Mihalyka after Civic reception for Sir Bacchus at Rosehill

28 Pages·2017·8.12 MB·English

Dee Ex Bee
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Stakes races: Sunshine Coast (QLD) -
Steve Moran
Sunshine Coast Guineas (Gr 3, 1600m),
page 8
Caloundra Cup (Listed, 2400m),
Saturday 30 June 2018
Glasshouse Handicap (Listed, 1400m).
Mihalyka after Civic Belmont (WA) - Strickland Stakes (Gr 3,
2000m)
Metropolitan meetings: Rosehill
reception for Sir Bacchus
(NSW), Caulfield (VIC), Morphettville (SA),
Belmont (WA)
Race meetings: Gundagai (NSW),
at Rosehill
Newcastle (NSW), Casterton (VIC), Gold
Coast (QLD), Mackay (QLD), Sunshine
Five-year-old chases maiden stakes win as siblings Coast (QLD), Carnarvon (WA), Hastings
(NZ), Ruakaka (NZ)
bid for winning double
International meetings: Curragh (IRE)
- Irish Derby (Gr 1, 1m4f), Pretty Polly
Stakes (Gr 1, 1m2f). Monmouth Park
(USA) - United Nations Stakes (Gr 1, 11f)
Morning Briefing
Merchant Navy retires
Dual Group 1 winner Merchant Navy
Sir Bacchus (red cap) SPORTPIX
(Fastnet Rock) has been retired and will now
Fresh from enjoying the Royal Ascot head back to Australia to start his career at
By Tim Rowe
meeting last week hosting a touring party, stud at Coolmore’s base in the Hunter Valley.
Louis Mihalyka of Laurel Oak Mihalyka told ANZ Bloodstock News yesterday The son of Fastnet Rock (Danehill) won the
Bloodstock hopes the Chris Waller- that Sir Bacchus was a backmarker who needed Coolmore Stud Stakes (registered as Ascot Vale
trained Sir Bacchus (Sebring) can a strong race tempo to produce his best. Stakes) (Gr 1, 1200m) when trained in Australia
cap a big week for the talented “He has got a certain racing style that by Aaron Purcell and added a second Group 1
gelding’s family by capturing an important means he needs a bit of luck, but when he to his CV when taking out the Diamond Jubilee
maiden stakes victory in today’s Civic Stakes gets that he looks impressive,” Mihalyka told Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) at Royal Ascot last Saturday
(Listed, 1350m) at Rosehill. ANZ Bloodstock News. for trainer Aidan O’Brien. Merchant Navy had
The syndicator also own Sir Bacchus’s “He can really hit the line late. He doesn’t been earmarked for a potential tilt at the July
three-year-old half-sister and stablemate Sweet have tactical speed and it has probably got Cup (Gr 1, 6f) at Newmarket on 14 July, but
Scandal (Sepoy), who won her maiden at her a bit worse since he has come back from the decision has been made to send the three-
second start at Canterbury on Wednesday and a injury, so he is a little one-dimensional in that year-old back to Australia to begin his stallion
victory today would only enhance the filly’s value. regard. Continued on page 2>> career instead. Morning Briefing page 4
| 1 |
Saturday 30 June 2018
<< Continued from page 1 “But when he gets a smother he gets to
unleash a devastating sprint.
“The wide draw (12) is going to make it more awkward, but the quality
BEST OF
of the field should ensure a good tempo and that is the style of race that
suits him as long as the barrier doesn’t count against him.”
Sir Bacchus is a $17 chance in early betting markets for which Flow (Street
Cry) is the $4.80 favourite with Invinzabeel (I Am Invincible) a $5 second elect.
LUCK
Purchased by Laurel Oak Bloodstock for $130,000 at the 2014 Magic
Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale, Sir Bacchus is the first foal
out of the stakes-winning mare Bacchanal Woman (Encosta De Lago),
who Mihalyka also bought as a yearling for client Lockyer Thoroughbreds.
