3 minute read
Royal Cup Ride For Boss;Caulfield Guineas; Better Than Ready; Contingency Plans; Jay Ford; Aeronautical; Trial Results; Manikato Stakes
Photo by Racing and Sports
* GLEN Boss has landed the ride on Oaks winner Royal Descent in the Caulfield Cup but opposes the mare on Saturday when she has her final lead-up in the Turnbull Stakes at Flemikngton.
Boss is committed to the Turnbull Stakes ride on Puissnace De Lune, the horse he will ride in the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup.
The Caulfield Cup is the one major to escape Boss. He needs the race to complete the grand slam of the Melbourne Cup,, Cox Plate and Golden Slipper – the four events recognized as Australia's premier G1 races.
Boss, beaten a nose on Makybe Diva in the 2004 Caulfield Cup, has won two Cox Plates, three Melbourne Cups and two Golden Slippers.
• THE Caulfield Guineas picture is changing quickly with one high profile contender ruled out and another under a cloud.
David Hayes has announced a change of program for Fast 'N' Rocking and will bypass the $1 million Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 12 to keep the Fastnet Rock colt fresh for the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on November 2.
Hayes said he is now convinced Fast 'N' Rocking is best suited over sprinting distances. “He has failed three times in his life, twice at 1400m and once at a mile”” Hayes said. I think at the moment that he's just a sprinter.”
The Mike Moroney-trained Marwood is under the pump to make it to the Guineas after he was found to be suffering from a respiratory problem after his first defeat when sixth in last Sunday's Guineas Prelude at Caulfield.
Moroney said a subsequent scope found Marwood to be suffering from pharyngitis. “It's not a serious problem but could stop him from running in the Guineas,” Moroney said.
• BRISBANE sprinter Better Than Ready was badly injured in a spectacular trackwork accident at Doomben on Monday.
Better Than Ready was working wide out in the reverse direction on the course proper in preparation for his trip to Melbourne for the spring carnival when he shied and crashed through the outside rail. The four-year-old required eight stitches to a chest wound and also suffered leg cuts and bruises.
Trainer Kelly Schweida had Better Than Ready booked to be flown to Melbourne this week to prepare for the G2 Schillaci Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday week.
• SEVERAL trainers have made contingency plans if there entries fail to gain a start in the star packed G1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington on Saturday.
The Craven Plate at Randwick on Saturday could be boosted if boom import Jet Away fails to gain a Turnbull start. His trainer David Hayes also has the Sunday's Benalla Cup as another option for Jet Away but says he favours the Sydney race.
Turnbull entry Mourayan is already heading to Randwick for the Craven Plate where the Sydney Cup winner will join his Lloyd Williams-owned stablemate Masked Marvel, the wayward import who ran out badly when third at his first Sydney start in the Hill Stakes at Randwick on September 21.
The Benalla Cup is also on the agenda for another borderline Turnbull entry Let's Make Adeal should he miss a Flemington start.
• POPULAR jockey Jay Ford is aiming to end a Group One drought this weekend.
Ford, who made his name as the rider of champion sprinter Takeover Target, has not won a Group One race since he landed the 2009 Spring Champion Stakes on Monaco Consul. His big chance to end the drought comes in Saturday's ATC Metropolitan when he rides the favourite Prince Cheri for David Van Dyke.
• CRAIG Williams has been booked to ride unlucky Sydney sprinter Aeronautical in the Gilgai Stakes at Flemington on Saturday.
Aeronautical, narrowly beaten first-up by Gilgai rival Sessions in The Shorts at Randwick, showed excellent form over the e straight course at Flemington in the autumn when he ran a big race in the G1 Newmarket.
• BJORN Baker would have been pleased with some barrier trial results at Rosehill on Tuesday.
His Testa Rossa two-year-old Unenecumbered won his trial in easily the fastest time of the 900m heats while the former Gai Waterhouse-trained stakes winner Raceway finished second to the classy Hot Snitzel in his first trial for the Baker stable.
Bold Circle, an entry for Saturday's Breeders Plate at Randwick, also won a 2YO heat at Rosehill on Tuesday. It was the second trial win for the David Payne-trainedrdini colt.
• CLASSY Queensland sprinters Spirit Of Boom and Temple Of Boom have joined Hay List as late entries for the G1 Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley on October 1.
Samaready is the opening favourite for the Manikato after her brilliant Moir Stakes win last Friday night. Her early odds may be generous as there are a number of unlikely runners high in the early betting.