Villers Target For Fibrillation

Thursday, 17 November 2011 06:18

Pinker Pinker's Cox Plate victory has given trainer Tim Martin reason to be optimistic about the summer prospects of Fibrillation.

As three-year-old fillies, the pair clashed twice with Fibrillation (second) beating Pinker Pinker (fourth) home in the Group One Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m).

There was again little between them in the AJC Australian Oaks with Pinker Pinker third and Fibrillation fourth.

While some of the other top staying fillies fromlast season failed to measure up in the spring, Martin says Fibrillation's pedigree, like Pinker Pinker's, suggests she will continue to improve with time.

"Pinker Pinker is by Reset and this filly is by Diatribe," Martin said.

"Both stallions' stock tend to get better as they get older so I'm hoping that's what happens with this filly."

After contesting the AJC Oaks, Fibrillation posted a narrow win over subsequent Metropolitan Handicap winner The Verminator over 1800m in May.

She had a crack at the Queensland Oaks, finishing midfield to Scarlett Lady, and has not raced since.

"She pulled up with a few little feet problems from Queensland and required extra time," Martin said.

"So we thought we'd give her a good spell and let her feet grow, get over the few little issues she had.

"I'm still not convinced she's a mile-and-a-half horse yet either."

Martin will instead restrict Fibrillation to middle-distances this campaign with the Group Two Villiers Stakes (1600m) at Warwick Farm on December 17 the major target.

She will kick off her preparation on Saturday in the Warwick Farm 100 Club Handicap (1400m) with apprentice Blake Spriggs to ride.

Fibrillation is yet to miss a place in two first-up runs but Martin is wary of her chances on Saturday citing a potential lack of pace.

"She'll run well but Warwick Farm, they usually go slow in those 1400 metre races and she's going to go back from the barrier (eight)," he said.

Win, lose or draw, Fibrillation will head to the Listed Festival Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on December 3, a traditional lead-up to the Villiers two weeks later.

"She'll work towards the Villiers and then we'll get her to a mile-and-a-quarter (2000m) after that," Martin said.

The mare is one of 17 runners in Saturday's race which has attracted a strong field including Title, Mentality, Scarf and Al Dhafra.

Blue Blood Colt Wins At Canterbury

Wednesday, 16 November 2011 07:16

Barbados, the first foal of former top sprinter Virage De Fortune, has started to fulfil his potential with a maiden success at Canterbury on Wednesday.

The three-year-old colt by Redoute's Choice was resuming for just his second start and led all the way in Wednesday's Styletread.com.au Plate (1100m) to defeat Written Consent by 1-1/4-lengths with I Get Around third.

Barbados is raced by Sheikh Mohammed whose racing and breeding operation Darley purchased Virage De Fortune for $3.4 million in 2007, a then-Australian record for a broodmare at auction.

Before being sold to Darley, Virage De Fortune notched eight wins from 21 starts including two victories at Group One level.

Jockey Kerrin McEvoy said Barbados, who started the $1.90 favourite, would only continue to improve with experience.

"He's a nice big horse and is still learning," McEvoy said.

"He has nice ability. He set a nice tempo there in front today and kept going right to the line.

"The more runs he has the better he is going to get.

"Whether he's up to stakes class or not, we'll find out. But it's only early doors yet."

Trainer Peter Snowden's stable foreman Brad Widdup said the colt had improved mentally since his debut in July when he did a lot wrong and finished second to stablemate Bello.

"Peter has worked hard on educating him and this time in he's a different horse. He's more relaxed," Widdup said.

"It was also good to see him kick in the straight when a horse came to him. It shows he's got a bit of ticker too."

McEvoy and Snowden combined again to win the last race with Rampart, while the Noel Mayfield-Smith-trained three-year-old Famous Seamus made it two wins from as many starts when he led all the way in the Luskin Park De La Salle '61 Reunion Handicap (1250m).

"He's an exciting horse and runs very good times on the track," Mayfield-Smith said.

"He's always shown something from day one. He's got a good turn of foot and will be better ridden with a sit."

Famous Seamus ($7) was ridden by Robyn Freeman-Key who made the most of her opportunity in town as the gelding defeated favourite Flying Zero ($3.80) by half a neck with another 2-1/4-lengths to Daymo ($8).

"I haven't had a winner in town for a long time. I love this horse, he's a real trier," Freeman-Key said.

Reith Excited About Bigger, Stronger Scarf

Thursday, 17 November 2011 05:48

Darley's pinch-hitter Christian Reith is after more success for the powerful stable when he stands in for Kerrin McEvoy at Warwick Farm.

With McEvoy in Perth to ride Rarefied and He's Remarkable in Group One events on Saturday, Reith has been called upon by trainer Peter Snowden to steer Scarf for his return in the Warwick Farm 100 Club Handicap (1400m).