TO THE MAGIC MILLIONS GRADUATES RUNNING “Sir Bacchus’s half-sister Sweet Scandal won quite well at her second
career start at Canterbury last Wednesday,” he said.
IN TODAY’S GROUP RACES
“It will be good for the family if they can both win and if he can get some
SUNSHINE COAST (SCTC) black type that will be good for the catalogue page for the filly. We have
bought the first two out of the mare (Bacchanal Woman) with happy results.”
SUNSHINE COAST GUINEAS GR3
Sir Bacchus’s career, which includes a win over subsequent three-
Mishani Bullitt ........Mishani Enterprises
Magnufighter ........................Sun Stud time Group 1 winner Redkirk Warrior (Notnowcato) at Moonee Valley in
Touch of Mink .....Three Bridges T’breds
2016, was halted by a broken pelvis that kept him on the sidelines for
Italia Bella .......................Attunga Stud
eight months.
BELMONT (WATC)
“The night Rebel Dane won the Manikato, Sir Bacchus won the next
STRICKLAND STKS GR3 race and in it Redkirk Warrior was making his Australian debut and Santa
Dark Alert ...............Peters Investments
At the Ready .................Bowness Stud Ana Lane was in fourth spot while our bloke came from last, circled the
Shinta Mani .............Greenfields Lodge field and beat them,” he said.
Very Tempting ....................Vinery Stud
“If you look at the race, those two could have considered themselves
KENILWORTH (S. AFRICA)
unlucky, but in another race he beat In Her Time fair and square, so he has
WINTER DERBY GR3 got form around Group 1 horses.
Power Tower........Attunga Stud
“He had a broken pelvis and then we had to get the ring rust out of
him.”
Laurel Oak Bloodstock also has Monasterio (Savabeel), who won
first-up at Warwick Farm on May 16, set to run in the ATC Owner Benefits
Card Handicap (1500m) at Rosehill providing the track is not too wet. It
was rated a Heavy 8 yesterday.
Mihalyka said: “His first-up win was impressive and things didn’t just go
his way second-up. I won’t say he would have won, but he would have been in
the finish and the horse who held us in a pocket that day, Chatelard, won his
next start and another Waller horse, I Am Serious, also won since.
“When we went to Randwick he struck a heavy track and he just didn’t
handle it. He has a good turn of foot and he is proving that heavy is not his go.”
Speaking of his annual trip to the UK for Royal Ascot, Mihalyka said
visiting Frankel (Galileo) at Juddmonte was thrilling, as was witnessing
Merchant Navy (Fastnet Rock) win the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (Gr 1, 6f)
on the final day of the five-day meeting.
“We do the Tuesday on the Saturday, which is tradition, and we got to
pat Frankel on the Thursday which was special,” he said.
“(But Merchant Navy) was by far the biggest cheer of all - we backed
both the Aussie horses. When that photo went up there was a loud and
distinguishable cheer, let me tell you.”
Mihalyka is already excited about Merchant Navy’s imminent stallion
www.magicmillions.com.au
career and he has already booked Texarcana (More Than Ready), the
dam of Laurel Oak Bloodstock’s Group 1-winning sprinter Rebel Dane
(California Dane), to him in 2018.
| 2 |
It’s hardly surprising he was
in terrific demand with the loss of
STREET CRY and he could well emulate
his sire’s popularity at stud
John Holloway,
29 July 2016
Pride Of Dubaiis the best-looking and best-
performed horse that His Highness has ever bred...
We couldn’t be happier with our foals by
him, as a group they’re outstanding. What
particularly excited us is that a huge number
of them look very sharp and mature.
Tim Stakemire, Bloodstock Manager for
HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum
“PRIDE OF DUBAI is one of those
horses that just occasionally
come along that are very,
very special. He’s got it all
covered.”
