THE PETLEY REPORT (JULY 15 to JULY 17) RACING NEWS FROM NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, NZ, HK, US, UK AND FRANCE

By Jack Petley | Friday, July 17, 2020

When one thinks of the cancellation of the Warwick Farm races on Wednesday you realise how lucky racing overall has been to dodge the lockdowns over the period of time … thanks I must say to expert management and forward planning by racing authorities.
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That Warwick Farm decision came from Racing NSW headed, of course, by Pete V'landys, who I would say gets as little sleep as Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Both deserve a medal … or even two.
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V'landys made the call to cancel Warwick Farm with that Liverpool City lockdown too much of a risk for all those involved. "This is a precautionary measure," said V'landys, “to ensure that the hard work of the industry in continuing to operate during the Covid 19 is not compromised."
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I notice in the media that four stable staff who dined at the Crossroads Hotel, home of the Covid 19 virus cluster which has grown in the past day or so, have been tested with their results negative … but they have still entered quarantine for 14 days reporting that to NSW Racing.
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And while on the problems of the dreaded virus, which is wrecking havoc throughout the world, I find this forward thinking by Kiwi trainer Tony Pike and other trainers worthwhile of mentioning here. Pike is the President of the NZ Trainers' Association and like other trainers is keen to attack the prizemoney in Australia this spring. So, he has met with a number of his colleagues to discuss the logistics of sending staff to Australia in that unique and ever-changing climate.

