THE VIRTUAL FORM GUIDE
27 September 2009
Alcopop has rewarded trainer Jake Stephens faith in the South Australian gelding by winning the $100,000 Listed Tatts Group JRA Cup (2040m) a Moonee Valley last night.
The race boasted a number of Melbourne Cup hopefuls and the Cox Plate bound Jolie's Shinju ($4.10) who was sent out favourite but was beaten before the home turn.
Going for three straight wins, Alcopop ($11-$15) was a drifter in the betting but gun Adelaide jockey Dom Tourneur weaved through the field like an odds on pop and shot away to win comfortably from the evergreen Field Hunter ($10-$11) and Melbourne Cup bound Shocking ($5-$4.80) who overcame a torrid run to finish strongly.
Trainer Jake Stephens was quick to praise Tourneur's efforts.
"What a brilliant ride," said a jubilant Stephens.
But Stephens part in having Alcopop right for the listed event after pulling up a litle sore after the Balaklava Cup did not go unnoticed.
"He didn't pull up 100% but we have had the ultrasound machine on him and he has really responded well, his blood was almost perfect this week," said Stephens.
Tourneur had a smile from ear to ear after dismounting and headed straight for Stephens.
"He is a very good horse!" roared Tourneur.
"I think we should push on with him," he added.
Which begs the question how far the connections push on with the five-year-old South Australian gelding, this could well be this years Spring fairytale.
Alcopop is now just a $41 chance in Melbourne Cup betting with Betstar.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Profould Beauty - Speed Gifted - Glen Boss
COURIER MAIL
27 September 2009
IT'S Cups time and three-time Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Glen Boss is on the prowl.
Boss wants to win a fourth Melbourne Cup to match the record feats of Harry White and Bobby Lewis, but is yet to lock in a ride in this year's great race at Flemington on November 3.
The former Gympie apprentice thought he was going to resume his association with Irish mare Profound Beauty. He rode the mare last year when an eye-catching fifth behind Viewed.
But trainer Dermot Weld has opted for his stable jockey Pat Smullen, leaving Boss in limbo.
"Apparently Dermot is bringing Pat over. It was a bit of a shock because I saw him (Weld) when I was in Los Angeles earlier in the year and he thought Smullen would struggle to get near the weight.
"But he's going to have a crack so good luck to him. I have to move on. I can't hang around. I have to chase other rides."
Boss is going to test the Lee Freedman-trained Speed Gifted as a possible Cup mount when he pilots the six-year-old in The Metropolitan at Randwick next month.
Speed Gifted needs to win the Metrop to qualify for the Caulfield Cup and edge him closer to a Melbourne Cup start.
A former English stayer, Speed Gifted won his first start for Freedman and finished well for fourth in the Naturalism Stakes at Caulfield last Saturday.
"I'm going to ride Speed Gifted in the Metrop and if he can win there that will qualify him for Caulfield," Boss said.
"He's a very talented horse and probably got further back than he would have liked the other day when he had a bad barrier to contend with. He's heading in the right direction and he's well in the Cup markets."
Boss, 40, is the only jockey to win three consecutive Melbourne Cups, achieving the feat aboard Makybe Diva, who coincidentally was trained by Freedman for her last two wins. The champion mare was prepared by David Hall when Boss won the first of his treble in 2003.
Despite his illustrious record, Boss had a difficult period last year when rides at his Sydney base dried up after he returned from a stint in Hong Kong.
"I don't know what happened. There was a perception I was not riding well. It was totally false. Talk like that starts and goes like wildfire.
"People I thought were in my corner turned their back, but that's racing and the nature of the beast. I'm not one to whinge so I packed up my bat and ball and went somewhere else."
In December, he made a career-changing decision and shifted with his family to Melbourne.
Since then Boss has gone from riding at the occasional midweek, to becoming one of Victoria's "have saddle will travel" riders, and he is loving it.
