THE PETLEY REPORT: (AUGUST 26 - AUGUST 31)

By Jack Petley | Monday, August 31, 2020

Three-year-olds took centre stage in Australia this weekend with, Anders standing head and shoulders above the others. Then there was the win by his stablemate Hollyfield and Prime Star … in Melbourne Immortal Love for the powerful Price-Kent yard …and at Eagle Farm a filly named Kisukano burnt up the turf.

The San Domenico Stakes drew a small field of six. It was packed with talent but, boy, Anders gave his rivals a thrashing with a brilliant display of speed and front-running for ace James McDonald. Cairon Maher rates the colt "his best,” but now he has much to decide. Earlier thoughts had been for the colt to head south for the Moir, but after that win the $15m Everest is now on the table so he could be kept in Sydney for races like the Run to the Rose and a likely clash with another Aquis owned colt the brilliant Farnan.

McDonald, of course, rides Nature Strip in the Everest and the Waller trained sprinter sits at $2.80 favourite ahead of 9 Classique Legend, 11 Bivouac, Gytrash, Farnan. Anders is now at $15 along with the Kiwi Catalyst and Rothfire.

Holyfield made the day for the Maher-Eustace yard with an end to end win in the Ming Dynasty for Tim Clark, beating Bazooka and Overlord, who did not help his chances with a bad getaway. Maher also has to decide whether to keep this three-year-old in Sydney, for say the $1m Golden Rose, or head back home for maybe the Caulfield Guineas … and maybe even the Cox Plate.

The Maher-Eustace yard have announced the retirement of the fine sprinting mare Loving Gaby and she now heads to Kia Ora Stud in the Hunter Valley.
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Immortal Love gained a narrow win in the McNeil with strong effort from midfield to run down Flying Award with Tagaloa a game third and with so much improvement in the colt for that run. Mick Price now has the Caulfield Guineas in mind for his three-year-old and he told the press he hoped the soft tracks would continue. "He is just so much better on that going," he said.

And what about that win by the filly Kisukano … gaining her sixth win from eight starts and cracking the Eagle Farm 1200 metre record in 1.08.69s, bettering the best of Isaurian last year. There is a chance she may be seen in Sydney, but the Toowoomba Guineas is first on the agenda.

That was a super win by Behemoth in the Memsie Stakes, sitting just off the pace and then striding ever so easily to victory for Craig Williams. What a bargain this fellow is … cost a mere $6000 and the win yesterday alone put a further $450,000 into the bank. Now trainer David Jolly has to work out plans for the star galloper, maybe, even the Cox Plate. "He has been entered," he said.

Pete Moody gained some of the Memsie stake, he has a share in second placegetter Mr Quickie and saddled up the three-year-old Glenfidditch for a meritorious third. Moody did gain a win though, one race earlier, with In Good Health in the Heatherlie Stakes in the hands of his great mate Luke Nolan.

While Behemoth was impressive one had to really like that easy win by Persan, for the winning stable again, Maher-Eustace. The four-year-old by Pierro has now won 5 from 17 and he is one to follow through the carnival in Melbourne.
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Another trainer who has to decide on future plans for a top galloper is Kris Lees with the decisive Premiers Cup winner at Rosehill, the Australian Bloodstock syndicated Mugatoo. The UK bred stayer powered away from his rivals and now Lees must look towards the next run. He does believe that the galloper is of Gr1 1 standard and firstly he would like to send him around in the Newcastle Cup, a race he has yet to win in his hometown. The Metropolitan seems the next step, but Lees said not to rule out the Epsom handicap over 1600metres. "He has a lovely turn of foot for that," he said.

Tom Sherry gained a win on Academy and he now sits out a three weeks suspension over his Covid 19 breach, but he did have a week shaved off the ban on appeal during the week.

Dancing Gidget was one of two winners for Chris Waller, the other Word for Word with McDonald up … and Waller said he would not rule out a run in the $7.5m Golden Rose with the daughter of Al Maher having now won four of her 11 starts.

Prime Star made up for that defeat on a rain affected track when resuming with a solid win for the Freedman brothers in the Darley Virtual Parade.

That was an impressive winner by the Reliable Man filly Annivisto for Mick Price and Michael Kent at Mornington. The filly was purchased out of Tony Pike's yard by Bill Frost's Pendant Equine after she had been a trials winner. "She is bred to go the Oaks distance," said Kent after the dashing win. "But she has a lot of speed and we have a circle around the Guineas.
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Cannot wait for this tough Queensland stayer The Candy Man to head to Sydney and link up with Team Hawkes. The grey gelding is one tough stayer as he showed by his win on the weekend and trainer Barry Baldwin says he is in the right form to tackle Sydney racing.

