Gold Trail To Run At Magic Millions
- Sunday, 20 November 2011 05:16
Gold Trail's owners have travelled around the world to watch him race but will get to see him in their own back yard in January for the first time in more than five years.
Glenn and Lisa Morton live in Queensland where the globe travelling Group One winning sprinter began his career in 2006 under John Wallace at the Gold Coast.
He had one run for Wallace and was then transferred to Gary Portelli's Sydney base at Warwick Farm but will return to the scene of his first start when he contests the Magic Millions Sprint in January.
"He has had a spell in Queensland and his owners live there so we thought it would be nice for him to race there," Portelli said.
"The Magic Millions Sprint is over 1000 metres which suits and it's a $200,000 race as well."
Gold Trail won at his fourth and fifth starts for Portelli in early 2008 but gave the trainer little indication of what was to come until January of the following year when he strung together three Sydney metropolitan wins.
His preparation ended with a third in the Group One Galaxy after which the bar was raised.
Portelli and the Mortons travelled to New Zealand where they celebrated New Year's Day of 2010 in style after Gold Trail won the Group One Railway Stakes.
With their appetite for travel whetted, the group went to Singapore in May where Gold Trail performed well for fourth in the KrisFlyer Sprint.
They extended the trip to Royal Ascot in June but Gold Trail was unplaced King's Stand Stakes and came out of the race the worse for wear.
He had almost a year off battling a hind quarter injury and has had four starts since without running a place.
"He has spelled really well," Portelli said.
"He raced a a bit flat last preparation but I think this break has done him good."
Meanwhile, Portelli's emerging star Somepin Anypin is in pre-training ahead of an autumn campaign aimed at the Doncaster.
A free wheeling front runner like Gold Trail, Somepin Anypin put three wins together during his spring campaign capped by the Group Three Hawkesbury Cup.
Hansen Hopeful With Appeals And Essington
- Sunday, 20 November 2011 02:46
Darryl Hansen is hoping Essington can be the start of a turnaround in his fortunes when the sprinter makes his comeback in the Listed Keith Noud Quality at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Hansen is training on a stay of proceedings pending the outcome of two appeals to the Queensland Council and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) after being disqualified for six months by Racing Queensland stewards in August.
Essington, who runs in a 1000m barrier trial on his home track of Caloundra on Tuesday, has not started since winning the Listed Ascot Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm in July.
Hansen was fined $10,000 after Essington returned a positive swab to the prohibited substance prednisone following his Newmarket Handicap win at Rockhampton on June 23.
He was disqualified when found guilty of presenting Essington's stablemate Hussonator with an elevated level of TCO2 (bicarb) prior to the mare's win in the Mackay Cup on July 9.
The 41-year-old Hansen strongly denies any involvement in the treatment of either horse and has vowed to clear his name in both cases.
"I'm hoping to win both appeals against the sentence and charge but I'll keep fighting this through the courts if I lose," Hansen said.
Hansen, who has said he will quit training in Queensland if the stewards' decision isn't overturned, is confident of Essington's chances ahead of his Summer Series campaign.
"He's ready to go. He's been in work for about ten weeks and looks terrific," Hansen said.
"There's no reason why he won't run well first-up and he's muscled up a lot since his last campaign.
"I'm going to barrier trial him over 1000 metres on Tuesday and that will top him off nicely then he'll have an easy time for the remainder of the week."
Damian Browne will have his first race ride on Essington in the Keith Noud Quality with Chris Munce expected to partner the Kelso Wood-trained Belltone.
Munce has ridden Essington in six of his past seven starts but has also been the regular rider for Belltone who is on the comeback trail after winning six times in seven starts last campaign.
Hansen plans to prepare Essington for the 2012 Stradbroke Handicap.
"He'll run in the summer series then he'll be freshened for the Brisbane winter carnival," he said.
"I'd love to think he could be a decent Stradbroke chance next year."
Humma A Threat To Fillydelphia
- Friday, 18 November 2011 05:00
The signs are all positive for Fillydelphia but trainer Rob Heathcote refuses to declare the mare as the stable's only hope of claiming the Listed Brisbane Handicap at Doomben on Saturday.
Heathcote doesn't want to fall into the same trap as when he named Excellantes a better chance than stablemate Work The Room in a Benchmark 90 race at Eagle Farm last week.
In a brilliant performance, Work the Room flashed home from near last for an upset win over Excellantes.
Heathcote is also represented in the Brisbane Handicap (1630m) by topweight Humma who resumed with a creditable seventh to Fillydelphia at Doomben on November 5.
It was Humma's first appearance since he failed in the Group Three Premier's Cup (2200m) at Doomben in May.
"On paper this looks a nice race for Fillydelphia but I'm not going out on a limb with her like I did last week when I said Excellantes would beat Work The Room," Heathcote said.
