Tim Martin With A Long Shot Winner
- Saturday, 10 September 2016 08:10
Tim Martin trains a much smaller team than he did a decade ago and every winner counts.
So it was with some delight the Rosehill trainer watched as Moral Victory ($31) upset his more fancied rivals with a win on his home track on Saturday.
Martin admitted to having a small amount on the seven-year-old who was ridden by apprentice Clare Nutman to win TheRaces (1200m).
"I was going to send this horse to a barrier trial but he worked so well on Monday, I decided to send him to the races instead," Martin said.
"I had a little bit on him and just told Clare to try to be positive.
"Clare rides trackwork for me and knows my horses well."
Nutman's three kilogram claim brought Moral Victory into the race with 57kg, and the weight advantage helped when she brought him into the race in the straight.
Moral Victory chased down the leader Caped Crusader ($10) to win by a length with Suspense ($9) another half length third.
Favourite Sir Bacchus ($2.45) finished fourth anchored by 61.5kg.
Martin said Moral Victory was likely to have his next start in Melbourne.
"His benchmark rating here is getting up so we'll look at a couple of stakes races in Melbourne," he said.
"Anything from a mile (1600m) to a mile and a quarter."
Vet Too Unwell To Give Evidence: Lawyer
- Friday, 09 September 2016 08:27
A vet who denies being involved in supplying cobalt could be at risk of self-harm if forced to give evidence to a Victorian appeal, a judge has heard.
Dr Adam Matthews denies fellow vet Dr Tom Brennan's claim he supplied bottles containing a substance called vitamin complex that Brennan gave to horses in Danny O'Brien and Mark Kavanagh's stables.
A judge is deciding whether to force Matthews to testify at the trainers' appeals against their cobalt disqualifications.
Matthews is suffering from a significant psychiatric disorder that requires ongoing treatment in hospital, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal heard on Friday.
Matthews' lawyer Nicole Spicer said a psychiatrist had diagnosed the vet as suffering from a significant depressive disorder.
Spicer said the psychiatrist was convinced any involvement with the legal system in the next six months would damage Matthews' treatment and welfare, including a risk of suicide.
"Having a professional of that standing identifying a genuine risk of self-harm or the taking of a person's life is not something to be taken lightly," Spicer said.
Spicer said Matthews is currently an in-patient in hospital receiving psychiatric care that includes daily treatment with a method she understood to be somewhat analogous to electroconvulsive therapy.
It would be a concern if he was compelled to give evidence during his treatment, she said.
Spicer said Matthews and his legal team agreed to him being independently assessed, although the hospital will not allow that to happen while he is an inpatient.
VCAT president Justice Greg Garde said Brennan's credibility was a significant issue in the appeal and Matthews' evidence was also significant.
"His evidence goes to the core of some of the important matters in dispute in this proceeding," Justice Garde said.
The Racing NSW Appeal Panel found Matthews not guilty of being the supplier of cobalt in a bottle of vitamin complex Brennan sent to Kavanagh's son, Sydney trainer Sam Kavanagh.
Matthews gave evidence to the NSW stewards' inquiry, after initially declining to appear on medical grounds.
Spicer suggested VCAT could use transcripts of Matthews' NSW evidence and his blanket denial that he had anything to do with cobalt or the vitamin complex bottles.
Justice Garde will decide on September 19 whether Matthews has to give evidence after hearing further submissions.
If a summons to appear is enforced and Matthews then fails to attend VCAT, a warrant could be issued for his arrest.
* Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
Freedman With Chance In Makybe Diva Stakes
- Friday, 09 September 2016 08:27
Lee Freedman has the unique chance to win the Group One race named after the champion horse he trained when Our Ivanhowe makes his spring return in the Makybe Diva Stakes.
Freedman, who is now in partnership with his brother Anthony, saddles up Our Ivanhowe in Saturday's weight-for-age race at Flemington, named in honour of the three-time Melbourne Cup winner.
Freedman, who trained Makybe Diva to two of her three Cup wins, won the race three times in the 1990s when it was known as the Craiglee Stakes but hasn't won it since it was renamed the Makybe Diva Stakes in 2007.
He believes Doomben Cup winner Our Ivanhowe can make a promising season return on his way to spring targets over further.
"He's going very well and he's in really good order," Freedman said.
"He'll run very well tomorrow. He'll run even better if we got a lot of rain, but I can't see us getting the rain that we need.