Meantime smart three-year-old Rothfire is back on track after he had a day or so off after injuring himself in a box incident. He had an exhibition gallop between races at Eagle Farm and pleased trainer Rob Heathcote no end turning on the speed with the last 600 in 32s and the last 400m in 20.7s. Heathote is now looking forward to sending his crack colt south for a clash with the star Bott-Waterhouse colt Farnan and others in the Run to the Rose on September 12.

The brilliant Bott-Waterhouse colt Farnan was burning up the track in a dashing trial early last week. In the hands of Hugh Bowman, Farnan went over the 1050 metres in a cracking 1.01.99s winning the trial by just under four lengths from Shout the Bar … and running the last 600 metres in a cracking 33.07. The gallop certainly had Adrian Bott buzzing and he said afterwards "this is the colt we know." Farnan heads towards the Golden Rose and he is firm in the early betting at $5 just behind that very smart Team Hawkes colt North Pacific at $4.50, then $9 Rothfire, $11 Doubtland, Mamaragan, Peltzet, $15 Kings Legacy, Prague. $26 Mo'ounga.

And while on Prague he was previously saddled up by Annabel Neasham for the powerful Maher-Eustace yard but just recently she went out training on her own account and she wasted no time gaining her first winner from her first runner, Commanding Missile, at Scone in the hands of Brodie Loy, and there was solid money for the win too, firming late into around $2.30.
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I see news on Alligator Blood … he had a trial at the Sunshine Coast and trainer David Vandyke reported all is well for the four-year-old. It looks as though he will resume racing at Doomben on September 12 and then of course he will eventually head to Sydney and, on the cards if his form stacks up, there is much interest in gaining him for a slot in the $15 Everest. He will be a certain runner in the Golden Eagle at sits at $6 in that market.

This will be an interesting clash, Nature Strip against fellow $15 Everest candidate Gytrash in the Concorde this weekend. It is over 1000 metres so the pace will certainly be hectic. The field is also likely to include Ball of Muscle and Splintex.

Les Bridge took his $15m Everest candidate Classique Legend to Newcastle for a trial and the star galloper turned on a bold effort winning his heat easily and running the last 600 metres in a cracking 33.14 with Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle. The Shorts Handicap will be the first race for the top sprinter as he heads towards the Premiere Stakes and the Everest. He is one of three already a slot holder in the big race, the others Nature Strip and SA galloper Gyrash.

And sad news, the passing of that great stayer Subzero at the ripe old age of 32, due, I have been told, to heart failure. The 1992 Melbourne Cup winner was a legend not only on the racetrack for Allan Brodribb but also as a travelling ambassador over many years for racing, visiting schools, racetracks and the like and always mobbed by his fans.
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I see in the British racing press that one hurdle has been jumped for international stayers to travel Down Under for the Melbourne Cup carnival. Six stables have been granted travel exceptions for their staff to travel ahead of the horses and quarantine. But there is a further hurdle to tackle, plane tickets into Australia from the UK are like hen’s teeth. So hopefully that can be achieved as the staff need to be in Australia to quarantine before the galloping stars arrive. The stables include those of Aidan O'Brien and son Joseph, Charlie Fellowes, who knows the Melbourne scene so well too, and Roger Charlton, who has Aspetar entered for the WS Cox Plate.

There have been 34 internationals entered for the Caulfield Cup and the O'Briens have 16 of the 30 internationals in the Melbourne Cup. Stayers entered and likely to head Down Under include Prince of Arran, Master of Reality, Magical, Magic Wand and Anthony Van Dyke.

I see that 177 horses have been entered for the Caulfield Cup and the Melbourne Cup has 152, both races up on last year's levels. And they include 25 Gr1 winners in the Melbourne Cup and 34 in the Caulfield Cup.

Danny O'Brien, who won the Cup last year with Vow and Declare, has a strong hand this year with that stayer plus the boom Russian Camelot, King of Leogrance and the Oaks winner and NZ bred Miami Bound.

