THE PETLEY REPORT: 7 NETWORK'S SATURDAY COVERAGE OF SYDNEY AND MELBOURNE RACING

By Jack Petley | Friday, February 5, 2021

I see that Seven Network will give live coverage of both Sydney and Melbourne racing from tomorrow and ending after All Aged Stakes Day.

Damian Lane has been booked to ride the outstanding Kiwi mare Probabeel in the Bellmaine Stakes at Caulfield tomorrow as the Te Akau brand mount their challenge on Australian majors this coming autumn. She meets a more than handy field for the big race and sits at $4.50 in the market. The very much in form Maher-Eustace galloper Snapdancer, winner of 2 from 4 starts, is at $3.30 and the Darci Brahma four-year-old mare Sierra Sue, is at $4.

The Matamata yard has certainly been on a roll in NZ this season but there was some bad luck this week with the death of that wonderful galloper Te Akau Shark. The winner of just over $1.5m lost his battle against complications which followed on surgery for an eye problem last year.

I see that Sir Dragonet still holds firm in betting for the CF Orr Stakes at $2.80, but track conditions, I gather, will decide if he runs. The smart three-year-old Crosshaven has firmed to just under $4 with Kiwi Daniel Stackhouse to take the mount as the son of Smart Missile builds for the Australian Guineas and maybe the All Star. His stablemate Fifty Stars has been withdrawn. Humidor, still part owned in NZ runs for the Waller yard but is not wanted at $26, but there has been solid backing for the other Waller runner, Imaging (Craig Williams) at $5.80.

Greyworm ($4.20) just heads the betting over the Godolphin runner Viridine in the Rubiton Stakes.

In Sydney Profiteer still holds command in the betting for the $2m Inglis Millennium and is still around the $1.70 mark with Hugh Bowman to ride. Next in the market, Sneaky Five and Ashema at $8.50.

Team Hawkes hold a strong hand in the Inglis Sprint with Ole Kirk making a return but, interestingly, Tommy Berry has opted to ride Dame Giselle with the Ole Kirk mount going to Kiwi James McDonald. As usual both riders have solid books tomorrow with Berry having top chances on Mount Poppa, Prague and Written Beauty.

Bad luck for the Maher-Eustace yard, one of their Slipper prospects, Acrobat has been setback with a minor injury and he has now gone to the paddock.

Interesting news out of Victoria, Team Williams have moved a good many of their string back to Macedon Lodge to be prepared by Robert Hickmott, who will also have outside owned horses in his care. Included in the horses back at Macedon will be Johannes Vermeer, Buckhurst and King of Leogrance.

Godolphin have released a report from James Cummings on their runners tomorrow - here some comments: He has three runners in Race 2 at Caulfield, Arcaded, Telluride and Picarones with Arcaded solid at $5.50 the others at double figures. Of the best backed Cummings stated: “She has a hidden strength and a turn of foot which allows her to get out of trouble." He has two runners in Race 3 at Caulfield and one is well backed, Anamoe, by Street Boss, at $5. Cummings said the colt has "worked stylishly for this and the stable is looking forward to him stepping up tomorrow." And on Best of Days in Race 6: “He is back at the track where he has run well before and he can perform well." And on Viridine in Race 9: "He looks well suited in this grade."

That high class mare Avantage, winner of the Gr1 Railway Handicap at her last run, galloped between races at Te Rapa during the week and she has pleased Jamie Richards as she heads towards the Gr1 CBD Sprint at the track tomorrow week. "She looked good in her action and Opie (Bosson) was pleased," said Richards.

Better late than never for this feel-good story. The Richard Collett trained Captain Tom, by Showcasing and named after Captain Tom Moore who passed away earlier this week in England, was first past the post, but relegated to third after an inquiry. But the TAB paid out on all win bets placed on the galloper, digitally, as bonus bets.

Stephen Marsh has the five-year-old gelding Vernanme in the Taranaki Cup tomorrow. Vernanme will be ridden by Michael McNab and will have visor blinkers added: "It is a tidy field," said Marsh. "With horses of the calibre of Concert Hall, who will be tough."

Kelvin Tyley has entered his Shocking mare City Slicker for the Auckland Cup but he said that she will need to run well this weekend in the Dunedin Gold Cup to warrant a trip into the north."

Allan Sharrock has two fillies heading to the NZ Oaks … Sumi and Signora Nero … and they run at the local meeting tomorrow having missed runs in the Desert Gold Stakes. They run in the Oaks Prelude and both are strong in the market and in fact the TAB have both at $5.50 in the race headed by Royal Stakes runner up Lily's Lady at $4.50 and Providenceprovides at $5.

In the UK Lord Vestey, aged 79, has died. He headed a family dynasty with their wealth coming from the food and farming industry, but he was also vitally involved in ownership and administrating being the powerhouse chief at Cheltenham for many years. He spent some 20 odds years at the helm of Cheltenham and grew the club into a colossus.

At Meydan Mouheeb was successful in the UAE 2000 Guineas in the hands of Ryan Curatolo, giving him his first winner at Meydan. There is a chance now that the three-year-old will head to Saudi Arabia but if not he will tackle the UAE Derby and is firm in the betting.