"You get what you see with Humma.
"He surprised a few people when he won the (Listed) Toowoomba Cup and the Group Three Chairman's Handicap during the winter carnival.
"He's an eight-year-old and has his pensioner's card now but I'm hopeful he can win a few more times before he finishes up."
Heathcote is delighted with the progress from Humma as well as Fillydelphia following her impressive last start win over 1350 metres at Doomben.
"Fillydelphia will be hard to beat but she's getting up in weight where it hurts now," he said.
Heathcote has changed his opinion of Fillydelphia and believes the daughter of Bianconi is best suited to 1600 metres.
Fillydelphia was given a campaign aimed at the Group One Queensland Oaks (2400m) during the winter carnival.
But after winning the Group Three Rough Habit Plate (2020m) and finishing fourth in the Group Three Grand Prix Stakes (2200m) in May, she failed to stay and ran a struggling seventh to Scarlett Lady in the Queensland Oaks.
"I really think 1600 metres is her optimum distance and her next run will be in a fortnight in the Recognition Stakes," he said.
Long term, Heathcote hopes to aim Fillydelphia at the Group One Winter Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm next June en route to the Group One Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington in Melbourne in the spring.
Heathcote rates the John Thompson-trained Wonderful Lass, a last start Doomben winner, as the main threat to his pair.
Fillydelphia For Winter Stakes: Heathcote
- Saturday, 19 November 2011 07:47
Trainer Rob Heathcote declared next year's Group One Winter Stakes as the long range goal for Fillydelphia following her commanding victory in the Listed Brisbane Handicap at Doomben on Saturday.
Ridden by Jim Byrne, Fillydelphia had 1-1/4 lengths to spare over Humma to give Heathcote the quinella in the 1600m feature.
Early leader Rockdale was a further three-quarters of a length away third.
While Heathcote believes the talented mare will prove an ideal contender for the Winter Stakes (1400m) next June, he's got some unfinished business with the four-year-old daughter of Bianconi during the summer.
"Her goals this campaign are the Recognition Stakes and Bernborough Handicap next month," Heathcote said.
"She's a quality mare and she showed that during the winter when she won the (Group Three) Rough Habit Plate.
"This is a time honoured race and she put a few to the sword out there."
Heathcote set Fillydelphia on a path to the Group One Queensland Oaks (2400m) during the winter but she failed to stay and finished a struggling seventh to New Zealand filly, Scarlett Lady.
"I've discovered her best distance is probably around 1600 metres and she has all the right credentials for the Winter Stakes," he said.
Heathcote was also thrilled with Humma's effort to get as close as he did to Fillydelphia in what was the eight-year-old's second start since May.
"Humma is an old marvel and he'll go on now to the Bernborough Handicap," he said.
The Listed Bernborough Handicap (1615m) on December 31 is the third leg of the Doomben summer series.
Earlier promising sprinter Cape Kidnappers maintained his perfect record with a narrow win over Magic Tartan in the Prestwide Financial Services Handicap (1200m).
Cape Kidnappers ($1.35 fav), was attacked throughout the race before holding on for a long neck win over Patinack Farm's fast-finishing Magic Tartan ($15) with King Of The Congo ($21), a further three-quarters of a length away third.
The son of Commands, who scored a six length win at Eagle Farm on Melbourne Cup day, is from Alan Bailey's former useful mare Kidnapper whose career was cut short with bone splints after she won four of her 14 starts.
Trainer Kelly Schweida believes Cape Kidnappers, who has now won his only three starts and ran a sizzling 1min08.88 seconds, is still on a learning curve but has reservations whether he'll get much past 1200 metres.
"That was an impressive win considering they attacked him at both ends of the race," Schweida said.
Eagle Farm Track Repairs Limit Fields
- Friday, 18 November 2011 04:16
Field sizes for 1000 metre races at Eagle Farm will be limited to 12 over the next fortnight as track repairs continue.
Officials from the Brisbane Racing Club, Racing Queensland Limited and senior riders have discussed ways of remedying a trouble spot at the 600 metres at the track.
The area of concern caused the final three races of the Eagle Farm meeting on November 9 to be put put back while a 10-metre false rail was shifted in three metres.
The new field sizes will apply to two 1000m races scheduled for Eagle Farm on Saturday week and another two a week later.
A BRC spokesman said work on the affected area which drops away adjacent to the 600-metre crossing was progressing well.
The track is expected to be ready in time for the Listed Calaway Gal Stakes and Listed Phelan Ready Stakes on Saturday 17.
Damian Browne Suspended
- Saturday, 19 November 2011 07:47
Queensland jockey Damian Browne will miss two summer feature meetings in Brisbane through suspension.