Robert Crabtree, Dorrington Farm
GR.1 BLUE DIAMOND& GR.1 SIRES’ PRODUCEwinner by STREET CRY
Another Gr.1 winner
Closely related to the top-class sires KODIAC & INVINCIBLE SPIRIT for INVINCIBLE SPIRIT
Eqtidaar won the
Commonwealth Cup-Gr.1
at Royal Ascot on
22nd June
• ADELAIDE • AIR FORCE BLUE • AMERICAN PHAROAH • CARAVAGGIO • CHOISIR • CHURCHILL • FASTNET ROCK • MERCHANT NAVY • NO NAY NEVER • PIERRO •
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Michael Kirwan, Colm Santry, Sebastian Hutch, Paddy Oman, Sam White or Tom Moore. Tel: [phone].
New Zealand: Gordon Calder Tel:[phone]. www.coolmore.com
Morning Briefing | sponsored by Westbury Stud | 4 | Saturday 30 June 2018
CLICK HERE REDWOOD
TO FIND OUT WHAT
TERRY HENDERSON
HAS TO SAY ABOUT
REDWOOD
EVERYONE'S
TALKING.
@anz_news
Plymouth Road
(Listed, 2400m) and Lucky Hussler (Husson) in
Australia
unlikely to line up
the Glasshouse Handicap (Listed, 1400m). Of
Five for Epaulette
Lucky Hussler, Rawiller told Racing.com: "I had Matt Smith says he will wait until the last minute
Darley shuttler Epaulette (Commands) sired a worked him before he went to Brisbane and he before deciding Plymouth Road (Tavistock)
fifth first crop winner in Australia yesterday, with seemed to be working well enough. In his first- will run in the Winter Cup (Listed, 2400m) at
the John McArdle-trained Dulette (2 g Davala up run, you'd like to have seen a bit more and Rosehill today. Smith has voiced concerns
by Dalakhani) scoring on his fourth start in the his form on the wet is not his best. But we know that the gelding is wrong at the weights, with
Westfield Maiden Plate (1200m) at Geelong. The his best is good enough to win this." the the last-start Randwick winner getting just
two-year-old gelding stayed on well for pressure half a kilogram off the favourite Sayed (Stormy
Step up in trip to
inside the dying strides to beat Miss Australia Atlantic) who has 53.5kg in Saturday's 2400
suit Miss Dubois
(Amadeus Wolf) by a short-head with just over a metre-race. “I'll wait until Saturday morning
length back to Diamond Beauty (Toorak Toff) in Matt Dunn hopes his high opinion of Miss and see if there are any scratchings but he
third. Epaulette’s southern hemisphere crop is Dubois (High Chaparral) will come to the fore is probably better off waiting a week for the
headlined by stakes winners Khulaasa and Meryl at the Sunshine Coast today when the seven- 2400-metre race at Randwick,” said Smith.
and he stands at Darley’s Kelvinside base in New year-old mare lines up in the Caloundra Cup "The benchmark system doesn't advantage
South Wales for a fee of $27,500 (inc GST). (Listed, 2400m). "She won the Country Classic Plymouth Road. It's not a true handicap. He
at Rosehill at 2000 metres for us and I have should have 49 or 50 kilos in a handicap."
Cahill looks forward
been keen to get her out to 2400," Dunn said.
to The Bostonian Lees hoping Nurse Kitchen
"Jim rode her when fifth in the Ipswich Cup and
turns up the heat at Rosehill
Michael Cahill will be looking to preserve his he was happy to stay with her." A product of
perfect record on board the Tony Pike-trained The Trelawney Stud in New Zealand, Miss Dubois is Kris Lees will be hoping he made the right
Bostonian (Jimmy Choux) when the gelding lines a daughter of noted staying sire High Chaparral decision to run Nurse Kitchen (Savabeel) in the
up in the Sunshine Coast Guineas (Gr 3, 1600m) (Sadler's Wells). "She is rising eight but did Winter Cup at Rosehill today, rather than in the
today. Cahill has ridden the gelding twice for as her early racing in Victoria and I have always Caloundra Cup in Queensland. The mare, who
many victories, including the Daybreak Lover thought she could win another good race," won the Moonee Valley Fillies Classic (Gr 2,
Plate (Listed, 1200m) at the same track on June Dunn said. 1600m) as a three-year-old, will have the blinkers
10. Pike has had a good winter as he has had six applied in today’s race in the hope they will make
Dreamforce to revert
wins from his small team based at Eagle Farm and her focus. “I feel the softer track will be more of a
to normal tactics
he is hoping that fine record can continue today. factor for her,” Lees said. “There was more rain in
"It has been well documented that The Bostonian Dreamforce (Fastnet Rock) is expected to revert Sydney yesterday and that has influenced me to
would have started earlier in the winter but for to his on-pace tactics in today’s Civic Stakes run at Rosehill rather than go to Queensland.”
