"I was a bit surprised," Oliver said. "I thought hed (Rubitano) come with me from the home turn."
The ordinary performance from Rubitano has been put down to the slow track conditions. His rider Nash Rawiller told stewards he felt the ordinary track brought about his undoing, while Brian Mayfield-Smith felt the track was the major problem as well.
PICS - Quentin Lang.
Another Bi-Carb Drama in Melbourne
- Sunday, 18 August 2002 00:00
The Bendigo trained five-year-old mare Manntari Rox was a late scratching by stewards at Sandown today after it was revealed she had returned a pre-race test with the higher than allowed level of TCO2.
Trained by Paul Banks, Manntari Rox, a winner of one of her twelve starts, was withdrawn just nine minutes before she was to have started in the Carlton Draught Lucknow Handicap (2119m) at Sandown.
An inquiry will be held at a date to be fixed.
Today's drama follows on the news that a pre-race test taken earlier in the week from a Stuart Webb trained runner (eventual third placegetter) also returned with elevated levels of TCO2. Webb's inquiry is also yet to be fixed.
Valley Winner Could Be Off to Stud in a Flurry
- Saturday, 17 August 2002 00:00
Group placed mare Flurry’s Gem may have run
her last race after scoring an all the way win in the Rosemount Estate Diamond Chardonnay
Handicap (1200m) at Moonee Valley this afternoon.A daughter of the in form sire Perugino, Flurry’s Gem ($15-$17-$16) was having just her third start for her new Melbourne based trainer Danny O’Brien.
"She could go to stud right now," O’Brien said after the win. "Otherwise she will have one more start over 1400 metres before being retired."
Flurry’s Gem was purchased privately by the Widden Stud Syndicate’s Antony Thompson from her former Adelaide connections, a city where she was a three time winner.
After working to the front early in the race with the outsider Radjhabelle ($61), Flurry’s Gem soon sneaked clear of her rivals and held on for a three quarter length win.
Woodwina ($4.60-$6.50-$5.50) worked home solidly
to grab second, just ahead of the Cranbourne trained mare Midday Matinee.
It’s been a big week for the Collingrove based stallion Perugino. On Monday his sprinting son Sudurka was crowned as the Super Vobis Horse of the Year for the last racing season which ended on July 31.
It was the third straight award win for Perugino. His brilliant son Testa Rossa won back to back titles over the previous two years.
Perugino, a son of the leading sire of sires Danzig, has done an amazing job at stud in Australia.
To date only one crop have graced our tracks and as well as the Group One stars Sudurka and Testa Rossa he is the sire of the dual Group winning mare Tickle My.
PICS - Quentin Lang.
Innovation Girl Too Classy for Rivals
- Saturday, 17 August 2002 00:00
Innovation Girl is likely to set up a
mouth watering clash with the brilliant colt Bel Esprit after she scored an impressive win
in today’s listed William Crockett Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley.The high class daughter of the booked out Victorian stallion Rubiton also earned herself a red card for the unique Moonee Valley circuit after failing to handle the track.
"We’ll try and keep away from here (Moonee Valley) now," her trainer Brian Mayfield-Smith said after the win. "Even the day she won here earlier in her career she didn’t really handle the track."
Beaten only once in her career (in a
photo finish by Yell) Innovation Girl showed she was on track for a successful spring by
scoring a comprehensive win in the Group Three Dermody Stakes in Adelaide three weeks ago.
Mayfield-Smith was impressed with the filly’s win in the $80,500 race.
"She had an ordinary start and was very wide early," he said. "She then worked into the race well, so it was a pretty good win really."
The filly is likely to head toward the Group Two Ascot Vale Stakes a week after the McNeil.
"I’d like to run her a week before the Ascot Vale just to toughen her up a bit," Mayfield-Smith added.
Future plans for the filly will involve
her having to step up in distance and for that fact the filly will have a significant gear
change at her next start.
"We’ll take the blinkers off her now," Mayfield-Smith added. "She should then be able to settle better in her races and get over a longer distance."
After being caught wide early Innovation Girl managed to work her way up to third place just behind the leaders by the home turn. Despite laying out and having to change legs in the straight she managed to close the gap on the Sydney filly Before Too Long and then grab her in the shadows of the post to win by a half neck.
The runner-up Before too Long will be sent back to Sydney by her trainer Gary Portelli and next run in the Heritage Stakes before ultimately returning to Moonee Valley for the Group Two Moet & Chandon Champagne Stakes.
PICS - Quentin Lang.