"It was a tough decision to make the move and I was never going to walk into the joint. Obviously I am well known but I am not a local so it has taken a lot of hard work, but I'm loving it.
"I used to ride at the occasional provincial in Sydney, but down here I enjoy riding everywhere. The racetracks here are amazing and top trainers are not scared to take good horses to these meetings. It's the way they work down here."
Boss notched his 65th Group 1 winner last Saturday when Turffontein won the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield. He also scored earlier on the day on highly-promising Thousand Guineas hope Irish Lights.
There is no doubt Boss is fully settled in Melbourne and riding as well as ever. It could be a rich carnival for the flamboyant rider.
He has started the season strongly and would dearly love to win his fourth title as Australia's leading Group 1 rider, which he took in seasons 2003-2005.
It is also no surprise he is supremely confident the fourth Cup will eventually come.
"You never know how long I'll stay here, but I would like to think this is my last port of call. It would be good to get a fourth Cup, whether it's this year or not, I'm sure I'll get there one day."
27 September 2009
IT'S Cups time and three-time Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Glen Boss is on the prowl.
Boss wants to win a fourth Melbourne Cup to match the record feats of Harry White and Bobby Lewis, but is yet to lock in a ride in this year's great race at Flemington on November 3.
The former Gympie apprentice thought he was going to resume his association with Irish mare Profound Beauty. He rode the mare last year when an eye-catching fifth behind Viewed.
But trainer Dermot Weld has opted for his stable jockey Pat Smullen, leaving Boss in limbo.
"Apparently Dermot is bringing Pat over. It was a bit of a shock because I saw him (Weld) when I was in Los Angeles earlier in the year and he thought Smullen would struggle to get near the weight.
"But he's going to have a crack so good luck to him. I have to move on. I can't hang around. I have to chase other rides."
Boss is going to test the Lee Freedman-trained Speed Gifted as a possible Cup mount when he pilots the six-year-old in The Metropolitan at Randwick next month.
Speed Gifted needs to win the Metrop to qualify for the Caulfield Cup and edge him closer to a Melbourne Cup start.
A former English stayer, Speed Gifted won his first start for Freedman and finished well for fourth in the Naturalism Stakes at Caulfield last Saturday.
"I'm going to ride Speed Gifted in the Metrop and if he can win there that will qualify him for Caulfield," Boss said.
"He's a very talented horse and probably got further back than he would have liked the other day when he had a bad barrier to contend with. He's heading in the right direction and he's well in the Cup markets."
Boss, 40, is the only jockey to win three consecutive Melbourne Cups, achieving the feat aboard Makybe Diva, who coincidentally was trained by Freedman for her last two wins. The champion mare was prepared by David Hall when Boss won the first of his treble in 2003.
Despite his illustrious record, Boss had a difficult period last year when rides at his Sydney base dried up after he returned from a stint in Hong Kong.
"I don't know what happened. There was a perception I was not riding well. It was totally false. Talk like that starts and goes like wildfire.
"People I thought were in my corner turned their back, but that's racing and the nature of the beast. I'm not one to whinge so I packed up my bat and ball and went somewhere else."
In December, he made a career-changing decision and shifted with his family to Melbourne.
Since then Boss has gone from riding at the occasional midweek, to becoming one of Victoria's "have saddle will travel" riders, and he is loving it.
"It was a tough decision to make the move and I was never going to walk into the joint. Obviously I am well known but I am not a local so it has taken a lot of hard work, but I'm loving it.
"I used to ride at the occasional provincial in Sydney, but down here I enjoy riding everywhere. The racetracks here are amazing and top trainers are not scared to take good horses to these meetings. It's the way they work down here."
Boss notched his 65th Group 1 winner last Saturday when Turffontein won the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield. He also scored earlier on the day on highly-promising Thousand Guineas hope Irish Lights.
There is no doubt Boss is fully settled in Melbourne and riding as well as ever. It could be a rich carnival for the flamboyant rider.
