Super Cool Bursts Into Derby Reckoning
- Saturday, 27 October 2012 05:46
Super CoolOne Derby dream edged toward reality and another started looking a little sick thanks to the win of Super Cool in the Group Two Mitchelton Vase at Moonee Valley.
Super Cool ($9) benefited from a clever Michael Rodd ride to take the traditional lead-up to next Saturday's Victoria Derby by 1-3/4 lengths from the $1.30 favourite It's A Dundeel.
While the performance of the runner-up suggested he would improve on a bigger track, concerns were raised after the race when vets reported the colt's recovery rate was slower than normal.
It's A Dundeel's trainer Murray Baker took the defeat philosophically, predicting improvement by next weekend.
"He just raced a little dour," Baker said.
"He should improve, we've been a bit easy on him."
Jockey James McDonald agreed, blaming the lack of pace for the defeat.
Super Cool"They didn't go that hard, the run was full of merit," McDonald said.
"He's a big track horse.
"He was almost beaten at Canterbury, almost beaten at Wyong and he's won really well on two big tracks.
"If any track was going to bring him undone it was going to be Moonee Valley."
For Super Cool, who was having only his fifth start, the win proved trainer Mark Kavanagh correct.
Kavanagh said a Derby preparation had begun after the gelding's first start last May.
"The Derby was on the cards from the start, but when he won first-up at Seymour I knew he was the right horse," Kavanagh said.
The win also gave Kavanagh a welcome change of luck.
Before Super Cool saluted he had trained only one city winner this season at an alarming strike rate of three per cent.
Bookmakers, however, reacted with less sentiment to the failure of the favourite turning him out from $1.90 to $2.75 for the Derby and slashing the winner's price from $26 to $6.50.
Photos: Fiona Tomlin, Quentin Lang
Hidden Warrior Stars In His Own Right
- Saturday, 27 October 2012 05:00
Hidden WarriorHe ran superstar colt Pierro to within a head in his first start, but Hidden Warrior was quick to seize the spotlight for himself ahead of Saturday's Cox Plate.
Lining up before the $3 million feature at Moonee Valley, Hidden Warrior had to fight hard to snare victory in the Group Three Telstra PhoneWords Stakes (1200m).
The lightly-raced gelding was steered to an all-the-way win by leading jockey Nash Rawiller, beating Haussmann by a half length with the Craig Williams mount Chosen Moment a further three-quarters-of-a-length back third.
Trainer Paul Perry praised the ride after Rawiller led early then had to hold off his challengers.
"Early in the race he showed a bit of speed then he had them nearly go again on him and to tough it out was a darn good effort," Perry said.
Hidden WarriorHe described Hidden Warrior as a horse which needed to be carefully managed.
"He wasn't a strong horse and we just gave him a couple of good breaks, just to give him a bit of time to mature," Perry said.
Perry said he had not yet decided if Hidden Warrior's next task would be the Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington next Saturday.
"I'll see how he pulls up but I'll probably put him in I suppose," he said.
"I think he'll be a usefull horse because I think he's still a bit weak. I think he's the sort of horse that 12 months away will be a lot better."
Rawiller said Hidden Warrior had the makings of "a genuine Group One horse".
"He's just got a long way to go," the jockey said. "He's mentally not there yet."
Photos: Quentin Lang
Oliver Delighted To Secure Americain Ride
- Saturday, 27 October 2012 02:31
Damien OliverDamien Oliver says his spring racing carnival is alive again after he won the prized ride aboard 2010 Melbourne Cup winner Americain.
The owners of the French-trained galloper who will be lining up for his third Melbourne Cup, sacked regular jockey Gerald Mosse, replacing him with Oliver.
"It's given me a huge lift," Oliver said.
"It's been pretty difficult up until now to get really into it."
For Oliver, winning the Americain ride is a reversal of his own fate earlier in the spring when he lost the Cox Plate mount on Green Moon and was replaced on Caulfield Cup fifth placegetter My Quest For Peace.
Oliver's dumping followed an allegation, so far undenied, that he placed a $10,000 bet on a rival horse in a race in which he rode at Moonee Valley two years ago.
The allegation is the subject of a stewards' inquiry.
Mosse's handling of Americain had come in for criticism more than once, but his Caulfield Cup performance is understood to have tipped the balance against him.
