2005 August | Australia Melbourne Cup and Racing News

Champion Australian three-year-old filly Alinghi made a winning debut in the US when she easily took out the $US 200,000 G3 Ballston Spa Breeders’ Cup run over 1700 metres at New Yorks Saratoga racetrack.

Alinghi sat five lengths of the pace before being pulled out four and five wide by jockey Edgar Prado as the field turned for home.

Alinghi produced her customary finishing burst to make a big impression on the locals as she cruised to a 1 1/4-length win from Que Puntual (Arg) with Delta Princess finishing a further neck back in third place.

Trainer Bobby Frankel said afterwards, “Shes a real nice filly. I thought Edgar rode a beautiful race. Shes got a tremendous turn of foot. The only anxious moment I had was when [track announcer] Tom Durkin said that Delta Princess was putting in a run.

Im happy that we can get her going with a win. I dont have anything picked out. Well just play it by ear and see how she comes out.”

Alinghi’s jockey Edgar Prado said on dismounting, “Shes push-button and shes very exciting. Shes got a lot of class. The only question was whether she could get a mile and a sixteenth. Her turn of foot reminds me of Kittens Joy.”

Dual Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva returned from a spell in impressive style when she produced a barnstorming finish to win the Group 2 Memsie Stakes over 1400 metres at Caulfield yesterday.

The Lee Freedman trained reigning horse of the year was ridden to victory by Steven King with regular rider Glen Boss currently out suspended.

Track specialist Regal Roller took up his customary position at the head of the field and in his typical racing pattern took off for home only to be swamped by the great mare. The David Hayes trained Barely A Moment finished strongly to claim second ahead of Regal Roller.

Jockey Steven King was full of praise afterwards, “She’s a got the score on the board this mare and I don’t want to downgrade the opposition but it was fairly soft win.”

“She was always going to get back and it was like a working gallop for her at the finish. I’ve just got to try and get rid of Bossy now!”

Managing Director of Iskander Racing, Sheriff Iskander has announced the purchase of promising youngster Written Tycoon for an undisclosed seven figure sum.

Written Tycoon will remain with trainer Graeme Begg who will oversee the colts Melbourne Spring Campaign which will kick off in a fortnight when he lines up in the Ascot Vale Stakes at Flemington with Danny Nikolic booked to take the mount.

Sydney trainer John OShea will then take over when the horse returns from a spell following the Melbourne Spring Carnival.

Sheriff Iskander said on the Iskander Racing website, “When I laid eyes on him I thought he was the most outstanding individual Ive ever seen, you have to see him in the flesh to appreciate how good he is. You would book a mare to him after seeing him, such is his presence and class”.

English trainer Brian Ellison has confirmed Carte Diamond will be aimed at the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday in November after the 4-year-old impressed on his return to the track.

Carte Diamond was beaten only a length by Sergeant Cecil in the Ebor at York last Wednesday after a five month layoff.

Ellison said, “I’m really pleased with him and he’s definitely come on for that run; he has probably improved 5lb.”

“He flies out on October 9. I don’t know yet whether he’ll run in Britain before that. There is a race at Doncaster for him, but I’ll see how he goes on the gallops this week before I decide whether he runs there”.

Trainer Greg Hickman will target a Melbourne spring assault on the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups after Sir Dex won the Warwick Stakes on Saturday.

Hickman said after the win, “We are on the way to the cups” with plenty of options available for his star galloper.

Hickman said, “I thought the two favourites would fight it out but I was confident he’d run a race.”

“I knew the pace would be on up front and the back markers would be somewhere near them at the finish. We won’t knock it back.”

With Courts in Session eyeballing Dance Hero, the race was set up for something to run on from the tail. Zac Purdon saved ground along the inside before shooting through a gap to claim the leaders with 50 metres to go.

Vengeance Of Rain, last season’s Champion Middle Distance performer and Champion Stayer in Hong Kong will race in a specially conducted trial between races in Hong Kong to ensure he is in peak condition for the WS Cox Plate on October 22.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club has scheduled a trial for Saturday 17 September in which the Raymond Gianco Chow Hoi owned Vengeance of Rain will run against a handful of other horses between two of the programmed races.

The David Ferraris trained son of Zabeel has raced nine times in Hong Kong for five wins and three placings since arriving from Australia. Vengeance of Rain was undefeated last racing season taking out the Group 3 Centenary Vase over 2000 metres, the Hong Kong Group 1 Derby over 2000 metres and the Group 1 QE II Cup again over 2000 metres.

The Sir Michael Stoute trained Distinction was beaten into second place in his final race before heading to Melbourne for the Spring Carnival and a second tilt at the Melbourne Cup.

Starting an odds on favourite in Tuesday’s Lonsdale Cup at York, Distinction was beaten into second place by 2000 St Leger winner Millenary.

The eight-year-old came from last to score easily as he picked up his sixth Group 2 win in taking out the two mile event worth 125,000.

Highclere Thoroughbred Racing manager Harry Herbert said, “Mick (Kinane) got off and said he felt the horse ran a little bit flat and maybe he was feeling the effects of his last race a bit. But this hasn’t put us off the idea of going for the Melbourne Cup at all.”

The Dermott Weld trained Melbourne Cup hope Vinnie Roe ran a first up third at Leopardstown, Dublin, on Sunday as trainer Dermot Weld prepared his champion stayer for a final campaign which will culminate in one last tilt at the Melbourne Cup.

Ridden by Pat Smullen, Vinnie Roe, ridden by Pat Smullen, the four time Irish St Leger winner finished 2 1/4 Lengths behind the winner Chelsea Rose in the listed Ballroan Stakes over 2400 metres with Shalappour splitting the pair in a race time of 2.31.90 on the good to firm ground.

Vinnie Roe was having his first start since finishing third to Westerner in the Ascot Gold Cup in June. The eight-year-old will be making his third trip to Melbourne this Spring Racing Carnival.

Melbourne Cup winning jockey Glen Boss was suspended by Racing NSW stewards at Rosehill for his ride aboard Collate yesterday.

Boss received a four metropolitan meeting suspension and a $2000 fine after he allowed his mount Collate to shift onto Mr Aristos near the 300 metres causing interference to Celebrity Rose who had to be checked.

Boss who scored aboard Collate will be able to partner Golden Slipper winner Stratum in the $125,000, Group 3, Up And Coming Stakes at Randwick next Saturday before beginning his suspension.

He will however, miss the ride aboard the Bart Cummings trained Pendragon in the $1 million Tooheys New Golden Rose at Rosehill on August 27th.

Two time Hong Kong premiership winning trainer, David Hayes announced his return to Australian racing with a double at Moonee Valley yesterday.

Hayes, who spent the last decade in Hong Kong brought up his first city winner with Plans in the second event. Ridden by apprentice Ryan Hinton, Plans brought up her fifth win from just 13 starts when she scored by 1-3/4 lengths from Regal Summer with Palatine Hill a long neck away third.

Imported stayer Kindjhal brought up a first day double for Hayes when he posted a first-up win at big odds in the Catercare Group Trophy. The Ashkalani six-year-old entire was also ridden by Hinton who saved every inch of ground railing strongly before drifting out in the straight. He had to survive a protest from favourite Mock who was beaten a long neck with Fonome 1-3/4 lengths away in third place.

Kindjah will now target a weight-for-age program heading towards the features Cup races along with fellow imports First Charter and Swift Tango.