Miss Rose De Lago Aims For Another G2 Win
- Friday, 02 September 2016 08:26
Damien Oliver admits Miss Rose De Lago's task in the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes has been made harder by the outside barrier as the jockey chases a fifth win in the race.
Oliver won the Group Two P B Lawrence Stakes (1400m) on Miss Rose De Lago at Caulfield last month and is expecting a stiffer test in Saturday's Group Two weight-for-age race over 1600m.
Oliver has won the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes, formerly the Feehan, on Tristalove (1994), Northerly (2001), Fields Of Omagh (2002) and Whobegotyou (2009).
"I'm hopeful more than confident," Oliver said.
"We've drawn the outside which is not going to make it easy. We had the luxury of a good barrier draw last start.
"The competition is probably going to go up another level but if she can have some luck from the outside draw, she's going to be there again."
Miss Rose De Lago is the second favourite at $6 behind Japanese import Tosen Stardom who is at $5.50 to win his first start since joining the Darren Weir stable.
Miss Rose De Lago was a dominant winner of the Group Two Sunline Stakes over 1600m the last time she raced at Moonee Valley during this year's autumn carnival.
Oliver's book of rides at Moonee Valley has been reduced by one with the Ciaron Maher-trained Chloe In Paris scratched from the Group Two McEwen Stakes.
The following Saturday at Flemington, Oliver will chase his first Group One win of the new season having picked up the ride on Memsie Stakes winner Black Heart Bart for the Makybe Diva Stakes.
Brad Rawiller, who rode Black Heart Bart in the Memsie, has been ruled out of Makybe Diva Stakes day by suspension.
Robert Heathcote Off To A Flying Start
- Friday, 02 September 2016 08:26
Robert Heathcote is looking to continue his winning start to the season but has already conceded the Brisbane trainers' premiership.
Heathcote finished August with 15 winners including 12 in the metropolitan area to give him a clear lead over Tony Gollan.
A five-time premiership winner, Heathcote has been runner-up to Gollan for the past three seasons and is resigned to another second place finish.
"I usually start the season well in August and September coming out of the winter. The tracks are a bit drier and we race a bit more at Doomben and the Sunshine Coast which suits my horses," Heathcote said.
"But I know from experience it won't last. It is a numbers game and for a few years I had the numbers. Now it is Tony's turn but we will be in there trying."
Heathcote will start September with a strong hand at Eagle Farm on Saturday, in particular in the Open Handicap (1200m) in which he has three of the favourites - Saluter, Dream Choice and Lauterbrunnen.
"I take pride in being able to get my horses through to open company. The fact I could win with nine-year-old Jopa last week gave me a real thrill," Heathcote said.
"My three on Saturday are starting to get on as well. Dream Choice has won three times this campaign, Saluter is always thereabouts and Lauterbrunnen is consistent. It is the new look Eagle Farm but all things being equal I would expect them to race well."
He said the weather would play a major role on Saturday as Saluter did not like really wet tracks.
Heathcote is hoping to trial his star sprinter Buffering at either Doomben or Eagle Farm on the course proper next Tuesday.
"Kelly Schweida wants to trial his Group One winning mare Miss Cover Girl and Tony Gollan and Brian Smith have a couple they also want to trial," Heathcote said.
"Buffering will need to trial if he is going to get to Melbourne for the Moir Stakes on September 30."
Heathcote has also been busy off the track campaigning against a draft proposal to introduce mandatory 12-month disqualifications for some drug offences in Queensland.
"I am all for stamping out those who deliberately do something wrong," he said.
"But some of the proposals would rub out trainers for 12 months on charges they have previously been fined for.
"I am one who has previously been fined but things can wrong in stables and there are accidents. I wouldn't be the only trainer to have that happen to him."
"Hopefully the powers that be will see common sense."
Time For An Overhaul For SA Racing: McEvoy
- Friday, 02 September 2016 08:26
Trainer Tony McEvoy is urging racing officials and the South Australian government to work together to ensure a viable future for the state's racing industry.
His call comes after the debacle at Balaklava on Wednesday when one race was deleted from the program and the distance of the Cup shortened 300m because of a wet spot on the track.
McEvoy said South Australia once had tracks that stood up to all weather conditions but it was not happening now.
He says Balaklava, Strathalbyn, Murray Bridge, Bordertown and Mount Gambier are just a few tracks in need of urgent attention while Morphettville is showing the effects of constant racing.
He said it may be time to consider building an all-weather track, perhaps at Strathalbyn, or maybe re-invent Victoria Park.