NZ gallopers entered for the Melbourne Cup are Glory Days, Sir Charles Road, Quick Thinker and The Chosen One but there is further widespread NZ interest as there are 25 NZ-breds entered for the Melbourne Cup.
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Yet another smart Kiwi galloper is heading to Sydney. Dragon Leap is a son of Pierro and a winner of two Group 2 races in his homeland with also a fourth placing in the NZ Derby to his credit. The Lance O'Sullivan-Andrew Scott trained four-year-old had an exhibition gallop between races at the local meeting at Matamata and O'Sullivan said he was "more than happy" with the workout. He said Dragon Leap will likely be kept to racing up to 1600 metres and he will kick of his Sydney campaign in the Tramway Stakes, Group 2, over 1400 metres at Randwick on September 5. A big run in that and he will then go towards the Group 1 Epsom Handicap,1600 metres. "If he performs well in the Tramway then that will be his target," said O'Sullivan. The smart galloper is Hong Kong owned and that is where he will eventually race but in meantime the $7.5 Golden Eagle is on the agenda.

Shaun Phelan is looking at the $300,000 Jericho Cup later in the season with promising stayer Junior, who was successful at Tauranga. "Our plan has always been to target the Jericho," said Phelan. "And he will run in the qualifying race at New Plymouth next month. He is an out and out stayer and he should eat up a further lap." Phelan also had the news for the NZ Racing Desk that he will soon commence riding again after being sidelined with a broken wrist.”

While Tony Pike has The Bostonian and soon to be joined in Sydney by River Run and Catalyst, he will still have a powerful string in NZ and he had the news that he is very happy with the condition of two of his stars, Derby winner Sherwood Forest and the NZ 1000 Guineas winner, Loire.

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As expected the smart maiden Babylon Berlin made a successful debut at Taupo, winning by just over four lengths from Chopper Read for Ben Foote and now she will be set the Gold Trail Stakes at Hastings … and she will also be entered for the Group 1 1000 Guineas at Riccarton.

Haunui Farm shuttle stallion Belardo gained his first stakes success on the weekend with the filly Isabella Giles scoring at Goodwood. Belardo stands at Haunui at $10,000 plus GST and I see that he has covered some 314 mares in his first three seasons.

The high-class son of Echoes of Heaven Countofmontecristo is now in the stable of Mark Walker at Kranji with former trainer Michael Clements having won 10 races and just over $2m in stakemoney.

That win by Chad Ormsby on the Tony Pike trained Divine Dive, by Sacred Falls, was his first winner since he gave riding away back in April 2012 with the 31-year-old, in between, being a horse breaker, trainer and doing sales preparations for yearlings, and also, I am told, as a bull rider on the rodeo circuit. His last winner before he gave riding away was on the Pike trained Waterford at Te Rapa on March 28, 2012.
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Here is an interesting European galloper likely to tackle Australian Cups races this spring, the Prix Hocquart winner, Port Guillaume, just a day or so ago purchased by Hong Kong based owner Edmund Lee and likely to target the Caulfield Cup. Jean- Claud Rouget trains the exciting colt and he said in the press that a tilt at the Arc is on the cards. Eventually he will be sent into Australia to Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig and final plans, I see, will likely be made after the Longchamp Arc Trials on September 13. A run in the Arc will be a test facing Love, Enable and company. Edmund Lee has been a buyer of European stayers over the years having had luck with Harlem, Spillway and Redkirk Warrior. The young stayer sits at 25-1 in the Arc.

Love deserves to be the favourite for the Arc says Frankie Dettori, but he says Enable is ever so well.

While on the UK Jim Crowley became the fifth current jockey to win 2000 races in Britain, flat and jumps combined when successful on Modmin at Goodwood. Others are Richard Johnson, Frankie Dettori, Joe Fanning and Ryan Moore.

And what about ace lady rider Hollie Doyle! She rode five winners at Windsor on the weekend.

Stradivarius heads the Arc Trial entries.
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In the UK Charlie Appleby says that by the end of this week he could have almost firm plans for his star Ghaiyyath with three options looming, the Irish Champion Stakes, the Arc and the Breeders Cup. The top galloper sits at $6 behind Love and Enable in the early betting for the Arc.

Smart galloper Mohaather has been retired after an injury.

The Singapore Derby has been brought forward one day to September 5.

In the US, Arlington Park has been given the green light to have 300 punters from September 3. But all must wear masks.

And I have to mention that win by the Warriors. Fingers crossed for a top 8 finish, now that would be a remarkable achievement for what the team has been through. When I see how they have overcome so much makes me feel proud to be Kiwi.

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