THE PETLEY REPORT (AUGUST 15 TO AUGUST 18): THE WINX STAKES WILL ATTRACT A POWER PACKED FIELD

By Jack Petley | Tuesday, August 18, 2020

There is certainly going to be much interest in the Winx Stakes this weekend and, looking at the noms, it will gain a power packed field which is certain to include Verry Elleegant, Melody Belle, Dreamforce, Fierce Impact and The Bostonian. On hand too, will be yet another star for Team Hawkes, Master of Wine, already one of the most talked about stayers heading towards the majors of the spring.
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Verry Elleegant, still part owned in NZ, sits favourite in the early market with the Team Hawkes star galloper, Master of Wine, at $6. Tony Pike's top sprinter, The Bostonian, who already has fine sprint form in Sydney gained last autumn, is rated at $7 and the Te Akau mare Melody Belle, is at $8 alongside Funstar (likely not to run I see) and John Thompson's Dreamforce.
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Chris Waller has entered a strong group for the Winx Stakes headed, of course by Verry Elleegant with others being the NZ bred Kolding, Mister Sea Wolf and also NZ bred Star of the Seas. The Maher-Eustace yard have entered the very talented three-year-old Prague, the only 3yo in the entries with acceptances tomorrow.
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The Bott-Waterhouse yard have major plans for the Gr1 winning mare Con Te Patiro racing firstly through the early spring in Sydney and then hopefully off to the US for the Breeders Cup meeting that is, of course, if the virus doesn't wreck plans. Bott said she is likely to resume in the Winx and then go through majors in Sydney.
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See You Soon has opened favourite for the Silver Shadow in Sydney ahead of $4.50 Game Giselle, 6 Redoute's Image, Stellar Pauline, 8 Thermosphere.
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I see that Chris Waller will have Nature Strip out at the Rosehill trials today as the star sprinter and early favourite for the $15m Everest gears up for his return to racing. He will go over 900 metres and Hungry Heart and the smart NZ bred Kinane will also be in the same heat.
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Bivouac trialled at Hawkesbury and from all accounts the Godolphin sprinter was ever so impressive in the hands of Hugh Bowman, who will return to trace riding on September 11 after that suspension. All going well Bivouac will return in the Shorts. The race chosen for the Sydney debut of the brilliant Kiwi has already been picked out for the boom Kiwi four-year-old Catalyst. Bivouac is certain to be looked at closely by Godolphin when they go about filling their $15m Everest slot.
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I see Regan Bayliss will ride for Anthony Cummings.
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The main race in Melbourne this week is the Memsie and the Godolphin galloper Savatiano has opened favourite at $5 ahead of $6 Arcadia Queen, and her boom stablemate and ever so impressive winner last weekend, Showmanship, 8 Behemoth, Kings Will Dream, 11 Mystic Journey, Streets of Avalon.
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Another Freedman successful as a trainer, Will Freedman, son of Richard, won a race at the Narromine meeting yesterday with Time to Dazzle.
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The lightly tried Aragon has been sent across the Tasman to join the powerful Busuttin-Young yard at Cranbourne. The son of Ocean Park was an impressive winner recently at Hastings for trainer Chissy Bambry. Bambry bred the galloper with her parents Tony and Judith and friend Fiona Massey. "He is a horse with a bright future that will get over ground and he will get every chance with Trent and Natalie," said Chrissy.
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Good news! Luke Currie is back riding trackwork after being off the scene for some six months through a bad neck injury.
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The Australian Turf Club has signed a multi-year partnership with Cleanaway, the nation's largest waste management service provider. This new agreement will support Sydney racing and its major race-days along with the Australian Turf Club's daily operations across its five venues.
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I see the former Baker-Forsman galloper Saracino was successful at Belmont in Perth on the weekend ending a three year drought of wins. After being a good winner for the Baker-Forsman yard he then transferred to Mike Moroney in Melbourne and was then on sold by Lib Petanga to clients of Perth trainers Chris and Michael Gangemi.
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Sad news out of NZ, the death of highly regarded Canterbury trainer, Tony Prendergast at the age of 84.
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News from Rich Hill Stud, Walton, Vadamos has arrived at the stud in wonderful order said chief John Thompson … and news to boost the shuttle stallion is that he had a two-year-old winning double in England on the weekend, Ballintoy Harbour at Pontefract and Balavad at Lingfield. A day beforehand, in Ireland, the Vadamos filly Messidor was successful for Joseph O'Brien. The young sire has now had five individual juvenile winners from his first Northern Hemisphere crop from his Irish base of Tally Ho. Thompson said he has had excellent feedback from Down Under trainers regarding their stock of Vadamos. "They are excited about their prospects," he said.
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The powerful breeding nursery, Cambridge, has just welcomed Almanzor back for a further spring Down Under to serve his third year after two full books at Cambridge in 2018 and 2019 … and I gather he has a full book ahead of him this spring. And there is a major announcement regarding the sire line of the young stallion with his sire, Wootton Basset, having been purchased by Coolmore from Haras d'Etreham. "Wootton Basset's sale to Coolmore reflects the esteem in which he is held in Europe and so we are delighted to have his son," said Cambridge Stud CEO Henry Plumtre.
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News from the Cambridge stable of John Bell around smart sprinter Julius is all good. Bell had him at the Taupo trials last week and the sprinter turned in an eye-catching run. The trial was won by the Te Akau Gr1 winner Avantage and Julius was noted to be making ground well towards the end. Injuries have kept the nine-year-old to only 17 starts and Bell reckons he is well ready to resume in the Valaichi Downs Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa and then he will head to the Hawkes Bay meeting at Hastings.
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News from Cambridge is that the construction of the synthetic track is back on track with news that the Australian based Martin Collins have gained visas into NZ and after quarantine will be on hand for the mix and lay of the surface. "The biggest hurdle was getting an exemption to get them over and we have now received that," said Cambridge Jockey Club chief executive, Mark Fraser-Campin.
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Terry Moseley is certainly heading to the veteran status. He is now 53, but the Kiwi jockey is riding as well as ever booting home three winners at the Riccarton meeting on the weekend … Figemeout, Zoltan and Madam Seuoia. "I love my riding and as I get older you appreciate days like this,” Moseley told the NZ Racing Desk.
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Former Godolphin galloper Aramaayo claimed his highest prize since racing in Singapore in the weekend's $1m Kranji Mile.

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