being bitten by a spider or green ant," Pike said. (Listed, 1350m) despite a last-to-first victory
Town test for Eugene’s Forest
"But he is making up for lost time and a second when resuming in the At Sea Handicap (1100m)
stakes win here would be just reward for him. at Randwick on May 26. The John Thompson- Eugene’s Forest (Reset) will step into metropolitan
I think it was a very good win last time as they trained five-year-old won three races last company for the first time when he takes his
weren't winning by leading up against the rails." campaign when settling in the leading division. chance in the Keno Let's Play Handicap (1200m)
“He’ll go forward, I’ll leave it up to Brenton at Caulfield today. Greg Eurell said he had been
Rawiller heads to
(Avdulla) how far forward,’’ Thompson said. “He impressed with his third place finish on debut
Queensland for Weir
has the speed to cross if he wants to but I’d say at Bendigo on June 17 and was keen to test the
Brad Rawiller is on the verge of riding 100 he’ll let the other horse go and take a sit off him. gelding. "On Saturday I just hope he jumps a little
winners for the season, a feat he has achieved We wouldn’t be having this conversation if he bit cleaner and puts himself a little bit closer to the
at least 16 times, and he could reach the didn’t draw so wide, he’d just be on pace. He action." Eurell said. "I think over the 1200 metres
mark at the Sunshine Coast today. Rawiller just begins so well it’d be silly to drag him back. he'll be ideally suited and I'm certainly looking
has been called upon by Darren Weir to ride He won well coming from the back the other day forward to it. I'm sure if he runs up to his first-up
Tradesman (Trade Fair) in the Caloundra Cup but that was 1100 metres this is 1350 metres.’’ run he'll certainly be in the mix."
@anz_news | 4 | anzbloodstocknews.com
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Morning Briefing | sponsored by Westbury Stud | 6 | Saturday 30 June 2018
Widdup believes he Childs makes return
returned a positive test to Benzoylecgonine, which
has Chauffeur spot on
Jockey Jordan Childs returned to race riding at is a metabolite of cocaine. The sample was taken
Brad Widdup is willing to forgive Chauffeur Geelong with a winner yesterday, more than four from Hunting Hill prior to him finishing 11th in the
(Snitzel) his first run for him at Doomben on May weeks after being banned for failing a breath test Mypunter.com Benchmark 78 Handicap (1400m)
19, after the colt was found to have suffered prior to riding at Bendigo on May 20. Childs, who at Caulfield on October 1 last year. McPherson
a puncture wound to his off side knee and rode Written By (Written Tycoon) to victory in will front the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary
believes he will see an improved performance this year’s Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m), Board on a date to be fixed.