"I believe it is time for everyone to move on from past decisions, recognise there is a problem which is affecting everyone and return racing's credibility as a major employer and popular pastime," McEvoy said.
McEvoy thinks it's time for racing officials to come up with ideas to improve the industry and, possibly even more important, for the government to support them.
And he said the time has come for the industry to forge a close working relationship with the SA government.
McEvoy believes any initiative to raise additional capital for the racing industry must be a good thing.
While an additional tax on gambling for South Australians may appear detrimental to the punter, McEvoy believes if a large portion is put back into racing it could be the best thing for the industry.
Heavy Questions For G3 Ming Dynasty Field
- Friday, 02 September 2016 08:26
The runners in the Ming Dynasty Quality are almost all in the same boat as they test whether they can navigate a watery Randwick track.
Persistent rain has soaked the track ahead of Saturday's Group Three race for three-year-olds, with more than 35mm falling since Thursday evening.
Of the seven runners, only Shazee Lee and Argentina have been on heavy ground for a win and a seventh respectively.
Bit Dusty's trainer John Sargent will rely on the gelding's breeding which he says indicates he should handle a wet surface.
"As long as he handles the track he should run a very big race," Sargent said.
"I think he's a smart horse."
As well as his wet track capabilities, Sargent is also looking for a guide on what races to target in the spring.
Bit Dusty won on debut at Newcastle on August 16, edging out Godolphin colt Bryneich and the Gerald Ryan-trained Star Of Monsoon.
All three are nominated for the Caulfield Guineas.
"We rode him out of his zone a bit at Newcastle," Sargent said.
"I think being left alone is better for him but you have to ride Newcastle like that when you draw inside," Sargent said.
Prominent owner Peter Horwitz bred Bit Dusty and races him with his family and his mate Doug Thompson.
"You wouldn't get a luckier owner than Peter. He's had some great horses," Sargent said.
Skylight Glow's debut win was on a soft track at Canterbury and she made it back-to-back wins at Randwick on May 28.
Trainer James Cummings says the form guide doesn't reflect how wet the track was for her latest win.
"It reads good track when she won at Randwick but it was raining on the day and that was the first race so it was downgraded," Cummings said.
Cummings said Skylight Glow had beaten colts and geldings as a two-year-old and is drawn to get a good run from barrier three.
Skylight Glow and Bit Dusty are both $7, while the Scott Singleton-trained Shazee Lee is the outsider of the field at $15.
Trainers Peter and Paul Snowden have $3.20 favourite Taj Mahal and $11 chance Argentina.
Prized Icon To Prove He Is No Lightweight
- Thursday, 01 September 2016 08:36
While Winx's reputation is unrivalled, James Cummings is hoping Prized Icon can improve his standing by running well against the champion mare.
Winx's dominance has reached heights where rival trainers are satisfied if horses just acquit themselves well against her.
Only two horses from outside Chris Waller's stable will take on Winx in Saturday's Group Two over 1600m at Randwick.
Prized Icon
They are Godolphin Group One winner Hartnell and the Cummings-trained three-year-old Prized Icon, who won the Group One Champagne Stakes in April.
"It leaves us in a good position to let the horse's reputation be improved if he can run well against the weight-for-age horses," Cummings said.
Prized Icon was solid first-up, finishing fourth in the Group Three Up And Coming Stakes carrying 61kg.
Cummings said he thought long and hard about keeping the three-year-old to his own age group in the Ming Dynasty Quality, but the 10.5kg weight swing from last start was appealing.
"He had to carry 61 kilograms first-up and he was allotted 62 second-up if I ran him in the Ming Dynasty," Cummings said.
"He's just not given must chance to win under those conditions.
"He won't know himself with the weight turnaround."
The weight advantage three-year-olds carry into the race has not translated into success since Mighty Kingdom won the Chelmsford in 1979.
Despite the history, Prized Icon is the horse given the biggest hope of an upset and he sits on the second line of betting at $7. Winx is $1.15 favourite.
"He looks much closer in the market would you believe at weight-for-age against Winx than he was first-up against Divine Prophet giving him the weight advantage," Cummings said.
Running in the $1 million Golden Rose on a one-week back up remains an option for Prized Icon, who could also contest the Gloaming Stakes over 1800 metres on September 24.
Winx's jockey Hugh Bowman rode Prized Icon in the Up And Coming and while he thinks the horse will be better suited over 1600m, he doesn't think they are at the same level.
Not surprisingly, Bowman believes Winx has the race at her mercy.