Reith has ridden 17 winners from 67 rides for Snowden since the start of last season, including five stakes wins this year, and can't wait to get another chance on the talented Scarf.

The jockey is unbeaten on the grey four-year-old having saluted on the gelding over 1400m at Randwick in June.

"I've won on him once before and I also trialled him the other day. He's come back in great order," Reith said.

"He was a little bit aggressive last time in but he's come back bigger and stronger and more relaxed."

Scarf, winner of three of his seven starts, is the $3.80 favourite for what will be his first run since a luckless second to Foreteller in the Winter Challenge (1500m) at Rosehill in July.

The son of Lonhro, who won the Listed Winter Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill during his previous campaign, is returning at the time of year where the Group Two Villiers Stakes (1600m) next month is the logical target.

It's a target Reith believes Scarf is up to meeting.

"I definitely think he's a black-type horse, obviously Peter knows what's best and obviously he has a plan mapped out for him," he said.

"I'm just rapt I've got the opportunity to be able to ride him on Saturday."

Reith will partner arguably the two most exciting gallopers set to run at the meeting, with unbeaten three-year-old Colorado Claire his mount in the rich Inglis Bonus Mile (1600m).

The $70,000 race also carries a $100,000 bonus to the winner if they are nominated for the Inglis Race Series.

The John O'Shea-trained Colorado Claire made the transition to city company with ease last Saturday as a suspended Reith watched from his lounge room.

"I always like keeping an eye on John's horses and how they are going because I have a lot to do with them," he said.

"I was very impressed with her."

Colorado Claire, the $3.40 favourite, steps up to 1600m for the first time and Reith has no problem with the filly at the distance.

"I've won on her at Goulburn (on debut) and she's going fantastic. I can't fault her. She's just got to back up, that's all."

Hard Liquor On Road To The Villiers

Wednesday, 16 November 2011 06:46

The talented but erratic Hard Liquor will be out to enhance his Villiers Stakes prospects when he shoots for back-to-back city wins on Saturday.

The four-year-old was described by Anthony Cummings' stable foreman Barry Smith as "a pest" with a few tricks up his sleeve after his win at Randwick last start, but he maintained the gelding's talent had never been in question.

Cummings also concedes the four-year-old still has plenty to learn but believes he has already shown enough talent to be considering the Group Two Villiers next month.

The trainer will get a better idea of his prospects when Hard Liquor lines up in Saturday's ATC Foundation Membership Handicap over the same 1600m course at Warwick Farm as this year's Villiers.

"It (the Villiers) is certainly not out of the question," Cummings said.

"But in the Villiers he would need to get a bit more tractable. He's still learning his craft, he still overreacts to things but the day he puts it together he is well capable of winning a race like that.

"He's not a simple horse to deal with in any way shape or form. But he's a talented horse so you cop it a bit and just try to get the best out of him."

Cummings believes Hard Liquor's best campaigns are still ahead of him and said he saw some positive signs on Tuesday morning ahead of Saturday's event.

"I was really taken by his work yesterday. I thought that was probably the most tractable I had seen him and he hit the line really good," Cummings said.

"The race certainly doesn't seem any harder than last time so he should run well."

Hard Liquor finished fourth over 1800m on Melbourne Cup day at Randwick before backing up on the Saturday to win over 1600m despite still doing a few things wrong.

Cummings said another winning performance on Saturday would only enhance Hard Liquor's chances of heading towards the Villiers.

"It was a very impressive win the other day to travel as wide as he did and make such a long run," Cummings said.

"I thought it was what's required to be good enough for a Villiers. For mine he's already shown that he's well capable of that but it's really a matter of improving his race craft and working on that side of things."

Moody Set For Sydney Base

Thursday, 17 November 2011 05:19

All-conquering trainer Peter Moody is the front runner to take over 10 boxes at Rosehill vacated by Tim Martin.

Australian Turf Club officials said they were considering applications from several trainers to acquire the stables from January 1 next year and confirmed Moody was among them.

They anticipate making an announcement next week but Moody is expected to be given a Sydney base.

That will be good news for Martin, a long-time friend of Moody who accommodates the Melbourne premiership winner on his visits to Sydney.

"I've known Peter for years and we get on well," Martin said.

"He always stables with me when he comes up so the staff are familiar with the stables and the set-up, and his horses are familiar with the set-up."

For Martin, who has trained the likes of Group One winner Exceed And Excel out of his Rosehill base, the decision to cut his numbers was a difficult one.

In trying to prevent owners from paying city fees when their horses weren't up to metropolitan standard, he moved the horses on to country and provincial stables.

But he found that with the horses went the clients.

So Martin decided to take a fresh approach and concentrate on developing an elite stable.

"I thought I'd cut the team down and focus on a more select crew," Martin said.

"I'm getting some quality horses around me and I've been working hard on doing that."