from the rising four-year-old in the West App partnered Il Divo (Dalakhani) to win a Class 1 for
Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill today. The son trainer Grahame Begg. Childes arrived home on
New Zealand
of Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice), who cost $1.6 Sunday from a trip to the US. "I came back 60
Gear changes to help
million at the 2016 Magic Millions Gold Coast kilos which I thought was very good," Childs told
Mangaroa Flo Jo
Yearling Sale, started his career with Gerald Racing.com. "The warmer weather over there
Ryan before moving to Team Hawkes and is probably helped and we did plenty of sightseeing Co-trainer Mathew Gillies expects an improved
now in the care of Jadeskye Racing’s trainer and kept pretty active over there. I'm riding at 57.5 performance from Mangaroa Flo Jo (High
Widdup. “We took him back to the trials and he today and haven't had to have a sweat yet." Chaparral) at Hastings today after excuses were
trialled probably better than I wanted but it’s found for her below par last-start performance at
Allen returns from injury
not a bad thing in the end,’’ Widdup said. “He Te Rapa. “She didn’t quicken up like she can and
came through it well and it seemed to spark After five weeks off the scene recovering from we scoped her afterwards and she’d swallowed a
him up. Trials don’t mean everything, there’s no a fractured heel, apprentice Ben Allen is set to lot of sand,” Gillies said. Gear additions will also
guarantee but it was a positive thing.’’ make his return to the races with two rides at be made when the Group winner tackles the
Caulfield. Allen had a track work fall at Ballarat but Taradale Club (2100m). “We’ll put a tongue tie
Beerz With Clint to
it was only a couple of weeks later the apprentice on and the blinkers to sharpen her up,” he said.
step up in trip
discovered he had suffered a fracture to his left “Fingers crossed she’s back to her best.”
Clinton McDonald believes the aptly named heel in the incident. Allen has not ridden in a race
Decision looms on
Beerz With Clint (Written Tycoon) will appreciate since the Cranbourne meeting on May 25 and is
La Fille En Jeu
the step up to 1200 metres at Caulfield after an now working to build his fitness levels up again.
encouraging debut performance at Mornington. The 19-year-old is booked to ride Just Hifalutin A decision is pending on the future of the Group
The two-year-old gelding was runner-up at his (Reset) for trainer Enver Jusufovic in Saturday's 3 winner La Fille En Jeu (Mettre En Jeu). The
first start on June 11 over 1000 metres when Keno Heads or Tails Margins Handicap (1200m) Wanganui mare is still enjoying a break following
ridden by Mark Zahra. "He was a little bit lost at and the Darren Weir-trained Raw Impulse (Makfi) her lucrative autumn campaign in the South Island.
his first start and the race didn't pan out all that in the Keno Bonus Handicap (1800m). “She is due to come back into work soon, but we’re
well for him but he's really come on for that run thinking about whether she goes straight to stud or
Vale Mary Sadler
and gets back to his home track," McDonald races on into the spring,” said trainer Nigel Auret,
told Racing.com. "Mark Zahra thought 1200 Mary Sadler, the mother of Group 1-winning trainer who bred and owns the six-year-old with his wife
metres on a bigger track would be ideal for him John Sadler, has died aged 110. A passionate Adaire. “We’ve still got a bit of time to decide on
and he gets that on Saturday.” racegoer until a few years ago, Mary Sadler that, but she will be mated either way in the spring.”
was Australia's fourth oldest person when she She will be served by the Hollywood Turf Cup (Gr
Spring targets for
celebrated her birthday in January. She and her 1, 12f) and Werribee Cup (Listed, 2600m) winner
Smart Melody
late husband Lindsay had seven children of whom Unusual Suspect (Unusual Heat), who stands at
Kris Lees has outlined plans for unbeaten juvenile John is the youngest and she lived for 50 years on the Auret’s Letham Stud.
Smart Melody (Smart Missile), with stakes races a farm at Glenormiston near Terang in western
Grylls returns to
in mind, after her emphatic victory at Canterbury Victoria. John Sadler said his mother's health had
New Zealand
on Wednesday. The Gooree Park Stud-bred and deteriorated after a fall a few months ago. Among
owned filly is enjoying a short break before being the memories Mary Sadler recounted earlier this Jockey Bridget Grylls has returned to New
aimed at the Silver Shadow Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) year were seeing Phar Lap (Night Raid) race in the Zealand after relocating to Queensland during
and the Furious Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m). “Because Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m). the 2013-14 season where she rode 138 winners.