He has started the season strongly and would dearly love to win his fourth title as Australia's leading Group 1 rider, which he took in seasons 2003-2005.
It is also no surprise he is supremely confident the fourth Cup will eventually come.
"You never know how long I'll stay here, but I would like to think this is my last port of call. It would be good to get a fourth Cup, whether it's this year or not, I'm sure I'll get there one day."
Basaltico - Damien Oliver
NZ Herald
26 September 2009
Damien Oliver has been booked to ride the Cumani-trained Basaltico in the Group Three Geelong Cup (2400m) on October 21. He has no Melbourne Cup booking at this stage.
26 September 2009
Damien Oliver has been booked to ride the Cumani-trained Basaltico in the Group Three Geelong Cup (2400m) on October 21. He has no Melbourne Cup booking at this stage.
Mourilyan - Bankable
HERALD SUN
Adrian Dunn
26 September 2009
CHECHEN despot Ramzan Kadyrov will have a Melbourne Cup runner . . . at this stage.
But the Victoria Racing Club has not ruled out the possibility that it will refuse to allow Mr Kadyrov's horse, Mourilyan, to contest the $5.5 million race.
Mr Kadyrov, President of the Chechnya and described by Greens leader Bob Brown as a "blood-soaked dictator", could also have a runner on Derby Day, the opening day of Spring Racing Carnival.
Dale Monteith, the VRC's chief executive officer, last night was coy about what action the club might take.
He said the VRC committee yesterday heard views on the issue from Racing Victoria Limited chiefs Michael Duffy and Rob Hines.
Mr Monteith said the pair had told him that RVL would not be doing anything to stop Mourilyan and another of Mr Kadyrov's horses, Bankable, coming to Melbourne.
Mourilyan, entered in the Melbourne Cup, and Bankable, scheduled to run in the $750,000 LKS Mackinnon Stakes, are both last-start winners in England. Tab Sportsbet rates Mourilyan a $31 Cup chance.
Both horses are in quarantine in the UK and are due to arrive here in three weeks.
Mr Monteith said: "That's where it stands at the moment. We don't have any further comment."
The Rules Of Racing state the VRC has the power to refuse the nomination of any horse for any race. It does not have to give a reason.
Second declarations, along with a $1450 payment, are due at noon on Tuesday.
Mr Monteith said the VRC was aware of the rule, but added that the club "at this stage had not considered it".
If the VRC does decide to reject Mr Kadyrov's horses, it must do so before October 8, the day they are due to leave England.
Adrian Dunn
26 September 2009
CHECHEN despot Ramzan Kadyrov will have a Melbourne Cup runner . . . at this stage.
But the Victoria Racing Club has not ruled out the possibility that it will refuse to allow Mr Kadyrov's horse, Mourilyan, to contest the $5.5 million race.
Mr Kadyrov, President of the Chechnya and described by Greens leader Bob Brown as a "blood-soaked dictator", could also have a runner on Derby Day, the opening day of Spring Racing Carnival.
Dale Monteith, the VRC's chief executive officer, last night was coy about what action the club might take.
He said the VRC committee yesterday heard views on the issue from Racing Victoria Limited chiefs Michael Duffy and Rob Hines.
Mr Monteith said the pair had told him that RVL would not be doing anything to stop Mourilyan and another of Mr Kadyrov's horses, Bankable, coming to Melbourne.
Mourilyan, entered in the Melbourne Cup, and Bankable, scheduled to run in the $750,000 LKS Mackinnon Stakes, are both last-start winners in England. Tab Sportsbet rates Mourilyan a $31 Cup chance.
Both horses are in quarantine in the UK and are due to arrive here in three weeks.
Mr Monteith said: "That's where it stands at the moment. We don't have any further comment."
The Rules Of Racing state the VRC has the power to refuse the nomination of any horse for any race. It does not have to give a reason.
