Wet Track Suits Bartley

Wednesday, 23 November 2011 05:15

The prospect of a wet track holds no fears for trainer Tracey Bartley who will take a team of two to Canterbury on Saturday.

The surface, considered the most durable in Sydney, was in the heavy range on Wednesday following 35mm of overnight rain.

Bartley's pair of Meghalaya and General's Sniper have both won on wet ground and Bartley believes a heavy track will particularly boost the chances of the former.

"She's got bush form so it might help her a bit if it's heavy," Bartley said.

Meghalaya has won three of her eight starts on country and provincial tracks, the most recent over 1200m at Port Macquarie on November 4.

Saturday's De Bortoli Wines Handicap (1250m) will be her toughest test but Bartley, who won the 2007 Group One Stradbroke Handicap with Sniper's Bullet, believes Meghalaya has the hallmarks of a city-class galloper.

"She runs good time, she's a big rangy filly and she should be competitive," he said.

General's Sniper will step out in the Canterbury BMW-Driving Strong Relationships Handicap (1550m).

She improved from an indifferent first-up showing to run a close third to Millenium Ruler over Saturday's distance at Canterbury last start.

"She was awful first-up but she ran into a lot of trouble," Bartley said.

"Second-up she was much better and she needed the run over the trip."

General's Sniper has had seven starts at Canterbury for two wins and two minor placings and has drawn ideally in barrier three.

"It's a good track for her, she's got a lovely draw," Bartley said.

"I'm not sure about the speed in the race but she will roll forward anyway."

Her half-brother and stablemate Sniper's Bullet has just returned to work after missing the Melbourne and Perth carnivals due to a hock injury.

A decision on his racing future will depend on how he shapes up but Bartley says one option being considered is giving him another stint with Melbourne trainer Robert Smerdon.

Smerdon prepared Sniper's Bullet for three starts in 2010, including a close second at Group Three level.

Atomic Force Team Leaves Options Open

Tuesday, 22 November 2011 03:16

Atomic Force's connections have made plans for an alternative overseas campaign if the Group One winner misses out on an invitation for Hong Kong's star-studded International meeting.

The no-nonsense sprinter, who races under the Dynamic Syndications banner, is in contention for a place in the Hong Kong Sprint field next month.

Syndicator Dean Watt said he would know on Wednesday if the Galaxy winner will be one of seven international runners invited to contest the 1200-metre Sprint on December 11.

"The horse has met all the criteria and we deliberately came home early from Melbourne to get him ready (for Hong Kong)," Watt said after watching Atomic Force win a Rosehill barrier trial on Tuesday.

If Atomic Force is given the green light from Hong Kong Jockey Club officials, the six-year-old will be put on a Hong Kong flight on Sunday.

Rejection, however, won't mean the end of trainer Darren Smith's overseas plans for Atomic Force.

"If the Hong Kong trip doesn't go ahead we'll take him to New Zealand for the Railway Stakes," Watt said.

"At set weights with penalties it is an ideal race for him."

A Group One sprint, the Railway Stakes will be run at Ellerslie on New Year's Day.

Australian sprinters who have met with Railway success include the Gerald Ryan-trained Recurring in 2005 and Gary Portelli's Gold Trail in 2010.

"It's not too much to keep him in work for New Zealand because the Railway is only two weeks after the Hong Kong race," Watt said.

Nash Rawiller, who holds a Hong Kong booking for Atomic Force, has told Watt he would like follow the horse to New Zealand.

"After the trial Nash said he would go anywhere to ride him," Watt said."

Rarely a brilliant horse under trial conditions, Atomic Force was in genuine Group One form at Rosehill.

"He really went super," Watt said. "Normally he doesn't show much in his trials so that's why everyone is so happy with the way he went."

Atomic Force, who was among two late entries for an 1100m welter at Canterbury on Saturday, is the only Australian horse up for a Hong Kong invitation.

Cox Plate runner-up Jimmy Choux will represent New Zealand in the Hong Kong Mile.

Wet Conditions To Suit Letchworth

Wednesday, 23 November 2011 04:16

Trainer Marc Conners was praying for the rain to tumble down on Tuesday but got such a downpour overnight that it backfired on him.

Conners' noted mudlark Letchworth was due to run at the Australian Turf Club's Hawkesbury meeting on Wednesday but heavy rain forced the races to be abandoned.

"I was praying for rain yesterday but we got too much and the races are off today, so that doesn't help," Conners said.

Instead, the five-year-old heavy track specialist will line up at Canterbury on Saturday in the Schweppes Handicap (1900m).