the spring isn’t too far away, she will have a break “I enjoyed it there and got a lot of support from
McPherson charged
of only 10 days out at our Ellalong Farm,” Lees some good trainers. It was a great experience
over positive swab
said. “I’m not sure at this stage what distance she and I’m a better rider now,” Grylls said. She rode
will handle, but we will look at the first couple of Racing Victoria stewards have charged 67 New Zealand winners before her departure,
races of the Princess Series against her own sex Cranbourne trainer Nathan McPherson after beginning her apprenticeship at Awapuni with
and take it from there.” a horse he prepares Hunting Hill (Clangalang) Lisa Latta before transferring to the Matamata
| 6 |
Morning Briefing | sponsored by Westbury Stud | 7 | Saturday 30 June 2018
stable of Ken and Bev Kelso. She has returned to South-East Asia.” NZB also topped the shortlist home to nearly get there. He’s facing the same
her home town of Te Awamutu, but is considering at the awards, having achieved finalist status in kind of competition and I think if he delivers the
a future move to Cambridge. Grylls, whose the Best Large Business category. same kind of form as his last three starts he’s a
brother Craig is currently enjoying a successful winning chance.”
stint in Singapore, will resume her New Zealand
Asia
career at Ruakaka today where she has five rides.
International
Moreira on a mission to

Honour for Sir Patrick Hogan run down Purton Forever Together
star act in Pretty Polly
Sir Patrick Hogan’s services to the export Joao Moreira hopes Mission Tycoon (Written
sector have been acknowledged. He has been Tycoon) can win the Hong Kong Reunification Epsom Oaks (Gr 1, 1m4f) winner Forever
awarded the Exporters’ Champion award Cup Handicap (1200m) at Sha Tin tomorrow Together (Galileo) looks set to line up in
at the 2018 Air New Zealand Cargo Export and help close the gap on championship leader tomorrow’s Pretty Polly Stakes (Gr 1, 1m2f) at the
New Zealand Awards. “Sir Patrick has been Zac Purton. Moreira trails Purton by four wins in Curragh. The Aidan O’Brien-trained daughter of
a true leader in the development of the New an enthralling battle and with only five meetings Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) has not been seen since
Zealand thoroughbred export market, setting remaining before the campaign closes on July her victory at Epsom and she will take on her two
the standards from which many vendors now 15. Mission Tycoon already numbers as one stablemates Athena (Camelot) and Bye Bye Baby
aspire to,” said New Zealand Bloodstock of 12 victories the defending champion has (Galileo), who finished third in the Epsom feature
managing director Andrew Seabrook, who notched from 46 rides for the Frankie Lor stable at the beginning of the month. The trio will be
accepted the award on Sir Patrick’s behalf. “His this term. Last time out, on June 3, horse and joined by the William Haggas-trained Urban Fox
significant sales achievements at Karaka under rider placed second to Jumbo Luck (Reward (Foxwedge), Harvestfortheworld (So You Think)
the Cambridge Stud banner have seen him sell For Effort) in a Class 2 event over course and and Group 2 winner Turret Rocks (Fastnet Rock),
in excess of NZ$260 million in horses over the distance. “He should have won the race,” who will be looking to follow-up her last start
last 40-odd years with a considerable number Moreira said. “I was a bit unlucky because I got victory in the Victor McCalmont Memorial Stakes
having been exported to Australia, Europe and held up behind another horse and he flashed (Listed, 1m1.5f).
Tweets Of The Day | sponsored by Rosemont Stud
Vicky Leonard McEvoy Mitchell R Bronwen Healy
@vickyleo @mcevoymitchell @FamousPony46
My last day at Arrowfield with these legends We had very important visitors at our Even champions need to cool off. GALILEO
comes to a close after an amazing seven Flemington stables today! The kids from beats the #heatwaveireland with a refreshing
years working with superstar humans & Showgrounds Kindergarten dropped in to shower
horses. It’s been unreal - thank you A team! learn all about racing. Great to see the younger (Pictured Below)
#alwaysdiscoveringgreatness #timetokickon generation showing interest! Something we
(Pictured Below) all need to encourage to keep the industry
growing! #futureofhorseracing
(Pictured Below)
Congratulations to all purchasers of Rosemont Stud’s
2018 yearling sale crop.We wish you the best of luck!