Browne was outed for 10 meetings after pleading guilty to a careless riding charge aboard two-year-old Sunset Affair who finished fourth as favourite in Saturday's Coca-Cola Amatil Open Handicap (1020m) at Doomben.
Browne's suspension starts after next Saturday's meeting and concludes at midnight on December 10.
Nolan Buoyed By Munce's Decision
- Friday, 18 November 2011 03:16
Chris Munce's decision to partner Top Of The Rock in her city debut has boosted trainer Michael Nolan's confidence with the three-year-old at Doomben on Saturday.
Munce has ridden Top Of The Rock in three of her four starts but Nolan feared Brisbane's leading rider may have preferred another mount in the Homestead Tavern Handicap (1110m).
Queensland's premier jockey rode Top Of The Rock when she scored for the second time in four starts in a 1200-metre class one at Ipswich on November 4.
"The fact that Chris has decided to stick with her in her first Brisbane run has given me a lot of confidence," Nolan said.
"I thought she would be a really strong chance had she drawn inside six but it will be a bit tougher from barrier 12."
Nolan rates Top Of The Rock highly but admits he is testing the waters with her in the metropolitan arena.
"This is a big step up for her from where's she's been racing," Nolan said.
"I'm keen to give her a chance in the three-year-old fillies races that are coming up and if she goes well in this, she'll run in one of those races at Eagle Farm next month.
"Other than that there's no plans for her. We're just dipping our toes in to see what happens and if she wins we'll be over the moon."
Top Of The Rock is by Group One winner Easy Rocking out of Huntington Girl, regarded by Nolan as one of Queensland's best broodmares.
Huntington Girl has been a prolific producer at stud and had just turned 21 when she gave birth to Top Of The Rock three years ago.
"Huntington Girl is one of the oldest and best broodmares in Queensland and has been a wonderful broodmare for her owners Michael and Peter Reeves," Nolan said.
"She was 21 when she had Top Of The Rock and I think she's still breeding."
Huntington Girl has produced 11 winners from 13 foals to race including Dynamic Love, winner of the Group Two Stan Fox Stakes at Randwick in 2000, five-time winner Arimathea and Grouse Lane, a winner of nine races and the dam of of former top sprinter Princess Margaret.
Nolan trained Princess Margaret who scored nine wins including the Listed Silk Stocking at the Gold Coast in 2006.
Princess Margaret is also turning out to be a hit in her breeding career with her only foal, the Liam Birchley-trained Show A Prince, winning twice from five starts in Brisbane this year.
Purdy Dreaming Of Cups Campaign
- Saturday, 19 November 2011 04:46
Gold Coast trainer Kelly Purdy is daring to dream she has a serious Cups contender following another commanding win from Rundle at Doomben.
Rundle made it three wins from his past five starts with an easy two length victory over Racing Heart in Saturday's Path Development Open Handicap (2200m).
Purdy, a former jockey, has only been training for 12 months since quitting the saddle.
She surprised many people when she nominated Rundle for the Zipping Classic at Sandown last week before deciding to stay in Brisbane where the five-year-old was successful at Doomben.
Purdy admitted her decision to back Rundle up a week later was an afterthought ahead of plans to start him over 2400 metres at Eagle Farm in a fortnight.
"I wasn't going to start him today but he was getting away from me so I had to run him," she said.
"He put on four kilos between Thursday and today.
"If I didn't, it would have been three weeks between races for him and he'd really have put on the weight by then."
Rundle, who cost $45,000 as a yearling, took his record to six wins from 14 starts.
"I'm lucky to get a nice horse like him so early in my training career," Purdy said.
"He's been racing very well but he's even better on wet tracks."
Purdy said next year's Group Two Brisbane Cup (2400m) at Eagle Farm during the winter carnival was the first of two long range goals.
"After he runs in two weeks I'll probably put him away and get him ready for the Brisbane Cup," she said.
"Then if all goes to plan I'll take him away for the spring and hopefully get him into the Melbourne Cup.
"It's a dream but hopefully it'll come true."
Winning jockey Damian Browne produced a daring ride on Rundle after taking off midway when the pace slackened.
"He relaxed so well and he's got a terrific turn of foot," Browne said.
"It was a good win considering he had to sprint twice."
Apprentice Review Almost Complete
- Friday, 18 November 2011 00:44
A review of apprentice recruitment, training and retention has reached the final stages and a draft report will be available to the review committee shortly. The final review report with detailed recommendations is expected to be presented to the December board meeting of Racing Queensland Limited (RQL).