"He's still going to get a wet track and that's what he excels on," the Warwick Farm trainer said.

"He's had 10 starts on heavy tracks for four wins, a second and a third.

"He's only won six races in total so that shows he is at his best in the wet. He just keeps going at the same speed through the heavy ground."

Conners' other Canterbury representatives, two-year-olds Treecat Magic and Lady Corleone, are untested in the wet and will line up against each other in the Australian Turf Club Handicap (1100m).

Lady Corleone has the advantage of race experience having made her debut with a sixth at Randwick on November 5.

Treecat Magic is making her debut on the back of two barrier trials.

"Lady Corleone's run was very good first-up and she was unlucky not to run a place," Conners said.

Stewards reported the filly pulled hard during the race, was blocked for a run and also checked at the 200 metre mark.

"It's probably not exactly what you want in their first start in a race but to her credit she kept trying and I thought she finished the race off well," Conners said.

"This race is a bit further and she worked yesterday (Tuesday) morning and seemed to get through the ground well."

Treecat Magic is owned by Glenn and Viva Williams who also race Magic Millions winner Karuta Queen.

She will carry the same colours as Karuta Queen and be ridden by Karuta Queen's regular jockey Tommy Berry.

Conners only hopes she can run as fast as the Neville Layt-trained flyer.

"She's been making good improvement from her trials and we were happy with her trial the other day," Conners said.

"She's fit and this will give us a chance to see what she can do."

Conners said getting to the Magic Millions Classic in January was the target if the daughter of Magic Albert could qualify.

Villiers A Prime Target For Ginga Dude

Monday, 21 November 2011 06:16

Accomplished New Zealand galloper Ginga Dude is still a month away from signing off on another successful Australian campaign.

The veteran, who is closing in on $1 million in stakes after a Moonee Valley win and Cranbourne Cup placing during the Melbourne spring carnival, has been nominated for Saturday's Frank Underwood Cup.

Ginga DudeHowever, trainer Graeme Boyd said he was reluctant to commit the eight-year-old to a Canterbury start with 61kg until he studiedthe handicap spread for the Listed race.

"I'm going to look at the weights before I make my mind up on a start," Boyd said.

"With his rating (107) he might have to give too much weight to a few horses who could make it difficult for him."

Should Boyd decide not to accept with Ginga Dude, he will save the horse for next month's Villiers Stakes at Warwick Farm.

"I'll look at giving him a freshen-up before the Villiers before sending him for a short break after that," Boyd said.

"He'll be a bit closer to the others in the Villiers weights so it looks a better race for him."

A change of tactics produced a luckless Eclipse Stakes result at Ginga Dude's latest run when sixth to Rothera at Sandown.

"He has paid his way once again over here and there's been a few times when he hasn't had much luck," Boyd said.

"In the Eclipse he couldn't get a run."

Since his placing in last year's Group One Zabeel Classic at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, Ginga Dude has raced exclusively in Australia.

Graeme BoydDuring a career which has netted 13 wins from 48 starts and $917,880 in earnings, Ginga Dude has twice campaigned during the Melbourne spring and he contested Group One weight-for-age races during this year's Sydney autumn carnival.

Boyd has Queensland's rich winter pickings on Ginga Dude's 2012 radar.

"He can have a break after the Villiers and I'll get him ready for the Brisbane carnival," Boyd said.

"There are a couple of nice races up there for him."

The Frank Underwood Cup attracted 19 entries including Legsman, Scouting Wide, Solid Billing, Strike One and Yulalona.

They are regarded as solid off-season stayers who are expected to figure in the Christmas Cup and Summer Cup - the two main long distance races during the holiday racing season in Sydney.

Pictures: Fiona Tomlin

Hawkesbury Postponed

Tuesday, 22 November 2011 22:19

Please be advised that the race meeting scheduled for Hawkesbury today has been postponed due to wet weather.

A track inspection early this morning by Racing NSW Stewards found surface water to be present on the course and with continuing rain forecast, the track was deemed unsafe for racing.

Trainers Seek Audience Over Drug Testing

Monday, 21 November 2011 05:16

Racehorse trainers would be subjected to drug testing and a 0.02 alcohol level under proposed amendments to the Australian Racing Rules.

The Australian Racing Board has proposed trainers, stablehands and any "horse handler" be subject to stringent recreational drug and alcohol testing.

The NSW Trainers Association has asked for an urgent meeting with the ARB and Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'landys.

NSWTA chief executive Steve McMahon said if the ARB was so concerned about occupational health and safety it should concentrate on improving the state of race and training tracks.

"We would never condone the abuse of drugs and alcohol and all we are asking at this stage is a common sense approach," McMahon said.