Martin currently has around 20 horses in work but predicts that number will swell to 25 or 30 over the Christmas period.

He will be represented at Warwick Farm on Saturday by Group One placegetter Fibrillation who is being aimed at the Group Two Villiers Stakes in December.

Back On Top To Rise To The Occasion

Wednesday, 16 November 2011 06:16

Training racehorses is more hobby than profession for Mario Caltabiano these days but that doesn't mean he has lost his competitive edge.

Caltabiano will start Back On Top in the Hylands Kids Colours For Christmas Handicap (1000m) at Warwick Farm on Saturday and is upbeat about his chances.

"He should be spot-on. He's won for me first-up before over 1000 metres and I think this race should suit him," Caltabiano said.

Back On Top is part-owned by Caltabiano's long-term client Roy Levy.

The pair have enjoyed success over the years with the likes of Listed winner She's In Demand and her half-brother Capri who won 10 races and was placed in Bush Honey's 2005 Gosford Cup.

Caltabiano currently has six to eight horses in work at Warwick Farm and says he was hit hard by the equine influenza crisis in 2007.

"But you wouldn't believe it, I've got 10 yearlings this year," Caltabiano said.

"It's been very quiet the last few years. After EI we lost a few clients.

"But I'm pretty lucky. I'm 60 now and I own a little property at Warwick Farm.

"It's more of a hobby, something I do because I enjoy doing it."

Horses like Back On Top help make Caltabiano's hobby all the more enjoyable.

The six-year-old has won four of his 22 starts and been placed on another nine occasions for just under $200,000 prize money.

The two-time city winner will be resuming from a lengthy break on Saturday having not raced since he failed to beat a rival home in the Canterbury Classic in January, his only start in the past 16 months.

"He just wasn't right. He lost a lot of weight and I couldn't find out what was wrong," Caltabiano said.

"I gave him six months in the paddock and he is 30 kilos heavier now to what he was.

"He has had a lot of problems with his feet. He's got bristly feet but I've had the farriers work on him and they look like they're back to normal."

Back On Top has had two barrier trials, winning his most recent, and he will come into the race nicely after the three kilo claim of apprentice Lauri Wray.

But he will have to overcome the outside gate of 15.

"Warwick Farm does only have one turn into the straight so it may not be that bad," Caltabiano said, adding he would prefer a rain-affected track for the gelding.

"But I'm sure he will run well. He's probably the best I've ever had him."

Altonio's Manners No Barrier For Davies

Thursday, 17 November 2011 04:18

The poor barrier manners of lightly-raced gelding Altonio early in his career have proved a blessing in disguise for young bush trainer Leon Davies.

A son of emerging staying sire Savabeel, Altonio was initially slated for a Queensland trainer but he proved such a handful in the barriers, that plan went awry.

"He had some barrier issues that they couldn't sort out," Davies said.

"The owners sent him to me and I managed to get him right so they said, `Well, you got him right, you can have him'.

"It was just a confidence thing more or less.

"I just had to teach him he wasn't going to get hurt in there."

The 29-year-old Davies, based at Tamworth in north-west NSW, was rewarded when Altonio won his first two starts in the country.

In June this year he provided the young horseman with his first city winner when he scored over 1900m at Canterbury.

Not that Davies is a stranger to the big smoke.

He spent 12 months working for Gai Waterhouse before moving to the Gold Coast where he further honed his craft under Bryan Guy.

He has been training at Tamworth for four years and has "40 or 50 horses on the books".

Altonio, a half-brother to 2009 WATC Derby winner Markus Maximus, will chase his first metropolitan win in Saturday class at Warwick Farm this weekend in the Sydney Carnival 2012 Handicap (2200m).

The five-year-old was a first-up fifth over an unsuitable 1250m at Canterbury in September before scoring over 1600m at Coonamble on October 9.

He headed to Melbourne where he was a sound seventh to Lamasery in the Listed Johnnie Walker Stakes (1800m) on Cup day at Flemington.

While Altonio is untested beyond 1900m, Davies has no doubt he will run Saturday's journey, and more.

"The further the better," he said.

"I'm happy I've finally been able to get him over a trip."

If Altonio runs up to expectations, Davies will put him on a path towards the Christmas and Summer Cups in December.

"And if he jumps out of the ground the owners are keen on the Perth Cup," Davies said.

"He's taking me a few places."

Altonio has had seven starts for four wins and will have Brenton Avdulla in the saddle.

Maluckyday Ruled Out Until Spring

Wednesday, 16 November 2011 03:16

Highly-rated stayer Maluckyday will not return to racing until next spring.

Trainer John Hawkes said the 2010 Melbourne Cup runner-up had overcome a bout of pneumonia which forced him out of this year's spring carnival.

But he said the five-year-old would not be seen in the autumn with connections keen to give him every chance to return to his top.