The Frenchman has ridden with outstanding success in Europe and Hong Kong, but some of his efforts in Australia, including his handling of Elegant Fashion in the 2004 Cox Plate, have raised eyebrows.
Mourinho Back In Form For Gelagotis Team
- Saturday, 27 October 2012 04:16
Trainer Peter Gelagotis has known for a couple of years his lightly-raced galloper Mourinho was a good horse, and he didn't mind spreading the word.
MourinhoAnd when it won at Moonee Valley on Saturday, he spread it louder and further.
A leaping, screaming Gelagotis could barely contain himself when Mourinho ($8) reached the line a long neck in front in the Drummond Golf Handicap (2040m.)
"I've given this horse such a big rap to anyone who would listen," Gelagotis said.
"I just hope they took some notice."
Mourinho's win came a week after Gelagotis and his brother Manny produced their Derby hope Hvasstan to score at Caulfield and barely two weeks after they buried their father Mick.
While last week's win was accompanied by tears, this one was pure joy.
"The old man's spirit is shining on us," Gelagotis said.
"I just hope it keeps on for the Derby next week."
The five-year-old Mourinho was having only his 12th start at the Valley, due largely to leg problems the brothers corrected over winter.
But in his first two runs back he performed dismally, hanging badly and racing "as though he was scared".
"He got very timid, he just needed some help," Gelagotis said.
"But now he's going somewhere."
Some intensive work corrected that problem and Mourinho indicated he was on the way back when second at Caulfield two weeks ago.
With jockey Hugh Bowman rating him well in front, Mourinho fought off several challenges to beat the favourite Midnight Martini ($2.45) who finished a length clear of third placegetter Destiny's Kiss ($4.40).
Hvasstan is the second favourite for next Saturday's Victoria Derby.
Photo: Quentin J. Lang
Kazanluk Could Head To The Oaks
- Friday, 26 October 2012 11:46
Kazanluk is running out of time to get to the VRC Oaks but could still be given her chance after showing her class with a Group Two victory at Moonee Valley.
KazanlukKazanluk took out Friday night's Fillies Classic (1600m) and Darley Australia chief executive Henry Plumptre said the three-year-old could join her Anthony Freedman-trained stablemate Zydeco on the Oaks path.
The 2500m staying test is at Flemington in less than two weeks on November 8.
Plumptre said the decision would be left to Freedman.
"We're a little bit behind the eight-ball for the Oaks but we'll leave it to Anthony and see what he wants to do," Plumptre said.
"We might have a throw at the stumps but she doesn't really have time to have another run in between. It would be quite a training effort to go from a mile to a mile and a half."
Zydeco was third in the Group One Thousand Guineas last start and is the Oaks favourite.
Kazanluk had a nice run three wide with cover and ran home to defeat Stella Lante by 1-1/2 lengths with another short-half head to Moreau.
The victory of Kazanluk for Sheikh Mohammed came just 30 minutes after the Peter Snowden-trained Darley runner Mental flashed home along the rail for a close second to Sea Siren in the Group One Manikato Stakes (1200m).
Photo: Quentin J. Lang
Mourinho Rounds Out A Great Week For Gelagotis
- Saturday, 27 October 2012 03:54
A clever front running ride by Hugh Bowman on Mourinho won the Drummond Golf Handicap at Moonee Valley this afternoon.
Peter & Manni GelagotisExpertly rated mid-race, Bowman did not move on his mount until favourite Midnight Martini loomed into view at the top of the straight. Even then he kept his powder dry, only working hard on Mourinho in the concluding stages to deny victory by the Mark Kavanagh trained mare by a long neck.
Third a length away was Destiny's Kiss.
“He got into a nice rhythm for me in front and we weren’t going too slow or too quick and I was always in a dictating position”, Bowman said.
Winning trainer Peter Gelagotis put Bowman on Mourinho at his last start at Caulfield where he ran second behind Sertorius on Thousand Guineas day.
“My first ride for him was on this horse and he gave me a lot of confidence about the horse and I took that into today.”
“The step up in distance was in his favour and I thought it was a winnable race on form.”
“Obviously Kavanagh’s horse won the Cranbourne Cup in style so she was a query but when she came to me I was never too worried.”
“My bloke has a tendency to want to lay out in the straight but I was able to keep him straight and win the race.”
