THE PETLEY REPORT (AUGUST 5 TO AUGUST 7): MELODY BELLE RESUMES AS FAVOURITE FOR THE MISSILE STAKES

By Jack Petley | Friday, August 7, 2020

In Sydney, Jamie Richards’ 10 times Gr1 winning mare Melody Belle was vetted for that skin rash and she passed the test with flying colours without missing any work. The top mare returns to racing this weekend in the Missile Stakes and is a firm favourite after her dashing recent trials win. She has drawn wide, gate 11, but with rain expected in the next few hours that may not be a difficult possie. Said Richards: "The draw makes it difficult but if the rain comes it might be the place to be."
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Richards, Te Akau's trainer, has also reported that his star galloper Te Akau Shark will return to New Zealand on August 17 and spell after that eye surgery in Sydney. Hopefully the big chestnut will be back for autumn racing both in his homeland and Oz.
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Also, on the Rosehill card this Saturday is the $140,000 Rosebud. Gerald Ryan has three runners in the race … the very promising Kumasi, Return with Honour and The Face. Kumasi had two runs in his first season winning easily at his debut and then racing ever so gamely for second behind the highly rated colt Prague. Of course, all three, like others in the race, will be heading towards the Golden Rose.
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The brilliant Chris Waller trained sprinter Nature Strip consolidated his place at the top of the $15 million The Everest with a dashing win at the Rosehill trial, winning his heat by three lengths, in quick time, and he now sits at a mere $3 for the Everest. Latest betting 3 Nature Strip, 9 Bivouac, Classique Legend, 11 Alligator Blood, Farnan, 15 Gytrash, Loving Gaby, Masked Crusader, Rothfire, Tofane, 21 Santa Anna Lane, Trekking and on $26 the UK sprinter Battaash and the star Kiwi four-year-old Catalyst.
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What would have pleased Waller in the trial was that Nature Strip went through the early part of the trial relaxed, not like he raced earlier in his career when ripping and tearing early. Last season James McDonald spent some time getting the sprinter to relax and once he did that the star was well-nigh unbeatable.
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Waller had many of his better gallopers out to play at the trial including Finche, Verry Elleegant, the very promising Kinane, Topfee Tongue Funstar and Team Hawkes also had some top gallopers out including Master of Wine, the early favourite for the Metropolitan Handicap.
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Interesting release from the Thoroughbred Breeders Australia encouraging all owners of mares being sent interstate to consider their transport plans early ahead of any movements. The TBA has been liaising with State and Federal authorities and all governments have stated that breeding remains an essential agricultural activity. As such thoroughbreds can be removed interstate. But, of course, border permits will be requited for those transporting the stock.
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I note that on Saturday week the Kensington track meeting at Randwick will be switched to the main course proper. This move has been brought about by that bias towards front runners at the July 18 meeting on Kensington.
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Danny O'Brien reports that his Derby winner of last season, the high-class Russian Camelot has returned to work and looks in wonderful order.
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Bjorn Baker had a good day at Randwick last weekend saddling up two winners, but he was also fined $4000 for breaching the Covid 19 protocols. Evidently Baker had his photo taken with Schofield after the win. It was posted on Twitter and the fine followed. Schofield was fined $2000. And Bjorn will soon face the stewards over another protocol breakdown regarding, I gather, staff members visiting a virus hotspot.
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And not good news for another Kiwi, John Sargent was fined $6000 after his fine mare House of Cartier returned a positive after winning the Wagga Gold Cup. The mare has been stripped of first and Maurus now takes the major prizemoney. John Sargent has been training for some four decades in Australia and NZ and I would say this is the first breach in his wonderfully successful career. I am not certain whether he is appealing but the door has been left open.
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Meantime, Sargent is turning his sights on the spring with his very promising four-year-old Brandenburg who will trial next week and will likely kick off his four-year-old campaign in the Winx Stakes.
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I see that Te Akau will have several top performers at the Taupo trials next week including Avantage, Prise De Fer, Scott Base and In a Twinkling. The first three named will kick off in the Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa and then head to Hastings.
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Kiwi jumps rider Tony Ihaka is $1000 less in his bank after being fined that amount for shoulder barging stablehand Peter Cunningham in the scales area at the Pakenham meeting on July 10. Cunningham was fined $300.
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At least Ihaka and Cunningham did not receive this judgement. In France Kevin Nabet, a top French jumps rider, has been outed for six months for assaulting fellow rider Baptiste Dubourg at Le Teste racetrack last month, with Dubourg ending up with a broken jaw.