"One of the proposed rule changes could see any `horse handler' with a blood alcohol reading of 0.02 fined or suspended.

"If a stablehand has a night out with his or her mates and has a few drinks and then wakes up at 3am to sweep and clean the stables and they are 0.03, under these rules they could lose their job."

"It's hard enough as it is getting staff to who are willing to wake up at 3am to clean out horse stables feed to horses for relatively low wages."

Pride To Rely On News Alert At Canterbury

Tuesday, 22 November 2011 06:00

Stakeswinner News Alert has been confirmed to make his debut for Joe Pride on Saturday but stablemate Tiger Tees could be saved for another day.

After scanning the weights for Saturday's Welter (1100m) at Canterbury, Pride said the late nomination of Group One winner Atomic Force meant up-and-coming sprinter Tiger Tees could now bypass the race.

"I'm a little undecided after looking at the weights quickly this afternoon," Pride said.

On the other hand, Atomic Force's presence means News Alert has been given 59kg and will carry 3kg less with the claim of apprentice Adam Hyeronimus.

"It's a double-edged thing because it hasn't suited Tiger Tees but now News Alert is much better weighted than he might have been and he's a realistic chance," the trainer said.

Pride said he would still accept with Tiger Tees on Wednesday morning with Christian Reith booked to ride should he take his place.

Tiger Tees has won four from four this season with his most recent appearance a three-quarter length success at Rosehill on September 10.

He has been earmarked for a possible first attempt at stakes racing in the Listed Razor Sharp Handicap (1200m) next month.

News Alert joined Pride's team from the Rosehill trainer Con Karakatsanis.

"He's had three trials and has been here about three months," Pride said.

"I like him. He's a good quality horse, his record tells you that and he likes the sting out of the track. I've also looked through his record and he's a great weight carrier."

The seven-year-old gelding has won eight of his 33 starts including a Group Three Healy Stakes (1200m) and three Listed races.

He finished fourth in this year's Group One Galaxy won by Atomic Force.

The Darren Smith-trained Atomic Force won a trial at Rosehill on Tuesday and connections are sweating on an invite on Wednesday to compete in next month's Hong Kong Sprint.

Pride has Miss Keepsake and Tom's Rocket headed towards Saturday's Listed Frank Underwood Cup (1900m) but will monitor the weather before deciding if they start.

Peter Robl Looking Forward To Return

Sunday, 20 November 2011 03:16

Jockey Peter Robl admits there were times when he thought about walking away from racing for good.

But a love for the job he has done for more than 20 years and the support of several close friends in the industry has him on the doorstep of his comeback at Canterbury on Saturday following his year-long disqualification.

"Once or twice I did (think about giving it all away)," Robl said.

"When you get the low points of your life there were a couple of times I thought about going and doing something else. But when you've been doing it for 20 years, what are you going to go and do?

"And at the end of the day, you don't want to do anything else."

The Group One-winning Robl, along with good mate and Melbourne Cup winner Blake Shinn, were involved in a betting scandal last year and have both served 12 month disqualifications.

Robl was outed for betting on races through the TAB account of his wife Elaine but six months of his ban stemmed from giving false evidence at an initial inquiry as he tried to protect Shinn.

Under the rules of racing jockeys are not allowed to bet, even in races they are not competing in.

Robl got the green light to return to trackwork at the start of last month and has been competing in trials in recent weeks preparing for his comeback.

"The support from trainers has been outstanding all the way through the 12 months," Robl said.

"A trainer at Warwick Farm, Garry Neale, has been tremendous. I couldn't thank him enough for his support as a friend, not a trainer.

"Clarry Conners is the same.

"They are probably two people that I have been able to turn to and talk to and they've pointed me in the right direction throughout that 12 months."

Conners was the man who brought Robl to Sydney from the bush four years ago and it's fitting he is set to give Robl his first ride back two-year-old Diamond Start.

"I'll be happy to have him back and it would be a little bit of satisfaction on my part if I could give him his first winner back," Conners said.

"I've been making him work pretty hard and he's pretty fit. He looked after himself pretty well."

The 40-year-old Robl has also been riding work for the likes of Anthony Cummings who provided him with his first Group One winner.

Danny Williams at Goulburn has sounded Robl out for rides at Canberra next Sunday.

He admits he'll be "like a kid in a candy store" when he gets back to the races and confident he will return as good if not better than ever.

As for the disqualification and any regrets over what took place, Robl said he preferred to look ahead.

"There's not a human being walking the earth that hasn't made a mistake or hasn't woken up with a regret," Robl said.