The win by Mourinho capped an 18 month project by Gelagotis to rehabilitate him after straining a tendon in the Port Adelaide Guineas in April 2011.
For Gelagotis, whose father's funeral was yesterday, today's win was the second feature race for the stable in a week after Hvasstan won the Group 3 Norman Robinson Stakes at Caulfield.
“The old man’s spirit is shining on us."
"I’ve had moments in my career where I thought ‘wow, this is fantastic’ but to win two races on each day (Caulfield Cup Day and Cox Plate Day) is a dream come true.”
Gelagotis took a lot of confidence from Mourinho's second at Caulfield.
“Whoever wanted to listen to me, I’ve given this horse such a big wrap and it was great to have him back”, he said.
“He disappointed his first two runs when he wanted to run off the track but Hughey (Bowman) sorted him out for us last start and I thought it was a sensational run last start. His last 50m – 100m was sensational.”
“I believe in the horse and that was a super win.”Future plans will depend on how Mourinho's leg stands up to race day pressure but Gelagotis is hoping that today's win will give him confidence.
“He is a bit of a timid horse, lightly raced and very new still and in his first two run (this campaign) he copped a coup of bumps and was a bit timid with it all but now he’s got his head around it again he is going somewhere.”
Photo: Quentin J. LangSea Lord Takes Away Trainer's Pain
- Friday, 26 October 2012 09:31
A day that began with a horse stomping on his foot ended on a brighter note for trainer Steve Brown at Moonee Valley when Sea Lord won the Major Putts Handicap (1200m).
Sea LordBut Brown still had to endure an anxious few minutes standing on one leg with blood seeping through a shoe waiting for Sea Lord's number to go into the frame.
A member of a three-horse package of tried horses that includes Saturday's Moonee Valley runner Winter King, Sea Lord ($4.40) survived by a nose from Big Buddie ($13) with the same margin to General Truce ($13).
"I've only got a few horses, and he's the best of them," Brown said.
"It's a bit uncomfortable here tonight, I had to take my good shoes off and put on some trainers, but it's worth it."
Winter King runs for Brown in Saturday's City Jeep Handicap (1000m).
And the trainer is tipping he'll provide more pain relief.
Photo: Quentin J. Lang
Crack A Roadie Impresses In Valley Debut
- Saturday, 27 October 2012 03:31
Crack A RoadieStephen Theodore has never hidden his admiration for Crack A Roadie and the colt lived up to his trainer's expectations with a fast-finishing victory at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
The Charge Forward colt, having his first start, came from off the speed in the $250,000 Inglis Banner (1000m) to open Cox Plate day with a short-half head win over Diva Dee with two lengths to Shamus Award third.
"It was a huge win but it's not unexpected," Theodore said as he explained why the colt trialled twice before racing.
"The old days of trying to hide them at 3am is not our caper. We're out there trying to promote the business.
"We're a small stable trying to grow and as soon as we got him from the breakers I said he was the best horse I'd trained, just with the way he could run time.
"It didn't go to plan today but I think he showed with his last sectionals what he can achieve and why we're pretty excited about him."
Theodore is the son of Les Theodore, the first trainer of modern-day stars Campaign King and Better Loosen Up.
The trainer said he would be leaning on his father for advice on how he should approach autumn juvenile races with Crack A Roadie.
He also admitted to nerves despite his confidence heading into the Moonee Valley race.
Photo: Fiona Tomlin
Alcopop Does Connections Proud In Cup
- Saturday, 20 October 2012 08:00
Dunaden Gets Past AlcopopDom Tourneur had the winning post in sight with 100 metres to run but had to settle for second place in Saturday's Caulfield Cup.
But the Adelaide-based jockey could at least console himself with the fact he was beaten by "the best mile-and-a-half horse in the world".
Tourneur was travelling sweetly as the field approached the home turn, and sensing his biggest danger was poised to strike right behind him, he made a move and went for home.
Alcopop responded and charged to the lead in the straight in the $2.5 million race only for French horse Dunaden and champion jockey Craig Williams to sail past as the winning post loomed.
"Unfortunately we were beaten by the best mile-and-a-half horse in the world," the jockey said.
"We put him there to win on the corner. He let down good with his light weight (52.5kg) and I made Dunaden chase with his 58 kilos. But he was too good."