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Kiwi trainer Harvey Wilson reported to the NZ Racing desk that his Waikato Steeplechase contender at Te Rapa, Its A wonder, is ready to make up for that second behind Shamal last winter." He does all his work up and down the hills and he is thiriving," said Wilson of the jumper who is the $4 favourite for the big race ahead of $4.40 Zedman, Delacroix, $5, Napoleon $5.50. Its a Wonder has an excellent record over the big fences with five starts for three wins and two placings with big wins last winter in the Koral and Grand National Steeplechases.
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Wilson also has Bad Boy Brown in the Waikato Hurdle and the top winter jumper is at $7 in the market with Ava Marie and Ali Baba equal favourites in the lastest market at $5.50 … then $6 Revolution, $7 Bad Boy Brown, Laekeeper, $8 Tommyra.
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Trainer Ben Foote has his crackerjack mare Travelling Light at Ruakaka to further her preparation for the spring ahead. The daughter of El Roca, winner of five of her seven starts with her best win being the Gr1 Levin Classic, will kick off in the Foxbridge Plate and then head to Hastings for the Tarzino Trophy and the Windsor Park Plate. And he also has his sights looking at the Golden Eagle in Sydney.
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Like many Kiwi trainers Shaune Ritchie is unsure where the best gallopers will be this spring … hopefully in Australia but that depends on border controls etc and that virus in Australia. The top Cambridge trainer had the Oaks winner of last season Jennifer Eccles at the Ruakaka trials (he has had his quality team there for a week or so). This week and she finished off her work strongly into fourth place. "We are delighted with her," said Ritchie "The Bostonian is a genuine Gr1 horse and Dawn Patrol is probably one of the quickest horses at Cambridge so for Jennifer to race so well shows she is right back where we want her."
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As for an Australian campaign, Ritchie has in mind a crack at the Cox Plate but beforehand Jennifer Eccles may race at weight for age at the Hawkes Bay meeting. "At this stage we are nominating her for everywhere, home and Australia. She holds a nomination for the Cox Plate and that would become attractive if the internationals don't arrive."
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Trent Busuttin told the NZ racing Desk that he is "looking forward" to Savvy Lad racing at Flemington this weekend after that strong third behind the very smart Mystery Shot and Wicklow Town. "He is dropping back in grade so I would say he will be hard to beat on a big track like Flemington, "said Busuttin.
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And the Busuttin stable had luck with another Kiwi import, Werthiemer at Cranbourne during the week. The son of Tavistock, formerly with Andrew Campbell at Cambridge, had been expected to run well in his Australian debut. The NZ born trainer is now looking to bigger and brighter things and he said the Victoria Derby is foremost in his plans. "He is out of a Lonhro mare that we used to have back in our NZ stable some time back. We will definitely take the Derby path with him."
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I note that the Group 1 winner Sentimental Miss will head across the Tasman this spring to hopefully add further to her stud value. She will join the yard of Chris Waller and, said Go Racing principal Albert Bosma, all going to plan she will target the Caulfield Cup and the Melbourne Cup. "We are just so excited about Go Racing horses targetting these iconic races.With a wet track she could make our dreams come true," said Bosma noting that there may be a light representative of Northern Hemisphere horses travelling down and with Charlie Appleby and Saeed bin Suroor already flagging away trips to Australia because of the Covid 19 virus.
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Godolphin's trainers, Charlie Appleby and Saeed Bin Suroor have reportedly notified officials that they would not be sending horses to the Cups Carnival. Bin Suroor has been a regular to Australia for many years and Appleby for not so long maybe, but ever so successful winning the Melbourne Cup with Cross Counter and that year Godolphin trainers had first and second in the Caulfield Stakes. Of course, Godolphin will still be a major player at the carnivals through their powerful local yard under the watchful care of James Cummings.
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And big owner Lloyd Williams, as reported in the UK press, is keeping an eye on the situation. Lloyd Williams has five of his European horses entered for the Cox Plate … Buckhurst, Degraves, Pondus, Master of Reality and Twilight Payment … and fingers crossed some from that group make the trip, but that is all up in the air. And I would say Lloyd Williams will have an ever larger entry for the Melbourne Cup.
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In news on the international scene for the WS Cox Plate, 28 internationals have been entered and incredibly 22 are from the Ireland's famous O'Brien family. Aidan's entry includes Magical, Japan and Circus Maximus while son Donnacha has amongst his entries that star galloper Fancy Blue, winner just lately of the Nassau Stakes.
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Also, out of the UK jockey William Buick is enjoying a great run. At one stage he was at 33-1 to win the Jockeys Premiership and he is now at 3-1 Oisin Murphy (2-5).