"He's very good on dry ground anyway, but he excels even more because he really loves soft ground."
Our Ivanhowe was placed in last year's Caulfield Cup and that race will be a strong focus again this spring, with the seven-year-old high up in betting for the 2400m handicap.
The German import hasn't won over less than 2000m and has only had one start at 1600m since arriving in Australia.
"On his form it would appear to be possibly a bit short, but staying horses often run very well fresh in that race," Freedman said.
"And I expect him to run well too."
Black Heart Bart is the $2.30 favourite after his convincing Memsie Stakes win while his Darren Weir-trained stablemate Palentino is at $6.
Should the track remain in the good range, Freedman admitted Black Heart Bart would be hard to beat.
Freedman says Our Ivanhowe has totally acclimatised and while he's just turned seven he is still lightly raced having had 18 starts.
"He's where he should be now and this should be a good campaign for him I would have thought," he said.
Daniel Moor has the ride on Our Ivanhowe on Saturday and he will also be on stablemates Santa Ana Lane, Cool Chap and Authoritarian at Flemington.
"He knows this horse. He's trialled him and he's ridden him in work quite a few times," Freedman said.
"It's just a nice reward for all the work that he does."
Mediterranean Flying Snowdens' Golden Flag
- Friday, 09 September 2016 08:27
Mediterranean's rise to become Peter and Paul Snowden's sole Golden Rose hope seemed unlikely a month ago.
Capitalist was favourite for the Golden Rose while Mediterranean's best effort on a racecourse was a dominant midweek victory at Canterbury.
But the father-son training team altered their plan for the $1 million Group One race after Golden Slipper winner Capitalist failed to fire first-up in the Group Three San Domenico Stakes.
Mediterranean, who is related to Capitalist and also races in James Harron Bloodstock's green and gold silks, now carries the stable's hopes in Saturday's feature at Rosehill.
Senior trainer Peter Snowden has vowed to leave no stone unturned as he applies blinkers to Mediterranean in a bid to cause a Golden Rose boilover.
"I think now's the time to put them on just to keep him focused," Snowden said.
"I've been thinking about it for a while. I worked him in them a couple of times and he worked a bit sharper with them on."
Snowden said Mediterranean has been crying out for 1400m and will benefit from barrier five.
"He gets the trip, it's a good draw and it is a grand final so I'm not leaving any stone unturned," Snowden said.
Mediterranean was fifth in the Run To The Rose, with the first six over the line to run in the Golden Rose.
While Omei Sword is the Chris Waller-trained runner headlining the market at $3.80, he believes stablemate Nikitas is a knockout chance.
"He's entitled to be the forgotten horse," Waller said.
"He's got the ability of a good horse. His run in the Magic Millions would show that."
Nikitas ran second to Capitalist in the Magic Millions Classic when trained by Kelso Wood.
Waller said Nikitas was unlucky in the Run To The Rose, his first start for his new stable, finishing sixth after sitting three wide facing the breeze.
"The 1400 metres will suit him better and obviously the first-up run will tighten him up significantly," Waller said.
"He's definitely a top five chance and he's a chance at going better."
Mediterranean is at $26 for the Golden Rose and Nikitas has been turned in from $71 to $51.
We've Got This Gets Chance In G2 Sprint
- Friday, 09 September 2016 08:27
A significant weight pull on a couple of the higher profile sprinters gives trainer Greg Eurell confidence We've Got This can run a big race in the Group Two Bobbie Lewis Quality.
We've Got This scored a strong win in a benchmark sprint over the straight 1200m-course at Flemington in February and will be chasing his first Group race victory on Saturday.
Eurell had been aiming We've Got This at the Group One Goodwood in Adelaide in May but a foot abscess put an end to those hopes.
We've Got This resumed from a spell with a closing sixth, coming from last, in the Group Three Heath (1100m) after a slow start.
He carried 56kg but drops to 53kg on Saturday and is one of eight horses on the minimum weight.
The five-year-old has 6kg less than favourite Under The Louvre and 4.5kg less than star New Zealander Xtravagant who is on the second line of betting.
"He's in really good order. Really good order," Eurell said.
"He gets a lovely weight relief in this race and I think the all-important factor with him is that he gets a little smother and gets exposed late.
"It's a tough race but I think the horse has got a lot of ability and if he won it wouldn't surprise me."