#BreedingBrilliance
| 7 |
Steve Moran | 8 | Saturday 30 June 2018
Dee Ex Bee is the logical answer
Steve Moran
to Irish Derby question
Korcula
G r e a t W a l l o f S t o n
S h i p
Bay of Ks
My heart and soul I fancy is in Dee Ex Bee will win the Irish Derby on Saxon Warrior lost momentum when hampered
Europe. Wine, cheese, salami, Saturday was the conclusion I drew from in the straight but he literally wobbled home.
olives, crusty bread and I can said focus amid the ever so slight mist which He’s odds-on while Dee Ex Bee was as big as
light up pretty much wherever descended on the bay and via some damn fine 4/1 when I last looked and that’s just wrong. It
I like. And I’m not talking dance floors. Montenegrin grown Cabernet Sauvignon. kind of means that you have to back him even if
However, my ancestry’s Irish and that’s Well, at least he’s the bet - Dee Ex Bee. The you’re not sure he’ll win - if you get that kind of
where the principal racing action is this Mark Johnston trained son of Farhh who had Irish logic which is, indeed, fine punting logic.
weekend so it was my focus (ok, part focus) the distinction of winning five of his ten starts To me it’s reminiscent of last year’s Pacific
while my body - as well as heart and soul - was and had the misfortune of running into Frankel, Classic in the States when Collected won at
flitting between Dubrovnik, the Bay of Kotor in So You Think, Nathaniel and Moonlight Cloud 3/1 beating Arrogate at 4/7. Arrogate had
Montenegro (which really is one of the world’s on the five occasions he was beaten - albeit been beaten 15.5 lengths behind Accelerate at
most spectacular sights and Korcula (whose placed each time. his previous start while Collected had beaten
name adorned the Tony Noonan trained Dee Ex Bee finished three lengths clear of that horse by virtually the same margin at his
city winner raced by yet another high profile Saxon Warrior in the Epsom Derby and clearly previous run. Sometimes reputations have
Australian-Croatian Nevin Botica). stayed the better. Now you could argue that markets askew.
| 8 |
Steve Moran | 9 | Saturday 30 June 2018
Saxon Warrior is, of course, prepared by
Aidan O’Brien who has won seven of the past ten
Irish Derbies which I’m conveniently ignoring.
I’d rather focus on the Ballydoyle supremo’s
record in the Celebration Stakes. Six of the past
ten winners of this race have been three-year-
olds including four trained by O’Brien.
This year’s older horses look either out of
form or too harshly handicapped and either of
O’Brien’s nominated three-year-olds could well
have their measure. The first is the intriguing St
Patrick’s Day who hasn’t raced since winning a
Del Mar Maiden, last September, when trained
by Bob Baffert. He beat Instilled Regard who did
run fourth to Justify in the Kentucky Derby.
I’ll be banking on one of the two to
Port Kotor
further top up the travel fund and, by the
way, I’m backing up on Merchant Navy in the
July Cup. At the time of writing, it was not you might also like to visit Budwa
Dubrovnik betting shop cI’omn fihrampepdy tthoa tta khee ’dth reu no dbdust ,t oa ti t6. Oo’rB 7ri/e1n, wlohcearl eP ayosuuj lci a(sna udsinaeg,e o ann tdh eb ewaant esro, uapn)d w oans htehde
did back up Starspangledbanner to win at down with a beer and a decent glass of red for
Newmarket after Ascot in 2010. all of 13 euros at Restaurant Jadran at Place
My Balkan adventures have continued Beach.
apace. I’ve found a multitude of betting shops Football, of course, is dominating the
but all lotto and football and tennis, no horse Croatian news with the team unbeaten in
racing. They’re generally called automats the first three qualifying rounds and the
which sounds more like a laundry. Ironically newspapers have responded accordingly.