Second declarations, along with a $1450 payment, are due at noon on Tuesday.
Mr Monteith said the VRC was aware of the rule, but added that the club "at this stage had not considered it".
If the VRC does decide to reject Mr Kadyrov's horses, it must do so before October 8, the day they are due to leave England.
Crime Scene Cima De Triomphe Basaltico Shocking
THE AGE
Andrew Eddy
27 September
Touching down with Kirklees was seven-year-old stablemate Crime Scene, who is 24th in line for a Caulfield Cup run, but connections might decide to go to the Melbourne Cup via the Geelong Cup instead.
Also arriving in Australia yesterday were Luca Cumani's pair of Cima De Triomphe and Basaltico. Cima De Triomphe will be ridden by Damien Oliver in the Caulfield Cup but Basaltico is likely to have to earn a Melbourne Cup start through the Geelong Cup.
Trainer Mark Kavanagh said Friday night's JRA Cup third placegetter Shocking would try to earn a Caulfield Cup start through either Saturday's Bart Cummings at Flemington or the following week in the Winning Edge Stakes at Caulfield. At 28th in order, he is in danger of missing the Cup field of 18.
Andrew Eddy
27 September
Touching down with Kirklees was seven-year-old stablemate Crime Scene, who is 24th in line for a Caulfield Cup run, but connections might decide to go to the Melbourne Cup via the Geelong Cup instead.
Also arriving in Australia yesterday were Luca Cumani's pair of Cima De Triomphe and Basaltico. Cima De Triomphe will be ridden by Damien Oliver in the Caulfield Cup but Basaltico is likely to have to earn a Melbourne Cup start through the Geelong Cup.
Trainer Mark Kavanagh said Friday night's JRA Cup third placegetter Shocking would try to earn a Caulfield Cup start through either Saturday's Bart Cummings at Flemington or the following week in the Winning Edge Stakes at Caulfield. At 28th in order, he is in danger of missing the Cup field of 18.
Jolie's Shinju & Kirklees
THE AGE
Andrew Eddie
Sept 27
THERE may be no international attempt at next month's Cox Plate after a change of mind from the Godolphin stable and an inglorious effort from Singapore's champion mare Jolie's Shinju in Friday night's JRA Cup at Moonee Valley.
Connections of Jolie's Shinju must produce an ECG certificate before she is permitted to race again after she was found to have had a heart irregularity and suffering a cardiac ailment known as the ''thumps'' after she was beaten more than 16 lengths as the $4.80 favourite when second-last over the 2040-metre trip.
The mare's jockey, Ronnie Stewart, told stewards he could offer no excuse for her failure, other than the fact she may not have handled the slow conditions. As expected, Jolie's Shinju led the race and seemed to travel kindly until just inside the 800-metre mark before fading.
It was the first slow track the Singapore Derby winner had seen and the race was conducted in sloppy conditions, being the last of eight races.
Jolie's Shinju, who debuted in this country in fine style with a third place in the group 2 Dato' Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley earlier this month, had recovered from the run by yesterday morning and connections are considering running her again in the next two weeks before making a decision on the Cox Plate.
She could start in either the group 1 Yalumba Stakes (2000 metres) at weight-for-age at Caulfield on October 10 or drop back to the 1600 metres of the group 1 Toorak Handicap on the same day.
The news on Jolie's Shinju followed an announcement from the Godolphin stable that the well-respected six-year-old Kirklees, who was one of two Godolphin horses to arrive in Melbourne early yesterday, might bypass the Cox Plate and instead run a week earlier in the Caulfield Cup.
Kirklees, a last-start winner over the Caulfield Cup distance at Kempton in England earlier this month, is sixth in order to gain a Caulfield Cup run with 56 kilograms. It is expected high-profile stable rider Frankie Dettori, who is yet to claim a feature over the Melbourne spring carnival, will partner him this spring.
Godolphin won last year's Caulfield Cup with All The Good.
