3 minute read

Suavito out of spring contention; Buck aimed at Hastings return; Mistaar rewarded for top efforts; Vale Melba Murfitt; Fifth Melbourne Cup on cards.

Suavito out of spring contention

Injury has ruled the New Zealand-bred Group One winner Suavito out for the spring.

The rising five-year-old daughter of Thorn Park, successful in the Futurity Stakes at Caulfield in February, will require surgery to have a bone chip removed.

“It’s in the higher part of the knee and it needs to come out and with the timing of it she’ll have to miss the spring,” Flemington trainer Nigel Blackiston said.

“She should be fully recovered within eight weeks, but by then there will be nothing around for her so I’ll give her some extra time off and she’ll be back in the stable by the start of November to hopefully get ready for an Australian Cup campaign.”

Buck aimed at Hastings return

High Chaparral’s promising son Buck Cannon is likely to be back in action during the Hawke’s Bay spring carnival.

He was an impressive maiden winner over 1600 metres in February following a 14 month spell and was put aside after a subsequent fourth placing.

“He flipped over going into the swab box after he won and he wasn’t quite the same horse at his next start so we put him out,” trainer and part-owner Alexander Fieldes said.

“This should be his year – he’ll be five and he has strengthened.”

Mistaar rewarded for top efforts

Tough winter mare Mistaar gained a deserved victory in trying conditions at Tauranga on Wednesday.

The daughter of Iffraaj had finished runner-up at her two previous outings and went one better in the Vero 1600 in the hands of Matt Cameron for the sixth win of her career.

“She’s been thereabouts lately and it was a good, strong ride by Matt,” co-trainer Andrew Forsman said. “She’s a wet track galloper who cops her racing well so we’ll keep her going.”

Vale Melba Murfitt

New Zealand owner and breeder Melba Murfitt has died aged 94.

Christchurch-based Murfitt bred and raced the Roger James-trained Gr.1 New Zealand Stakes winner Gaze, along with her Group One performing dam Eye Full.

Along with her late husband Mick, Murfitt ran Riccarton Stud where they stood stallions such as Treasure Hunt, Ribotlight, and Palatable, the sire of Eye Full.

Murfitt attributed her longevity to her interest in horses, with the Murfitts' involvement dating back to the mid 1950s.

Fifth Melbourne Cup on cards

Precedence will try and qualify for a fifth Melbourne Cup by winning the race named after his famous trainer.

James Cummings revealed the veteran son of Zabeel is being set for The Bart Cummings at Flemington, the race which honours the 12-time Melbourne Cup-winner, who also happens to be his co-trainer and grandfather.

The Victoria Racing Club and Racing Victoria announced earlier this month that the winner of the Listed race, which is run on Turnbull Stakes day, will get a guaranteed start for the Melbourne Cup.

“He’s going terrific," Cummings said. "We had a little plan to be first-up in the Chelmsford (Stakes) at Randwick and if he’s in good form we’ve got our eye on the Bart Cummings to bring him down to Melbourne third-up for that race,” he said.