a laundry is much harder to find. That’s brightened the mood of the place
Similarly there’s any number of bars and but the economies of Croatia and Montenegro,
cafes where coffee and drinks are plentiful largely reliant on tourism, are not bullish enough
but food is hard to find. There’s a multitude to prevent an on-going exodus of young adults
Steve Moran of bakeries but whole grain breads a little which has been a recurring theme.
harder to find. As to my earlier mention, this week, of the
There’s any number of hairdressers where mass exodus of Croatians to Australia in the
you can get a cut for 40 kuna (about seven euros) 1920’s, Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria’s Pat
which bizarrely is about half what you’ll pay for a Clancy was able to shed some light - providing
short cab ride. Use Uber, the locals told me. the link below which mentions 1200 people
There’s any number of tours to be taken from departing the port of Prigradica, on Korcula, in
Dubrovnik and most, in the 40 euros price range, one day in 1925.
are well worthwhile - especially to Montenegro, “I remember this same story being
an independent state since 2006. It’s not in the mentioned by our wine guide when we visited
European Union but the only currency dealt Croatia a few years ago. It was after World
with is euros. War I that phylloxera started to devastate the
All football in Croatia It’s worth a visit for no other reason than local wine industry, particularly in the Dalmatia
to take in the breathtaking Bay Of Kotor but region,” Clancy recalled.
| 9 |
Singapore News | 10 | Saturday 30 June 2018
Nothing can beat Good News like
a Secret Win at juicy odds
By Michael Lee @anz_news
Secret Win SINGAPORE TURF CLUB
Resuming El Dorado Classic Miracle into third place by half-a-length, the young out at the back before setting him alight on the
(Listed, 2200m) winner Secret Australian handler would have hit the jackpot with outside for his customary late rush.
Win (Haradasun) sprang the upset a trifecta which would have returned a lot more At the 500 metres, Secret Win had the
of the night with a typical come- than the already sizeable $7,861payout for the demeanour of an outpaced stayer who might
from-behind win first-up from an eight-month Secret Win-Good News-Dinghu Mountain 1-2-3. just fly late for a place at best, but that impression
spell on Friday. But Meagher could not be too greedy. A win changed dramatically in the next 200 metres as
What was even more extraordinary was from any would have been a “Miracle” as he told he started to motor home with a threatening
that he led a most astounding 1-2 for trainer the media pre-race, and now to get a win, let charge while the better-supported protagonists
Daniel Meagher with another longshot, Good alone the forecast, he will grab the dream result like Tannhauser, Darc Bounty and Guilty Pleasures
News (Charge Forward), a nose-second in the with both hands. (Northern Meteor) were not cutting much ice.
$100,000 Class 2 race over 1200 metre. At Set onto a 1200 metre race for Class 2 Secret Win rounded up the field in one fell
$243, Secret Win was the second-least backed gallopers who featured the likes of Tannhauser swoop, but had an unexpected friendly foe in
runner in the 11-horse field with Good News (Tavistock), Caorunn (Showcasing) and Darc stablemate Good News to contend with inside
the rank-outsider at $337. Bounty (Darci Brahma), Secret Win was not the last 150 metres.
And it gets better. Meagher actually had expected to come through over a distance not The former Tan Hor Khoon-trained
the three least-backed contenders in the event made to suit, especially after such a long absence. Polytrack specialist, who had not been the
with Absolute Miracle (Strategic Maneuver) also But Benny Woodworth, the five-year-old’s bearer of Good News as his name suggests at
friendless at $215. If not for Dinghu Mountain winning partner in the El Dorado Classic, rode his last runs, suddenly found his mojo back as
(Snitzel) gatecrashing the party by squeezing in him like he was the best horse in the race – he stuck to the task with a stinging challenge
between the Meagher trio when beating Absolute putting him to sleep as soon as he dawdled on the inside.
@anz_news | 10 | anzbloodstocknews.com