Touching down with Kirklees was seven-year-old stablemate Crime Scene, who is 24th in line for a Caulfield Cup run, but connections might decide to go to the Melbourne Cup via the Geelong Cup instead.
Andrew Eddie
Sept 27
THERE may be no international attempt at next month's Cox Plate after a change of mind from the Godolphin stable and an inglorious effort from Singapore's champion mare Jolie's Shinju in Friday night's JRA Cup at Moonee Valley.
Connections of Jolie's Shinju must produce an ECG certificate before she is permitted to race again after she was found to have had a heart irregularity and suffering a cardiac ailment known as the ''thumps'' after she was beaten more than 16 lengths as the $4.80 favourite when second-last over the 2040-metre trip.
The mare's jockey, Ronnie Stewart, told stewards he could offer no excuse for her failure, other than the fact she may not have handled the slow conditions. As expected, Jolie's Shinju led the race and seemed to travel kindly until just inside the 800-metre mark before fading.
It was the first slow track the Singapore Derby winner had seen and the race was conducted in sloppy conditions, being the last of eight races.
Jolie's Shinju, who debuted in this country in fine style with a third place in the group 2 Dato' Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley earlier this month, had recovered from the run by yesterday morning and connections are considering running her again in the next two weeks before making a decision on the Cox Plate.
She could start in either the group 1 Yalumba Stakes (2000 metres) at weight-for-age at Caulfield on October 10 or drop back to the 1600 metres of the group 1 Toorak Handicap on the same day.
The news on Jolie's Shinju followed an announcement from the Godolphin stable that the well-respected six-year-old Kirklees, who was one of two Godolphin horses to arrive in Melbourne early yesterday, might bypass the Cox Plate and instead run a week earlier in the Caulfield Cup.
Kirklees, a last-start winner over the Caulfield Cup distance at Kempton in England earlier this month, is sixth in order to gain a Caulfield Cup run with 56 kilograms. It is expected high-profile stable rider Frankie Dettori, who is yet to claim a feature over the Melbourne spring carnival, will partner him this spring.
Godolphin won last year's Caulfield Cup with All The Good.
Touching down with Kirklees was seven-year-old stablemate Crime Scene, who is 24th in line for a Caulfield Cup run, but connections might decide to go to the Melbourne Cup via the Geelong Cup instead.
Chester
The Camden Advertiser
Cup buff gets gig
BY ILONA MARCHETTA
16/09/2009 10:18:00 AM
MAX Hitchins thought he was on to a brain exercise with a difference when he set out to memorise all 100 Melbourne Cup winners.
But Mr Hitchins wasn't satisfied when he was told, after completing the exercise, that there were quite a few people who could perform the feat.
So he went on to memorise the iconic horse race's second and third place-getters, learning anecdotes about them along the way.
Now famed in Australian racing circles, Mr Hitchins was an obvious choice to host the Melbourne Cup Ball at Camden's Camelot House in October. Camden is where you will find the grave of CHester the 1877 Melbourne Cup winner. In the picture Camden Mayor Chris Patterson is seen here with Max Hitchins.
The ball celebrates the 2009 Emirates Melbourne Cup Tour through Camden on Friday, October 23.
``I'm a Melbourne Cup nutter,'' said Mr Hitchins, who is a motivational speaker and hospitality industry professional.
``I grew up in a country town in northern NSW called Moree ... I was never interested in punting, I was more interested in the history of the races and the horses.''
He's found a way to put his hobby to use each year he collects and analyses data on racing horses around the world to narrow the 24 horses entered into the Melbourne Cup down to six likely winners. He sells the information as eBook How To Pick The Winner Of The Emirates Melbourne Cup.
Retired jockey John Letts, who won the cup on Piping Lane in 1972 and on Beldale Ball in 1980, will also attend the ball as a tour ambassador.
Tickets to the ball are $125 (each) or $1100 for a table of 10.
Details, bookings: 46547777.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)