"He got pneumonia," Hawkes said on Sky Racing's Off The Rails program.

"He's recovered now and he's at Talwood Park in Melbourne with Peter Morgan just going through the different stages and he won't be seen until next spring.

"Whether he'll ever get back to where he was, only time will tell. But he was one super horse."

Maluckyday rose through the ranks in the spring of 2010 winning his way to the Melbourne Cup with dominant victories in both the Tattersalls Club Cup and Lexus Stakes before beating all but Americain in the Melbourne Cup.

He failed to produce his best in three runs in the Sydney autumn earlier this year and was ruled out of the majority of this year's spring carnival due to illness.

Hawkes, who trains in partnership with his sons Wayne and Michael, describes Maluckyday as "perhaps the best stayer I've ever trained" and hopes the son of Zabeel is able to return to his best next season.

"It would be great to see him back because he's one really, really good horse," he said.

Tempo Key For Nextanix

Thursday, 17 November 2011 01:19

Race tempo is a vital factor to the chances of Nextanix in Friday's Goulburn Cup.

Trainer Kerry Parker believes the lightly-raced four-year-old can run a super race, given a genuinely run event.

"Hopefully with a full field it should generate an even tempo and give Nextanix a chance to find the line like we know he can do," Parker said.

"He's going to be giving the others a decent start.

"My horse is still learning but if it's run right, he's in with a great chance."

Parker described the 1600m feature as a race with a long tail.

"Form wise, there looks to be a number of chances, right down to those on the minimum (53kg)," he said.

"There is no standout. I targeted this race for Nextanix some time back.

"The bigger, longer straight at Goulburn will suit Nextanix. It's worth $80,000. Nice money indeed."

Nextanix, by Domesday out of Harveynicks, was initially purchased for $8000 at the Inglis Classic yearling sale.

The gelding's current syndicate, which includes Parker, purchased him privately at a later date.

A big, strong type, Nextanix showed Parker enough to consider him a Derby horse as a three-year-old.

He tackled the 2010 Ming Dynasty (1400m) and Gloaming Stakes (1800m) before Parker pulled the pin when he disappointed in the latter won by Retrieve.

The ensuing spell lasted far longer than Parker planned (41 weeks) when Nextanix suffering a series of unexpected problems.

"The horse got real crook in the paddock," Parker said.

"He got heart problems and pneumonia.

"It took a kind hand and patience to eventually get him back."

Nextanix struck first-up winning a maiden at his home track of Kembla Grange in July and has subsequently strung together a second to promising Altius over 1500m at Rosehill, a 1400m win on the Kensington track at Randwick and a last start rapidly closing second to Hard Liquor over 1600m at Randwick on November 5.

"He's not sharp enough when they relax mid race like they did at Randwick last start," Parker said.

"He's a big horse, that's part of his problem. He doesn't generate a lot of early speed.

"He raced a little dour at Randwick. I've just pottered around with him since and tried to keep him happy and keep a bit of a sprint in his legs.

"He's going terrific."

Tubman Has Oaks Hopes For Mick's Mantle

Tuesday, 15 November 2011 06:16

Mick Tubman made a name for himself with fleet-footed Chance Bye but patience will be the key to another windfall with an inexpensive filly.

Tubman is hoping Mick's Mantle is blue-riband material and he wants to set her on an Oaks path after she mixes it with the boys in the Inglis Bonus at Warwick Farm on Saturday.

"She's always been a little bit immature," Tubman, one of racing's feelgood stories because of Chance Bye's racetrack deeds, said.

"Chance Bye was a get out and run horse and Mick's Mantle is not like that all. I've had to take my time with her.

"Still, I think she is going to be real good and I'll give her a break after Saturday and get her ready for the Oaks (in Sydney)."

Chance Bye cost $15,000 and netted Tubman and his close friend Jack Knight almost $550,000 in a nine-start career.

Incentive bonuses from her earnings allowed Tubman enough monetary ammunition to buy five more horses on a return visit to the yearling sales.

"I spent one hundred thousand (dollars) all together but because of the Inglis bonus and the BOBS money I only had to put in twenty thousand (dollars) of my own," he said.

Mick's Mantle, who cost $10,000, has turned out to be one of the better ones from the package with the promise of more to come.

"She's right in the race on Saturday ... she worked the joint down (at Kembla Grange) this morning," Tubman said.

"John O'Shea's horse (Colorado Claire) looks the one to beat but I think I can beat it (with Mick's Mantle).

"At least we'll be in there punching away."

Mick's Mantle, a Kathy O'Hara ride, has raced four times for two Kembla Grange wins.

The three-year-old was having her second start over 1600m when a narrow winner on November 1 but Tubman said there was more merit in the victory than a neck margin would suggest.

"She looked beaten three or four times but that's her," Tubman said.

"She just keeps fighting."