The review commenced in September and the review committee has been meeting since October to identify key issues, assess feedback and oversee the review process. The committee consists of:
- Pat Duff – President, Queensland Trainers Association
- Glen Prentice – President, Queensland Jockeys Association
- Shane Scriven – Current licensed jockey and former champion apprentice
- Gary Palmer – RQL stipendiary steward and former leading jockey
- Peter Smith – RQL licensing and training manager
- Chris Watson – Consultant and former Racing Victoria general manager training and education
Forums and meetings with trainers, jockeys, apprentices, instructors and stewards have been held around the south-east and downs while a detailed survey was sent to over 200 trainers, jockeys and apprentices.
The objectives of the review are
(1) To identify improvements and changes to the ensure the program is structured, operated and resourced to provide an ongoing supply of well trained, skilled jockeys and to ensure that their working and training conditions are suited to the vocation of a thoroughbred racing jockey.
(2) To ensure the industry has in place the necessary training and workforce development resources to meet the future needs, challenges and risks of the industry.
While there are many likely recommendations, the overall outcome appears to be that RQL and related stakeholders will have to look seriously at ways to expand industry training and workforce development activities.
More than 30 separate recommendations have been drafted covering:
- recruitment, selection and retention
- employment and licensing
- riding skills
- education and training programs and facilities
- financial management and general welfare
RQL licensing and training manager Peter Smith said, "The board of Racing Queensland has offered its strong support to the review process and has confirmed the importance of ensuring apprentice programs and industry training continues to evolve and adapt to changing circumstance."
Optionality Wins, Write Cheek Disappoints
- Saturday, 19 November 2011 04:16
Trainer Liam Birchley's hopes of qualifying Write Cheek for the Magic Millions Classic came to an abrupt end when the filly was comprehensively beaten by Optionality at Doomben.
Optionality ($8), ridden by apprentice Luke Rolls, led all the way to claim the Coca Cola Amatil Open Handicap (1020m) after finishing third at her first two starts.
Write Cheek ($3.30) was two lengths back with Birchley saying the hard track did her no favours.
A $100,000 buy at the Magic Millions sales, Write Cheek was having her second start having finished ninth on debut on a heavy track at Eagle Farm last month.
"I'm disappointed. She's lengths better than that," Birchley said.
"She felt the ground which was pretty hard and that is what I was always worried about before the race.
"While these tracks are so hard there's no point continuing with her so I'll send her straight to the paddock and give the Magic Millions a miss."
Optionality is prepared by Caloundra trainer Ted Harden who bought her at the QBBS sales in Brisbane.
Harden's wife Bette, who is a part-owner, said Optionality had always shown promise.
"She's a good filly who showed us ability from the time she first stepped foot in our stable," she said.
"She's very genuine and you only had to watch her parade to know that."
Rolls is confident Optionality will handle a step up in distance to 1200 metres during the summer months.
"She began very well but I really liked the way she settles," Rolls said.
"I've go no doubt she'll get further the way she relaxes so well."
Pholi Warns Of Royal Reign's Fitness
- Thursday, 17 November 2011 05:19
A lack of race fitness and a distance query has Bill Pholi concerned about Royal Reign's prospects in the Listed Brisbane Handicap at Doomben.
But the Ballina trainer is happy she is in his stable and not the brood mare barn and believes she still has some nice race wins left in her.
Royal Reign stamped her class when successful in the Listed Tails Stakes (2136m) at Eagle Farm in April but failed to measure up in the Group Three Chairman's Handicap (2020m) at Doomben and Listed Tatt's Mile (1600m) at Eagle Farm during the Brisbane winter carnival.
The seven-year-old daughter of Viscount was never a winning prospect when she resumed with a struggling 12th to Fillydelphia over 1350 metres at Doomben on November 5.
"I was happy enough with her first run but she likes it a lot further than 1350 metres," Pholi said.
He said the mare was still "as big as a house" for her second assignment and could still find Saturday's 1630-metre feature too short.
But Pholi expects Royal Reign to be competitive before she's aimed at fillies and mares races next month.
"She has a go every time I put a saddle on her," Pholi said.
"I'm a bit worried she's still lacking match practice and she'll probably find this too short.
"She's never won over a mile (1600 metres) and you won't see the best from her until she stretches out to a middle distance."
Royal Reign's owner, Sydney accountant Malcolm Moss, decided not to send her to stud this spring.
"She's a very good mare but Malcolm's in no hurry to breed from her," Pholi said.
"She's as sound as a bell and Malcolm and I think she can win a few more races before she goes to stud.
Pholi revealed he had been to campaign Royal Reign in Sydney during the winter months and toyed with giving her a Grafton Cup preparation.
"I asked Malcolm to give her a preparation aimed at some fillies and mares races in Sydney while the winter carnival was on in Brisbane but he preferred to run her in Brisbane," Pholi said.
"I also had a thought of running her in the Grafton Cup in July but she was weighted out in one of the lead-up races so we gave it a miss."