"If you look back you trip over, so I'm looking forward and not backwards.

"The past is the past and the future is what you make of it. And I'm going to make the most of it."

Shinn's return has been delayed by complications in his recovery from a broken leg suffered in a fall at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day last year.

White Confident Of Home Track Success

Tuesday, 22 November 2011 04:46

Garry White is confident of cashing in on a home ground advantage when metropolitan racing ventures to Hawkesbury on Wednesday.

White has Underthetuscansun and Shadow Line entered at the Australian Turf Club meeting at the provincial circuit and the trainer rates the former his leading chance.

"I'm pretty sure that Underthetuscansun will be very hard to beat," White said.

"He hasn't gone backwards since his last start win and I think he's well placed in that race tomorrow."

With Randwick to undergo a redevelopment, some metropolitan fixtures have been moved to provincial tracks.

Underthetuscansun will be striving for his fifth win on his home track in the ATC Foundation Membership Handicap (1300m) while Shadow Line has two wins and two placings from her four starts there.

White said racing at home was always an advantage and believes both horses are in suitable races.

"Both (Underthetuscansun and Shadow Line) horses have probably done most of their racing there but Underthetuscansun does have a terrific record at home," White said.

"He's only missed a place once in 11 starts there and his win the other day was good."

Underthetuscansun scored by almost two lengths over 1300m at Hawkesbury last start and in-form Chad Schofield retains the ride.

The 17-year-old apprentice is unbeaten in three rides for White at Hawkesbury, and being a city meeting, he is able to claim 3kg off Underthetuscansun's 58.5kg impost.

"He has won on Shadow Line, Underthetuscansun and Diamond Springs," White said of Schofield's unblemished strike-rate for him at the track.

"I think he has knowledge of the horse (Underthetuscansun) now that he's had a ride on him and he's drawn a good gate (barrier three) as well so they are all pluses."

Shadow Line drops back in distance in the WF 100 Club Returns 2012 Handicap (1400m) after finishing third to Haut Normandie over 1600m at Randwick last time out.

"I think the mile was a bit far the other day and the race was not run how we thought it would be," White said.

"She might have went a bit keen but the winner was too good. She is back against her own sex tomorrow although it's against older horses.

Underthetuscansun was installed the $3.60 TAB Sportsbet favourite on Tuesday while Shadow Line, a Corey Brown mount, was rated a $6.50 chance in her event with Triple Six the $4.20 favourite.

Kontiki Park Resumes A Winner At Farm

Saturday, 19 November 2011 07:16

A grilling from trainer Gai Waterhouse was the catalyst to Tommy Berry producing a winning performance aboard the resuming Kontiki Park on Saturday.

Berry said he had the words of Waterhouse from earlier in the day in his head as he refrained from taking an inside run aboard Kontiki Park in the Warwick Farm 100 Club Handicap (1400m) before peeling him to the centre of the track to make a winning run.

"Gai had words with me after my ride on Fat Al earlier in the day saying, 'you got to seven off the fence and then let him wander back in to four off the fence'," Berry said.

Fat Al finished second to the John O'Shea-trained Hendricus in the lucrative Inglis Bonus Mile (1600m).

"She told me not to do that again and make sure you get out wide," Berry said.

"I could have gone to the inside at the top of the straight but I had those words in my head so I got to the outside and I was surprised how well he sprinted.

"He might be getting better with age and hopefully he takes some confidence from that."

Kontiki Park ($13) is on a path to the Group Two Villiers (1600m) at Warwick Farm next month and his three-quarter length victory over Kimberly Kid ($12) shows the gelding has returned in good order.

The resuming Fibrillation ($18) came in another long head third while favourite Scarf finished along the inside section in seventh.

"He'll go to the Villiers, that's what we've brought him in for," Waterhouse said.

"He's got to step up to that class but he's always been a very handy horse and very honest. It's just nice to see him win first-up today."

Waterhouse is also targeting King Lionheart at the Villiers, the feature Sydney race during summer.

Waterhouse employee and former jockey Mark Newnham rides Kontiki Park in all his work and was among the cheer squad as the six-year-old returned to scale.

He had seen the signs Kontiki Park was in for a good summer campaign.

"His trials going into this have been the best in his life," Newnham said.

Kontiki Park's fifth career win brought up a winning double for Waterhouse after debutante No Looking Back staked her claim for January's Magic Millions Classic with an impressive victory over stablemate Blazing Snitzel in the WF 100 Club Returns 2012 Handicap (1000m).

No Looking Back is a daughter of Redoute's Choice out of 2006 Magic Millions winner Mirror Mirror.