Pike said this to the NZ racing Desk: "It is all up in the air as to whether we can get staff over there but we will be making an application through Racing Australia as a group and we have put forth the names of staff that we are looking at getting dispensation for and it is up to immigration in Australia." If passed the staff would quarantine for 14 days before the horses arrive in Sydney.
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Let's hope the problem mentioned above can be solved as there are some smart gallops in Kiwiland and the carnivals will certainly miss them, especially if the Northern Hemisphere horses find it impossible to head Down Under.
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Face masks now have to be worn at Victorian meetings and this may even mean for jockeys too. That has still to be decided upon though.
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A worry? A horse who ran at Moonee Valley last weekend has been found to have a low level reading of strangles. The galloper hails from Geelong and some yards have been locked down although authorities are confident there has been no transmission.
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Leading Perth trainer Grant Williams has arrived in Victoria with stable stars Regal Power, Arcadia Queen, Superstorm and Perfect Jewel and with the news to NZ Racing Desk that that smart Showcasing Bob Peters-owned Showmanship will also join the team in the next few days.
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Showmanship is the winner of five of his six starts and the NZ bred galloper looks ever so much above average. A son of the Don Eduardo mare Khales, Showmanship is a younger half-brother to Bahana, a Singapore Cup winner. He cost agent John Chalmers $145,000 out of the draft of Hanuui at Karaka.
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Arcadia Queen is likely to commence her Victorian campaign in the Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield mid -August as will Regal Power. The Memsie, two weeks later, is also on the agenda.
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I note that Jungle Edge has returned an irregular sample after his recent win in Adelaide earlier in the year.
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That star sprinter Nature Strip, already a slot holder in the $15 Everest, is back in work with Chris Waller. Santa Anna Lane is also back with the Freedman yard and connections are keen to gain a slot in the Everest. Also, back in work is the smart colt Hanseatic.
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This is so sad. Top galloper Scales of Justice died after a heart attack. He was anoutstanding galloper for Lindsay Smith gaining 12 wins and just over $2.3m in stakes.
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This is a good addition to the Waterhuse-Bott yard, the smart galloper Riodini, fomerly with Nigel Tiley at Pukekohe and the winner of four of his six starts. He was also placed in the Gr1 Levin Stakes and the Gr2 Avondale Guineas and I gather the aim is for the smart galloper to be aimed at the $7.5m Golden Eagle. "He has mixed it with the best in New Zealand and he looks an exciting horse," said Adrian Bott. “The horse has arrived in fantastic shape and he won't take much to have him ready for trials."
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Smart galloper Harlech has arrived in Victoria to join Mike Moroney's stable after racing so successfully from his yard in Matamata. The three-year-old arrives with a solid form background, two wins and five placings and with a very good second behind Catalyst in the NZ 2000 Guineas. Also joining the stable from Matamata was Snapper.
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Tommy Stokes, son of top trainer Phillip and the stable foreman in their SA Australian stable, was fined $2000 for laying bets on runners from the stable.
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Michael Hellyer suspended for 21 days for failing to ride out his mount Amiche, a hot favourite, at Eagle Farm with that galloper finishing third behind Woman of Gold and La Jument.
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Cambridge trainer Shaun Ritchie heads to Ruakaka in a few days time to put the early polish on his spring team and that includes the outstanding filly of the season, Jennifer Eccles. There she will undergo beach work and also contest a trial at the Ruakaka track on August 11. Included in his string will be Swords Drawn, Swisswatch, Rum and two for his dad, Frank, … Dawn Patrol and Fiscal Fantasy. Ritchie has Melbourne in mind for Jennifer Eccles and there is no doubt she will be highly competitive across the Tasman.
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Justa Charlie will be prepared for the Waikato Steeplechase, a race he ran second in behind Max last winter. He kicks of his campaign in the Ken and Roger Browne Memorial Chase at Te Rapa where he is top weight. Said trainer Harvey Wilson, "We are not claiming so he has the job ahead of him. We are hopeful he will run a nice race."
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Also in the Waikato Steepecdase will be Wilson's It's A Wonder, last year’s Grand National winner.
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Might pay to watch the regally bred Solid Contact at the Counties meeting. Trained by Martin Da Cruz this son of champion sire Savabeel and the Group 1 winning mare I Do has had two trials and has looked above average in both. Da Cruz's mother, Angel, went to $150,000 for the young galloper out of the draft of Waikato Stud at Karaka.
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The NZ Racing Desk reports that recognised industry participant Dylan Johnson is establishing his own bloodstock consultancy business in a move which will see him retained as the sales agent for Gerry Harvey's Westbury Stud.
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That good mare Mystic Journey was out at the trials at Devonport and she went to the line, in fourth spot, hard held, and looking a treat for her spring racing campaign.
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Stallion Rock ‘N’ Pop will stand his season at Okawa Stud in Hastings after formerly being at Waikato Stud. Okawa is one of NZ's oldest and finest stud farms established by the Lowry family in the early part of the last century and these days Tom Lowry runs sheep and beef along with standing thoroughbred stallions.
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Rock ‘N’ Pop had a handy winner in Hong Kong on the weekend, Super Oasis, formerly known in NZ has Surely Sacred … a winner of 3 of his 8 starts in his homeland including the Auckland Guineas and the Avondale Guineas and also finished third in the Derby.
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Champion Aussie Zac Purton is the No1 rider in Hong Kong yet again. Purton rode a double on the final card at Happy Valley in midweek, but the title was already his on the weekend when he gained a double at Sha Tin where Joao Moreira also rode two winners. Moreira did not ride at Happy Valley, as he was suspended.
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This was Purton's third title on end and he now has four to his credit, a fine effort indeed.
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The Hong Kong trainers' title went to Ricky Yui, gaining his first title, and on the night the great trainer, John Moore was honoured. Moore, now retired from Hong Kong at the age of 70, heads to Sydney to join up with brother Gary.
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The great trainer, John Moore, has certainly made his mark in HK over the years, being top trainer on seven occasions and training some great gallopers including Able Friend, Beauty Generation, Werther, Rapper Dragon, Military Attack, Viva Pataca and Xtension. His aim now is to gain Group winners in Australia but I see in a recent story there is one race he wants to win, the Bong Bong Cup in Bowrall. He rode in the race as a youngster before commencing his wonderful HK career.
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Interesting betting figures out of Hong Kong who, like many race-clubs throughout the world, have been battling to keep the industry afloat against the virus attack, and they have also had to manage racing’s interests while the protests against China were going on … I note that the Wednesday turnover for the final meeting at Happy Valley was HK$1.6 billion, a new record for a fixture at the track.
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The turnover for the 1019-20 season in Hong Kong stands at $HK$121.6 billion, a mere 2.6 per cent reduction on the previous season. Comingling seems to have assisted the turnover and officials there say this is the way of the future.
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I note in a story in the US media that leading trainer Bob Baffert is facing a 15-day ban after two of his horses failed post-race tests at Oakland Park in Arkansas in May. But the champion trainer, a five time winner of the Kentucky Derby, a seven-time winner of the Preakness and a three time winner of the Belmont Stakes, as well as majors like the Breeders Cup (3) and the Dubai World Cup (3), has denied any wrongdoing.
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This will be an interesting clash at Goodwood in England at the end of the month, Kameko clashing with the Irish 2000 Guineas winner Siskin in the Sussex Stakes. After this Kameko, fourth in the Derby will tackle the Juddmonte International.
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What a tough stayer Red Verdon is. The stayer, who has been Down Under for Ed Dunlop came back to form with a big win in France earlier this week and Dunlop said that the horse could now be aimed at the Irish St Leger and the Ebor." I am sure there will be races abroad for him as well," said the top trainer. "It is great that the horse is back in top form.”
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Aidan O'Brien says he is setting the Yorkshire Oaks as a mission for his glamour filly Love, bypassing the Irish Oaks. The filly is the winner of the 1000 Guineas and the Oaks double and she is well in the market for the Arc at 7-2 … and that, said O'Brien, is her long term target. "She can go to York from the Oaks and then freshen for the Arc.
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An interesting winner was King's Harlequin for trainer Nicolas Clement with the winner raced by Sam Sangster and carrying those famous colours of Sam's famous Dad, the late Robert Sangster.

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