There was plenty to discuss on my travels around Randwick on Saturday with subjects relating to Asia and Australia on the agenda.
LINDSAY PARK WILL HAVE AT LEAST TWO IN THE EVEREST
Champion trainer David Hayes and his partners son Ben and nephew Tom Dabernig will have at least two runners in the $10 million The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 14.
The Lindsay Park stable did a deal with slot holder The Star in July – agreeing the stable’s number one seed would run for the entertainment group in the weight-for-age feature.
"When The Star approached me, I told them not to lock into one horse but lock in the stable and I will pick you our best sprinter,’’ Hayes said at the time.
"If you settle on one horse, what happens if that horse has a setback in the lead-up to the Everest.”
The Star will announce their representative on Tuesday. Redkirk Warrior and Vega Magic are the two candidates.
Racenet believes another slot holder will swoop and claim the horse The Star reject.
EXPLOSIVE! Redkirk Warrior jumps out of the ground at the 200m, charging away to a BIG win in the Bobbie Lewis. He loves @FlemingtonVRC! pic.twitter.com/HY9TiUZ2QF
— Racing.com (@Racing) September 16, 2017
CHINESE ADDITION LIKELY TO HALT AUSTRALIANS FROM COMPETING AT THE HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL MEETING
A new training centre in China is likely to be destroy any chance of Australian horses competing in the Hong Kong International raceday in December.
This week the South China Morning Post reported that the Australian government will suspend the direct export quarantine status of Sha Tin on October 2.
The cause in the change of Australian quarantine protocol is due to the addition of a training centre at Guangzhou in China into the Hong Kong thoroughbred bio-environment.
Take a look at the latest construction development of the HKJC's Conghua Training Centre, due to open in July 2018 pic.twitter.com/KdvAqEEl58
— HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) August 29, 2016
"Owners can still send Hong Kong horses indirectly to Australia through other approved countries,” an Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources statement said.
That means if an Australian horse was to compete at the Hong Kong International meeting it would be required to do six months quarantine in another country, most likely New Zealand.
EXCITING TIMES AHEAD FOR ‘BIGGER AND STRONGER’ VIRIDINE
Trainer James Cummings says there is reason to be excited for the future when discussing Viridine after the colt returned to score a strong win in the Listed Heritage Stakes (1100m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Viridine won his first two start over the winter months and has returned "22 kilos bigger and stronger” as a three-year-old colt.
Cummings went into the Heritage Stakes with three runners, Viridine ($7) and his two stablemates Malahat ($2.90 fav) and Marsupial ($3.60), and felt the other pair held an edge having race fitness on their side.
"He’d shown me talented work at home but he is yet to be really wound up in condition,” Cummings said.
"That run will be the best thing for him and he has evidently returned a better colt with plenty left to offer.
"We’ll look towards the Roman Consul with him now and if he keeps progressing how we hope he could find himself in the Group I sprint at Flemington on Derby Day.”
Viridine defeated Single Bullet ($6.50) by 1-1/4 lengths with a neck back to Albumin ($17) in third with the winner’s stablemates finishing behind the placegetters.
Viridine remains undefeated, letting down strongly to make it three from three in the listed Heritage Stakes at #Randwick! pic.twitter.com/YfqfOfrgu3
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 16, 2017
IS NEWCASTLE CUP DAY ON THE MOVE?
Will the Newcastle Cup meeting be run outside of the spring carnival in 2018?
It was a subject plenty wanted to discuss at Randwick after Friday’s and Saturday’s meetings were plagued by moderate field sizes.
On Friday, fields of eight, eight and nine contested the three Group IIIs – Spring Stakes, Cameron Handicap and Newcastle Cup while at Randwick on Saturday there was eight in the Shoot Out Mile, seven in the Group III Bill Ritchie Stakes, eight in the Group I George Main Stakes and 11 in the Kingston Town Stakes.
It's being mooted that the Newcastle Cup meeting could be moved to a ‘Stand Alone Saturday’ date in November.
RYAN’S GETS HIS EYE BACK IN
Champion country rider Greg Ryan partnered his first Sydney metropolitan winner in more than a year when scoring aboard the Clint Lundholm-trained Larlabrook in the Highway Handicap (1000m) on Saturday.
Ryan failed to ride a Sydney winner all last season from his rare forays to the big smoke but said he was happy to be back in town after being sidelined for the past four weeks after having a surgical procedure on his left eye.
"I had a Pterygium removed,” Ryan said.
"Things were getting a bit blurry so it was good to get it out of the road, I feel better for it and I can see better too.
"I could have gone to Enngonia today but it’s too far for me up on the western Queensland border.
"It’s a great meeting, I’ve been out there and done that. It’s good to be back at Randwick winning a race.”
Larlabrook gets tired late but JUST clings on in a cracking finish to the TAB Highway Handicap at #Randwick! pic.twitter.com/E7lhbYQ2hf
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 16, 2017
Following the race stewards cooled Ryan’s enthusiasm when suspending him for four meetings for careless riding.
HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?
What’s the reason as to why punters haven’t warmed to consistent sprinter Isorich, the winner of the final race of the day at Randwick.
Isorich prevails in the last of the day at #Randwick, fighting back to nose out Improvement! pic.twitter.com/BHfwxEaldJ
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 16, 2017
The Wayne Seelin-trained seven-year-old has gone around at $16, $26, $41 and on Saturday $21, in his past four runs.
Those four starts have returned two wins and two third placings in Benchmark 78, 82, 90 and 84 grade.
I’m as guilty as anyone but it just goes to show there’s still value to be had on the racetrack and sometimes it stares us directly in the face.
DON’T BE SLOW OUT OF THE BLOCKS
Do you like having a bet in the run?
Some advice to you – don’t watch the races on Sky Thoroughbred Central or Racing.com.
I did a bit of research in the Randwick press room on Saturday and it revealed that in-play racing punters should be watching on Sky 1.
The Racing.com coverage was 1.2 seconds behind while Sky Thoroughbred Central is an amazing 5.4 seconds delayed behind its sister channel.