Alcopop's trainer Jake Stephens said it was an "amazing" effort from his horse.
"When he hit the front I thought, can he hang on?" Stephens said.
"Dom had to go when he did and it was a massive run. Dunaden is a world-class horse.
"It was a phenomenal run (from Alcopop) and such a good thrill to see him go so well in a big race like this."
Alcopop is not entered for the Melbourne Cup so Stephens doesn't have to worry about trying to turn the tables on Dunaden.
"Off that you'd think (Dunaden) will be getting the double," Stephens said.
Photo: Quentin Lang
One For The Road
- Saturday, 27 October 2012 03:02
Crack A RoadieStephen Theodore had no problem telling the world that he had a good horse on his hands before Crack A Roadie won the $250,000 Inglis Banner at Moonee Valley this afternoon.
But it was probably more the extensive education that Theodore gave his horse that won him the race.
Jumpouts followed by two official trials gave Crack A Roadie ($3.20-$5.50) the experience he needed to defeat Diva Dee ($7.50-$6.00-$6.50) by a short half head in a driving finish. Third was Shamus Award ($3.60-$6.00). Favourite Pinova finished last after leading to the turn.
After the race Theodore said:
"I could have looked a pretty big mug because I said he was best horse I'd trained and he hadn't even had a start up until 30 seconds ago so it could've been pretty embarrassing if it didn't come off."
"Why lie? I've been doing this (training) for eight years now and everyone sends me these lovely six and seven year olds which I'm rapt to train and I've made a good living from it but I'm never going to find a really good horse that way."
Winning jockey Craig Williams was a part of the education program which saw Crack A Roadie lead in one trial and then get ridden back to give him experience of both styles of racing. Today's race saw him ridden well off the pace set by Pinova before coming home with a solid finishing burst."He is very solid and he took a lot of riding but every time I asked him he responded really well", Williams said.
"Steve has put a lot of work into this horse and ever since this horse had his first trial he got in touch with my agent Mark Guest and told us what he thought of the horse."
Theodore was obviously getting tired of training older horses and decided to take a chance on buying some younger ones, including a brother to Road Trippin which he has trained to win over $100,000.
"I put the noose around the neck and bought 14 yearlings this year and lucky enough I might turn out to be a not bad judge."
"Obviously his full brother (Road Trippin) I trained and that certainly was a big influence but the Charge Forwards were averaging about $120,000 and this bloke I bought for $40,000 because no one liked him."
Theodore has obviously learned plenty about training horses from his father Les, famous for putting the polish on Group 1 galloper Campaign King.
"Dad's an integral part of my stable and I lean on him every day. I got him to come down and look at this horse one day when he galloped and he said he was no Campaign King but he is a bloody nice horse so look after him."
Williams is looking forward to partnering Crack A Roadie again in the major two year old race during Melbourne Cup week at Flemington.
"When you look at the horse in his coat he has got a lot of upside to him, even this preparation so if he pulls up sound I'll be looking forward to the Maribyrnong Trial (Stakes) with him."
By Charge Forward, Crack A Roadie is out of the Flying Spur mare Road To Damascus. He was sold for $40,000 at this year's Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Photos: Fiona Tomlin, Quentin Lang
Streama Returns To Peak Form At Caulfield
- Saturday, 20 October 2012 07:46
StreamaBig-race performer Streama will be chasing her second Group One win this year after bouncing back to her best form at Caulfield on Saturday.
The four-year-old took her career haul of race wins to seven - all at Group or Listed level - when she won the Group Two Tristarc Stakes (1400m).
The Australian Oaks winner will now be aimed at the Group One Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington on November 3.
Trainer Guy Walter said the reigning New South Wales Horse of the Year was a versatile mare who should appreciate racing at the mile distance.
"That's our target and she can run on wet or dry and she can come from behind or she can lead," Walter said.
"She's a terrific mare and it's great to see her show the Melbourne people what she can do."
Walter said that from barrier 14 he and jockey Hugh Bowman had no plan to set the pace.
"We didn't really go out with the intention of leading but obviously from that gate you've got to have an open mind," he said.
"Hughie rode her superbly - she's a great little mare and I hope she can go on to the mile."
Streama beat Pear Tart by 1-1/4 lengths while Mosheen, the $3.10 favourite, struggled to the line in sixth place.
Photo: Fiona Tomlin